NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A10195
SPONSOR: Rules (Lupardo) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the
beginning farmer advisory board on agriculture
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:
To diversify and rename the young farmer advisory board to the beginning
farmer advisory board.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of the bill would rename the young farmer advisory board,
established in Agriculture and Markets Law § 309-A, to the beginning
farmer advisory board.
Section 2 of the bill would expand the membership of the board and
change it from a board requiring members to be approved by the advice
and consent of the senate and assembly to a commissioner appointed
board.
Section 3 of the bill continues with the renaming of the board from the
young farmer advisory board to the beginning farmer advisory board. The
section also changes the requirement for an annual report to a biennial
report to the Governor and legislature that prioritizes policy issues
which affect young and aspiring farmers
Section 4 of the bill contains the bill's effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
With the average age of New York State's farmers approaching 58 years,
identifying the next generation to work on our farms and assuring their
success is of great concern. This bill would rename and expand the board
membership to include many other important voices, such as a member of a
group that has been historically underrepresented in farm ownership,
organic farmers, veteran farmers, the USDA and other organizations and
service providers. By creating a board that meets regularly, the state
can address broad areas of concern to farmers, such as access to land
and capital, business planning and mentorship, and implement a plan that
moves forward efforts to bring our younger generation and new entrants
to the farm.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
None.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
10195
IN ASSEMBLY
May 5, 2022
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Lupardo) --
(at request of the Department of Agriculture and Markets) -- read once
and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the
beginning farmer advisory board on agriculture
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 309-a of the agriculture and markets law, as added
2 by chapter 129 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
3 § 309-a. [Young] Beginning farmer advisory board on agriculture. 1.
4 There shall be established within the department the [young] beginning
5 farmer advisory board on agriculture, to advise and make recommendations
6 to the state agencies on state government plans, policies and programs
7 affecting agriculture, as outlined below, and in such areas as its expe-
8 rience and studies may indicate to be appropriate. The department shall
9 provide necessary secretariat and support services to the board.
10 2. The [young] beginning farmer advisory board on agriculture shall
11 consist of [twenty] twenty-two members, [ten to be] appointed by the
12 [governor, with the advice and consent of the senate and assembly,
13 selected] commissioner for their experience and expertise related to
14 areas of board responsibility. The board shall be comprised of diverse
15 members of the agriculture industry as follows:
16 (a) Of the [twenty] twenty-two members appointed to the board:
17 (1) one shall be from the department;
18 (2) one shall be from the empire state development corporation;
19 (3) one shall be an officer of the Future Farmers of America (FFA);
20 (4) one shall be from the department of labor;
21 (5) one shall be an urban farmer;
22 [(5)] (6) one shall be from the New York Farm Bureau; [and
23 (6) fifteen shall be from the general public appointed as follows:
24 five to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate, five to
25 be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, and five to be appointed by
26 the governor.]
27 (7) one shall be from the Cornell Small farms program;
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13958-02-2
A. 10195 2
1 (8) one shall be from the United States department of agriculture;
2 (9) one shall be an organic farmer;
3 (10) one shall be a veteran farmer;
4 (11) one shall be from the Young Farmers coalition;
5 (12) one shall be a member of a group that has been historically
6 underrepresented in farm ownership; and
7 (13) ten shall be entry level farmers or novice farmers, agriculture
8 service providers, financial and legal service providers to farm opera-
9 tors, Cornell Cooperative Extension representatives, advocacy organiza-
10 tion representatives, academics, agricultural leaders, and/or others who
11 can contribute to the work of the advisory board on issues, including,
12 among others: access to land and capital, grants, business planning,
13 farm processes and government programs.
14 (b) Each member shall:
15 (1) be interested in the preservation and development of agriculture
16 and preservation of the agricultural way of life in New York;
17 (2) be [under the age of forty-five years old at the beginning of the
18 member's term] actively involved in farming, agricultural activities,
19 agricultural research and/or providing services to the agricultural
20 community in the state;
21 (3) [derive at least fifty percent of the member's personal income
22 from farming or agricultural activities in the state;
23 (4)] be a resident of the state; and
24 [(5)] (4) be appointed for a term of three years and may serve until
25 their successors are chosen; provided, however, that of the members
26 first appointed, six shall serve for a term of one year, six shall serve
27 for a term of two years and eight shall serve for a term of three years.
28 (c) Members shall serve without salary but shall be entitled to
29 reimbursement of their ordinary and necessary travel expenses.
30 (d) The members of the board shall meet [quarterly] twice a year.
31 3. The duties and responsibilities of the [young] beginning farmer
32 advisory board on agriculture shall include, but not be limited to:
33 (a) annually electing from its members a chairperson, a vice chair-
34 person, and a secretary of the advisory board at the advisory board's
35 first meeting of the calendar year;
36 (b) communicating to the [general] public, the federal government, and
37 the state government the importance of [young and] beginning farmers to
38 agriculture in the state;
39 (c) [identify] identifying issues relating to [young and] beginning
40 farmers in the state and provide timely advice to the commissioner, the
41 governor and the relevant state agencies, with regard to the promotion
42 of agriculture as a career path and the economic development of [young
43 and aspiring] beginning farmers;
44 (d) [produce an annual] producing a biennial report and provide such
45 report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the
46 speaker of the assembly on or before the end of each calendar year. Such
47 report shall identify and prioritize policy issues which affect [young
48 and aspiring] beginning farmers; and
49 (e) establish committees, as necessary, to develop projects relating
50 to the aspects of life for [young and] beginning farmers in the state.
51 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
