Matthew Leonard, Editor

The lengthy dispute over casino royalties was resolved in Niagara Falls on Thursday with the signing of new deal between the state of New York and the Seneca Nation of Indians. 

This deal is the third in 30 days between the state and upstate Indian nations since the governor launched his initiative to push for additional casinos (or as he calls them "resort destinations"), in upstate.

What's in it for the Seneca? Support from Albany to uphold their rights to run exclusive gaming operations in western New York.

The Innovation Trail recently concluded a week of reporting on a range of stories about innovation in the state's agricultural sector with a two-hour live program on WXXI's 1370 Connection program.

You can listen to that program below, or download the original reports from our Soundcloud page.

Agriculture is one of the most dynamic and innovative economic sectors in New York state. With typical ingenuity, growers are tampering with conventional business models, using the latest research to battle pests and mitigate against the impact of climate change.

They’re also keeping an eagle eye on the fracking debate, converting dairy farms to grow hops to meet the needs of the brewing boom, and looking to renewable energy to save on their power bills.

In a series of reports running 20-25 May, the Innovation Trail team looks at some of the current challenges and opportunities for the state’s producers.

A preview of some of the stories we're including, after the jump.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has outlined more details for establishing a financial restructuring board as a resource for distressed local governments, particularly in upstate New York.