Richard Ball, the state commissioner of Agriculture and Markets, gave his annual state of agriculture address at the Oncenter Thursday. He highlighted programs despite the current issues the industry is facing.

In a tumultuous 2022, farmers dealt with effects of climate change, worker shortages and decimated egg supply because of a bird flu. Addressing those issues, Ball stayed positive.

Poultry producer Daren Phillips said he’s reassured that everyone is on the same page.

“There’s a lot of energy around agriculture in New York State, but there’s also a lot of changes going on," Phillips said. "Some things we may or may not agree with in terms of politics or whatever that case may be, but we all know we’re trying to reach the same goal."

Programs were a big theme of Ball’s speech. He mentioned Nourish New York, Farm to School and Taste New York. Thanks to those programs, he said, agriculture continues to grow despite the challenges.

The positive mindset was evident to Kirsten Workman, a specialist in the Pro-Dairy Program at Cornell University.

“I really liked his message about still growing," she said. "I think the theme of this day is disruption and that can be seen as a negative. To flip that on its head a little bit and think of it of how is it a positive and how can we create good change from that was really good."

As efforts continue to be made, Workman says everyone needs to be aware to serve New York's citizens best.

“We’re feeding all New York residents,” she added, “so it’s important to understand how that effort impacts all of us, not just farming and farmers.”