Byron-Bergen Elementary School welcomed Commissioner Richard Ball from the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets to the school on June 4. Commissioner Ball presented the school with a “penned copy” of Bill Number 6695 officially designating yogurt as the NY State Snack. Last school year, students from teacher Craig Schroth’s fourth-grade class successfully campaigned for the NYS legislature to amend State law to make yogurt the official state snack. A process that took many months came to an exciting conclusion when Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the Bill into law this past fall. The penned copy and commemorative signing pen from the approval of their Bill will be displayed in the Elementary School for years to come.
The Commissioner, himself a farmer in Schoharie County, spoke to the group about the importance of their accomplishment and the impact people can make on their government. He reminded them of the value of the farming industry and its significant role in New York State.
Ball was accompanied by Eileen Banker, Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Steve Hawley, an early champion of the Bill. Banker recalled the day the Assemblyman received the packet of information and over 200 handwritten letters from the students advocating for yogurt. “He was so impressed with their idea, and the research and work they had done. He said, ‘We need to make this happen.’”
The students had argued that New York is the biggest yogurt producing state in the U.S., with over 30 processing plants, including three in Genesee County—Alpina, Müller-Quaker, and Upstate Farms. They wanted to make a difference by supporting the industry and helping to create more local jobs. They succeeded. Their Bill was sponsored by New York State Senators Mike Ranzenhofer, Kathleen Marchione, and James Seward, and by Assemblymen Hawley and William Magee. The group even made a trip to Albany in 2014 to meet with legislators.
The aptly-named Byron-Bergen “Snack Pack” are: Kaden Sheard, Devyn Bzduch-Clark, Caleb Carlson, Caleb Calhoun, Madelynn Pimm, Alayna Streeter, Carly Bergeron, Carlie Singer, Tori Niemi, Chiarra Grippo, Aleigha Shallenberger, Katelyn Zastrocky, Peyton Buzzell, Megan Kendall, Madison Burke, Ashley Weit, and Angelique Heick.
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