Albany -  New York State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker Wednesday announced the formation and members of the New York State Organic Advisory Task Force. The task force is the first of its kind in New York State and its members will advise the Commissioner on how the State can help the organic community address needs and take advantage of opportunities as consumer demand for organic products grows.

The 19 members of the New York State Organic Advisory Task Force include:

• Gayle Anderson of Honest Weight Food Coop, Albany (Albany County)
• Kathy Arnold of Twin Oaks Farm, Truxton (Cortland County)
• Jody Bolluyt of Roxbury Farm and CSA, Kinderhook (Columbia County)
• Steven Clarke of Prospect Hill Orchard, Milton (Ulster County)
• Eric Hansen of Hansen Farms, Stanley (Ontario County)
• Matt Harbur of Alfred State College, Alfred (Allegany County)
• Elizabeth Henderson of Genesee Valley Organic CSA and Peacework Organic Farm, Newark (Wayne County)
• Michael Hoffman of Cornell University, Ithaca (Tompkins County)
• Carol King of NOFA-NY Certified Organic LLC, Binghamton (Broome County)
• Zaid Kurdieh of Norwich Meadows Farm, Norwich (Chenango County)
• Mary-Howell Martens of Lakeview Organic Grain, Penn Yan (Yates County)
• David Momberger of Growers Coop Grape Juice Co., Westfield (Chautauqua County)
• Rick Pedersen of Pedersen Farms, Seneca Castle (Ontario County)
• Sue Rau of New York Country Harvest and Drumlins End Farm, Massena (St. Lawrence County)
• Cheryl Rogowski of Rogowski Farm, Pine Island (Orange County)
• Vaughn Sherman of Jerry Dell Farm, Dryden (Cortland County)
• Martin Stosiek of Markristo Farm, Hillsdale (Columbia County)
• Greg Swartz of Interim Executive Director, Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York, Cobleskill (Schoharie County)
• Linda Tikofsky-Garrison of Quality Milk Program Services, Cornell University, Ithaca (Tompkins County)

The first meeting of the Task Force will take place on February 6, 2008 at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, where members have been asked to identify the most significant issues facing the growth of organic agriculture in New York and recommendations on how the State might address them.

New York State supports organic farming and production methods, and last year the Department of Agriculture and Markets announced a new initiative to promote this growing sector of the State’s agricultural industry. In doing so, the Department added a full-time organic agriculture specialist position and the on-line Organic Farming Resource Center to the Department’s website.