View Weekly I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Reports Available Every Wednesday, Beginning September 14, Here Watch New Broadcast and Digital Marketing Campaign Showcasing Popular Seasonal Attractions and Destinations Here Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of New York State's 2022 fall foliage and travel season, highlighted by the return of I LOVE NY's Fall Foliage Reports and a new I LOVE NY broadcast and digital marketing campaign to showcase popular fall activities and attractions. I LOVE NY is also collaborating with the state's network of heritage tourism destinations on this year's Path Through History Weekend, scheduled for October 8 to 10, which will feature special events and activations at the state's rich history and historic sites. "From colorful foliage and unparalleled natural landscapes to breathtaking historical sites and one-of-a-kind state parks, there's nothing like New York in the fall," Governor Hochul said. "During this season, we invite travelers from New York and out-of-state to plan a perfect autumn adventure - whether it's climbing an Adirondack peak, visiting a Long Island winery, or walking along Buffalo's waterfront - and see what our great state has to offer." Fall is one of New York's most popular travel seasons, attracting visitors from around the world who support local businesses while exploring the unique and diverse communities across the state. To help travelers and foliage enthusiasts plan a fall getaway, I LOVE NY's weekly foliage reports are issued every Wednesday, beginning on September 14. They are compiled using the on-location field observations from I LOVE NY's team of more than 85 volunteer leaf spotters throughout the state's 11 vacation regions. The spotters track color changes in their area, detailing the prevalent leaf colors, approximate percentage of change, and how much color change has progressed relative to peak conditions. The reports also include an interactive foliage map, available on the I LOVE NY website, that tracks weekly changes and progression across the state throughout the season. The map includes recommended foliage viewing locations in each of the state's vacation regions, plus examples of peak foliage in a given area, and information about popular local and regional attractions. New this year, the interactive foliage map will include an option to filter attractions by category, including food & drink, and arts & culture. Travelers are invited to share their photos of New York State's picturesque foliage on social media by using the #NYLovesFall hashtag. Photos submitted to this hashtag have a chance of being featured on the I LOVE NY fall foliage website and official I LOVE NY social media accounts reaching more than two million followers. I LOVE NY recently launched a TikTok account to reach additional audiences, complementing its existing accounts on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Thanks in part to its size and location, New York State traditionally has one of the longest and most colorful foliage seasons in the country. On any weekend from late September through mid-November, part of the state is likely experiencing peak foliage. Fall foliage reports and the interactive map are available at www.iloveny.com/foliage, or toll-free at 800-CALL-NYS (800-225-5697) from anywhere in the U.S., its territories and Canada. Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Tourism is a pillar of New York's economy, and fall travel is especially vital to family farms and small businesses, which are the backbone of so many communities across the state. This season offers the perfect opportunity to explore and experience New York's different regions, each with its own fall festivals, offerings and events that invite and welcome everyone." Empire State Development Vice President and Executive Director of Tourism Ross D. Levi said, "Every year, New York State becomes a wonderland of autumnal color. From our weekly foliage report letting travelers know where colors are peaking, to interactive maps helping them find attractions and dining experiences, to a running list of heritage events as part of Path Through History Weekend, I LOVE NY is pleased to provide tools to help guests take full advantage of one of the longest and most beautiful foliage seasons in the country. We welcome explorers from near and far to come be a part of it all and discover an autumn to fall in love with here in New York State." Read the full press release here.

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State will establish a Caribbean trade office to support and encourage new economic opportunities for New York businesses. This new foreign office will assist New York State companies with international sales and exporting their products and services to the Caribbean region. The Governor made the announcement at the West Indian American Day Carnival Association Breakfast.   "Today we are taking important steps to expand trade opportunities for New York State businesses in the Caribbean,"Governor Hochul said."This vibrant commercial region will help New York companies broaden and develop new partnerships as we begin a new and exciting chapter in our economic development relationship with this market."   Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight, said,"The new Global NY office in the Caribbean will help New York State businesses realize their full potential in accessing new international markets for their goods and services. Expanding international export opportunities supports business growth that in turn boosts the economy and creates more good-paying jobs for New Yorkers."  Read the full press release here.

Winning Plan Will Grow Advanced Manufacturing Workforce, Innovation and Infrastructure Throughout the Regional Ecosystem Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that New York State's Empire State Development Western New York Regional Office has been awarded $25 million from the federal Build Back Better Challenge, the U.S. Economic Development Administration's marquee program under the American Rescue Plan. The Build Back Better Regional Challenge provides transformative investments to develop and strengthen regional industry clusters across the country, all while embracing economic equity, creating good-paying jobs, and enhancing U.S. competitiveness globally. New York State's winning application will develop or scale advanced manufacturing, develop and train the workforce of today, and build resilient economies for the future. "Buffalo is a big winner in President Biden's Build Back Better Challenge, which will provide investments that will jump start specific sectors targeted in the winning regions," Governor Hochul said. "This $25 million award will fund businesses throughout Buffalo, spurring higher-paying jobs and economic growth, and innovative entrepreneurship for Buffalonians. Congratulations to the winning communities and I look forward to seeing them take their projects to the next level." Empire State Development's Western New York Regional Office & Western New York Regional Economic Development Council (WNY REDC) in partnership with University at Buffalo Regional Institute (UBRI) will implement this winning proposal which includes projects that will scale up existing advanced manufacturing strategies through projects that will spark innovation, advance inclusive workforce development, and develop needed infrastructure. Partners that were awarded by EDA include Buffalo Urban Development Corporation; Buffalo Manufacturing Works; and Goodwill of WNY. Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, "Western New York will benefit from transformational investments that will develop and strengthen vital industry clusters. Combined with State matching funds, we will be able to train the workforce of today and strengthen the economies of the winning regions." Read the full press release here.

20 Startups from Across the Globe will Compete to Win a Combined Total of $3 Million in Prize Money at Upcoming Summit Nov. 15-16 Competition is Funded Through Upstate Revitalization Initiatives - Finger Lakes Forward, CNY Rising and Southern Tier Soaring - Regional Comprehensive Strategies to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy Empire State Development (ESD) and Cornell University’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) today announced the 20 finalists selected to take part in year four of Grow-NY, a food and agriculture business competition focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage, and agriculture innovation cluster in Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. CREA administers the competition which is funded through New York state’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The winner will be required to make a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region, which is comprised of 22 counties located in Central NY, the Finger Lakes, and in the Southern Tier where there are vibrant farmlands, and urban centers, including Rochester, Syracuse, and Binghamton. Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight, said, "Round four of the Grow-NY business competition has once again attracted a group of exceptional startups and entrepreneurial talent from around the world. Through this agri-business focused competition, New York State continues its dedicated, focused efforts to support agriculture innovation that will create jobs and grow the Central New York, Finger Lakes, and Southern Tier economies." State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball, said, “Congratulations to the Grow-NY Round 4 finalists.  These entrepreneurs are innovating the exciting new foods and agricultural products of tomorrow, which will not only grow the industry and address consumer demand in these areas, but that will also enhance environmental sustainability, a major goal for New York State as we work towards our aggressive agenda in tackling climate change. I look forward to the final awards being made this fall and seeing these cutting-edge products reach our marketplace.” In all, 385 startups applied from 52 countries, including Singapore, Australia, and Sri Lanka. This year’s competition garnered vast global interest, and for the first time in competition history, international applications (225) exceeded the number of U.S.-based applications (160). Domestic teams showed strong interest as well, with 25 different states represented in the applicant pool, including 92 entries from New York, a number that accounts for 55% of U.S. applicants. Of the applications from New York state, 34% were from the Grow-NY region. 38% of applicants included a female founder and a record 75% included a founder from an underrepresented minority group. A panel of 30 judges, reflecting a depth and breadth of agriculture, food production, and entrepreneurial expertise, reviewed all the applications to determine the top 20 finalists that will pitch their business plans at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit this November. Grow-NY will award a total of $3 million in prize money to seven winners. This includes a $1 million top prize, two $500,000 prizes and four $250,000 prizes. The 20 selected finalists include: Botaniline, Buffalo, N.Y. – Botaniline creates ground proteins that are lower in salt, saturated fat, and calories by utilizing plant-based ingredients to replace some of the meat, producing flavorful, more sustainable meat products. Craft Cannery, Bergen, N.Y. – Craft Cannery takes cherished recipes from your kitchen to the shelves of grocery stores, restaurants, farmers markets and beyond, specializing in the contract manufacturing of sauces, dressings, marinades, and more. Dynamic Air Cooling (DAC), Elbląg, Poland – Dynamic Air Cooling (DAC) is an environmentally-friendly air conditioning and refrigeration technology that uses no synthetic HFC coolants and features no thermal emissions, bringing a breakthrough cooling technology to fight climate change. Edenesque, Kingston, N.Y. – Edenesque curates clean, simple, and delicious artisanal plant-based milks that foster health and nutrition, made with whole ingredients that support and strengthen bodies without any fillers or additives. Forte Protein, Ithaca, N.Y. – Forte Protein uses a plant-based technology to produce a broad spectrum of meat, fish, and dairy proteins without the need for animals, eliminating the carbon footprint involved in animal agriculture. Hago Energetics Benefit Corporation, Camarillo, Calif. – Hago Energetics traps methane from farm waste, converts it into hydrogen gas, and creates direct carbon dioxide emissions, resulting in not one, but two, sellable products. Hempitecture, Sun Valley, Idaho – Hempitecture is on a mission to create healthy, energy-efficient building materials that positively impact people and the planet by capturing carbon dioxide and replenishing farmland. Its biobased insulation makes construction projects more sustainable, healthier, and higher performing. Humatico, Warsaw, Poland – Humatico technology creates high quality organic fertilizer from any available organic raw materials, including agricultural waste, algae, sapropel, peat, and brown coal. KEHO, New York, N.Y. – KEHO makes complex science deliciously digestible, curating savory snack bars that are keto-friendly and 100% plant-based. With no sugars, sweeteners, or artificial flavors or colors, KEHO packs up real food for real lives. Labby, Cambridge, Mass. – Labby’s technology provides rapid, accurate, and affordable solutions for dairy farms, leveraging AI-enabled optical sensing for raw milk testing that delivers instant insights to your fingertips. Mi Terro, Los Angeles, Calif. – Mi Terro is helping to protect the environment by upcycling agricultural waste and engineering it to replace plastic in the food, packaging, and fashion industries. Norwhey Brewing, Ithaca, N.Y. – Norwhey transforms New York state’s yogurt byproducts into a delicious, Nordic twist on hard seltzer by responsibly capturing and fermenting excess whey from the production of strained yogurt and turning it into sustainability you can taste. ProAgni, Lavington, Australia – ProAgni ProTect is a revolutionary range of supplements and feeds for livestock that lowers methane emissions from sheep and cattle without the use of antibiotics, decreasing a producer’s environmental footprint without increasing costs. Seneca Farms Biochar, Odessa, N.Y. – Seneca Farms Biochar’s technology produces biochar, pyroligneous acid (wood vinegar), and activated carbon at scale, sequestering carbon, reducing dependency on chemical pesticides and fertilizers, and optimizing financial outcomes. Sweet Pea Plant-Based Kitchen, Rochester, N.Y. – Sweet Pea is a plant-powered kitchen creating transformative paths to wellness, combining the benefits of its plant-centric food meal service and nutrition coaching to help people sustain a healthy life. Tomgrow, Tel Aviv, Israel – Tomgrow provides a programmable growth medium that can be customized for specific crops and plants, enabling plants to access water and nutrients on demand and combatting the wastefulness and environmental impact of traditional growing. UNNICO FOOD, Mamaroneck, N.Y. – UNNICO offers plant-based yogurts and creams that taste and feel like a yogurt, but are jam-packed with probiotics and fortified with fiber, creating a vegan, dairy-free treat that tastes as good as it is for you. Vivid Machines, Toronto, Canada – Vivid X-Vision system captures the visible and chemical details of every plant across an entire crop from bud to harvest to manage growth, predict yield, and provide means for early diagnosis of pests, diseases, and nutrient deficiencies. We Are The New Farmers, Brooklyn, N.Y. – We Are The New Farmers brings the benefits of microalgae straight into smoothies with its fresh, frozen, farm-grown spirulina cubes that are packed with dense micronutrients and loaded with antioxidants. Zalliant, Amsterdam, N.Y. – Zalliant’s loT and artificial intelligence technologies provide value and efficiency to farmers through improved decision making and management. The accelerator program consists of a 10-week business development phase during which the 20 finalists receive: Dedicated mentorship from a hand-selected business advisor Introduction to the region’s leaders and resources Networking introductions, business tours, and valuable appointments for finalist team representatives Business development support and workshops to connect them to potential partners and opportunities Additional pitch training to hone their live pitches for the judges “For the fourth-consecutive year, Grow-NY broke its own record for applications, but what is most energizing is the composition of startups that applied to make their mark in the thriving entrepreneurship ecosystem in Upstate NY. The strength of our region’s agrifood system continues to grow, and this year’s finalists are pushing traditional boundaries, introducing technologies that increase growing efficiency, create novel foods, and address an array of pressing issues,” said Jenn Smith, Program Director, Grow-NY. “We are delighted to have several international finalists and are just as excited to watch the multiple home-grown teams compete. The support the startups will receive from our Grow-NY Partner Group is incredible, and we are thankful to work with such dedicated experts from the ag community, industry, state agencies, and academia.” The accelerator culminates with a live pitch at the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit, scheduled for Nov. 15 and 16, at the OnCenter in Syracuse. The Summit will once again be held in two formats simultaneously, in-person and virtually, with finalists pitching their business ideas live in front of an audience and answering questions from a judging panel. This year’s winners will be revealed via a virtual award ceremony on the morning of Nov. 17. “The Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences community is inspired by the food and agriculture technology innovations that Grow-NY has drawn into upstate New York’s innovation ecosystem,” said Benjamin Z. Houlton, Ronald P. Lynch Dean. “Cornell CALS is ready to leverage our strengths in research and development to help this year’s cohort of startups fulfill their potential to improve the health, food, economy, and environment of our interconnected world, by developing their businesses right here in our region.” “We are grateful for the vision Governor Hochul and Empire State Development have demonstrated through their ongoing support of the Grow-NY program,” said Mary Opperman, Cornell VP and Chief Human Resources Officer. “As this year’s group of competition finalists demonstrates, innovations in and around agriculture create meaningful opportunities to advance food systems, right here in our region and across the state. The advancements these companies offer have worldwide implications and help us continue to grow the economy in New York.” To learn more about the finalists and mentors, and to learn more and register for the Summit, visit grow-ny.com. To learn more about Cornell Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) visit https://crea.cornell.edu. Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward  Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 8,200 new jobs. More information is available here. ​ Accelerating CNY Rising  Today's announcement complements “CNY Rising,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on capitalizing on global market opportunities, strengthening entrepreneurship and creating an inclusive economy. Now, the region is accelerating CNY Rising with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 5,900 new jobs. More information is available here. Accelerating Southern Tier Soaring  Today's announcement complements “Southern Tier Soaring,” the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving innovation. Now, the region is accelerating Southern Tier Soaring with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 10,200 new jobs. More information is available here. About Empire State Development  Empire State Development (ESD) is New York’s chief economic development agency. The mission of ESD is to promote a vigorous and growing economy, encourage the creation of new job and economic opportunities, increase revenues to the State and its municipalities, and achieve stable and diversified local economies. Through the use of loans, grants, tax credits and other forms of financial assistance, ESD strives to enhance private business investment and growth to spur job creation and support prosperous communities across New York State. ESD is also the primary administrative agency overseeing the state’s Regional Economic Development Councils and the marketing of "I LOVE NY," the State’s iconic tourism brand. For more information on Regional Councils and Empire State Development, please visit www.regionalcouncils.ny.gov and www.esd.ny.gov. Contact: Shari Voorhees-Vincent | [email protected] | (585) 399-7055 Press Office | [email protected] | (800) 260-7313 Irene Kannyo | [email protected] | 585-261-1577