NY Anti-Hunger Groups: Help Farmers Who Donate Food

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A coalition of anti-hunger advocates, agricultural groups and environmental organizations are urging New York leaders to create a tax credit for farmers who donate fruits, vegetables and other products to foodbanks.

The measure has broad support in the state Legislature. But it has been vetoed before by Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo because it wasn't a part of the state budget.

Supporters plan to gather Monday in Albany to ask that the tax credit be included in the budget this year.

Farmers already donate millions of pounds of food annually, but say tax credits would reduce the costs of harvesting and transporting surplus crops that would otherwise go to waste.

Environmentalists and anti-hunger advocates say more donations would reduce food waste and give poor New Yorkers access to healthy fruits and vegetables.