State to spend $40M to build new food lab

The Business Review (Albany)

The state food laboratory will remain in the Albany, N.Y., region, creating a new development opportunity, state officials announced Tuesday.

The 2008-09 state budget includes $40 million for the construction of a new building to house the food lab, which has 42 employees. The lab's current home, in the Harriman State Office Campus in Albany, is outdated and in need of "major renovations" to accommodate new testing procedures, officials said.

State Agriculture Commissioner Patrick Hooker said his office will immediately start working on finding a location in the Albany area that is suitable for the new lab. The lab tests food meant for human or animal consumption, as well as wine and liquor. It also tests for pesticides in fruits, vegetables and public drinking water.

The announcement evidently ends the possibility that the lab would move to Cornell University's food technology park in Geneva, an idea raised during for Gov. George Pataki's time in office.