Richard Ball named New York Ag commissioner
Mr. Ball takes over from Darrel Aubertine, who left the position in October after two years.
Governor Cuomo announced Mr. Ball's appointment as farmer-in-chief last week Thursday; three hours later he was giving the State of the State address for Agriculture at the New York Agricultural Society's annual meeting.
"The first question he asked me-and the very last one-was about how the Valley was doing after the flood," Mr. Ball said. "That carried a lot of weight with me personally."
He said he was also impressed by the Governor's interest in improving the upstate economy by linking it to agriculture and the downstate markets-a longtime passion of his own.
Mr. Ball begins his new job this week and said his first order of business will be getting a feel for the department, which already looks to be in good shape.
From there, he plans to build on a number of issues Governor Cuomo talked about in his State of the State address, including agriculture and upstate-downstate summits and the Pride of New York promotion program.
"Richard Ball is a lifelong farmer and advocate for sound farm policy who will bring fresh ideas and strong leadership to the Department of Agriculture and Markets," said Governor Cuomo. "Agriculture is a vital sector of the state's economy, providing thousands of jobs, food for people around the globe, and a way of life for generations of New Yorkers. Richard embodies the proud tradition of farming here in New York State and will be a superb addition to this administration."
Source: timesjournalonline.com
