ALBANY – More than 300 farmers from across the state converged on Albany Monday for the New York Farm Bureau’s annual Lobby Day, including a contingent from Chenango.

Chenango County Farm Bureau President Bradd Vickers headed the local delegation. He was joined by the organization’s vice president Harvey Fletcher, District 5 Promotions and Education Chair Rainy Collins-Vickers, Directors Marge Secrest and Drew Piaschyk and Member Annette Connick.

According to Vickers, the event is an opportunity to meet face-to-face with legislators to advocate on behalf of New York farm families and raise awareness on issues related to the state’s agriculture industry.

One of the topics of concerns this year is funding for aid to localities through the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Under Governor Andrew Cuomo’s executive budget proposal, funding for these line items would be slashed by more than 50 percent in 2011-12.

In a briefing Monday, NYFB President Dean Norton applauded some aspects of the governor’s budget - such as his support of redeveloping the Hunts Point Terminal Marketplace, the creation of regional economic development councils and the “reworking” of the Power for Jobs program as Recharge NY.

But Norton also asked those in attendance to remember the number 92 - the percentage by which ag funding in the state has been cut over the last 4 years. New York State’s 2008-09 budget allocated $15 million, he reported. “This year we have a paltry $1.2 million.”