Increasing Health Insurance for New York’s Agricultural Sector

Individual farmers are among the 2.7 million New York State residents who lack health insurance. Agri-Services Agency, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dairylea, provides health insurance to farmers and small businesses or sole proprietors. The New York Health Foundation (NYHealth) extended a grant to Dairylea to intensify and broaden its outreach and marketing activities to increase health insurance enrollment among the dairy industry as well as other major sectors of the State’s agricultural community. The grant began during a financially stable time for farmers; however, in 2008–2009, a national dairy recession coupled with the national economic recession made it difficult for farmers to afford health insurance options and Dairylea was unable to make any substantial gains in new enrollees during the grant period. NYHealth’s support did help offset enrollment losses during the dual recession and build Dairylea’s capacity to revisit its outreach and marketing efforts once the economic environment improved.