Governor Cuomo said the state will provide $25 million in emergency funding.
Food banks in New York City have seen a 100% surge in demand. It's 200% higher in Westchester County, he said.
The governor is also launching an initiative to purchase products from upstate farms and direct them to food banks.
Some dairy cooperatives update have been dumping milk because the market is soft.
"This is just total waster to me. We have people downstate who need food. We have farmers upstate who can't sell their product. We have to put those two things together," Cuomo said.
The initiative called Nourish NY will get the excess milk to people who need it.
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