S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
10308
I N A S S E M B L Y
May 22, 2012
___________
Introduced by M. of A. MAGEE -- read once and referred to the Committee
on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the elder law and the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to establishing a farm-to-senior program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Paragraph (b) of subdivision 14 and subdivision 15 of
section 202 of the elder law, paragraph (b) of subdivision 14 as amended
and subdivision 15 as added by chapter 263 of the laws of 2011, are
amended and a new subdivision 16 is added to read as follows:
(b) make recommendations, in consultation with the division of housing
and community renewal, to the governor and legislature for assisting
mixed-use age-integrated housing development or redevelopment demon-
stration projects in urban, suburban and rural areas of the state. The
director of the office for the aging and secretary of state shall estab-
lish an advisory committee for purposes of this subdivision. Such
committee shall include, but not be limited to, top representatives of
local government, senior citizen organizations, developers, senior
service providers and planners; [and]
15. to periodically, in consultation with the state director of
[veteran's] VETERANS' affairs, review the programs operated by the
office to ensure that the needs of the state's aging veteran population
are being met and to develop improvements to programs to meet such
needs[.]; AND
16. (A) IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND
MARKETS, TO ESTABLISH A FARM-TO-SENIOR PROGRAM TO FACILITATE AND PROMOTE
THE PURCHASE OF NEW YORK FARM PRODUCTS BY SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER
INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE OFFICE. THE
OFFICE SHALL MAKE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO FARMERS, FARM ORGANIZATIONS,
AND INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHING FARM-TO-SENIOR
PROGRAMS.
(B) IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS,
TO ESTABLISH A PROMOTIONAL EVENT, TO BE KNOWN AS THE "NEW YORK GOLDEN
HARVEST: SENIORS WEEK", TO PROMOTE NEW YORK AGRICULTURE AND FOODS TO
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15785-02-2
A. 10308 2
SENIORS AT SENIOR CENTERS, FARMS, FARMERS' MARKETS AND OTHER LOCATIONS
IN THE COMMUNITY. SUCH POWERS AND DUTIES SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE
LIMITED TO, COMPILING INFORMATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND
MARKETS FROM SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING UNDER
THE JURISDICTION OF THE OFFICE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING NEW YORK FARM
PRODUCTS AND DISSEMINATING TO THOSE SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER INSTI-
TUTIONS FOR THE AGING INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND
MARKETS ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF NEW YORK FARM PRODUCTS, AND CONTACT
INFORMATION FOR FARMERS AND OTHER BUSINESSES MARKETING SUCH PRODUCTS.
THE DIRECTOR SHALL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON THE NEED FOR CHANGES IN
LAW TO FACILITATE THE PURCHASES OF SUCH PRODUCTS BY SENIOR CENTERS AND
OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING.
S 2. Section 16 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by
adding a new subdivision 5-c to read as follows:
5-C. (A) ESTABLISH, IN COOPERATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE FOR
THE AGING, A FARM-TO-SENIOR PROGRAM TO FACILITATE AND PROMOTE THE
PURCHASE OF NEW YORK FARM PRODUCTS BY SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER INSTI-
TUTIONS FOR THE AGING UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE OFFICE FOR THE
AGING. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SOLICIT INFORMATION FROM THE OFFICE FOR THE
AGING REGARDING SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING
INTERESTED IN PURCHASING NEW YORK FARM PRODUCTS, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO, THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF SUCH PRODUCTS SENIOR CENTERS WISH TO
PURCHASE AND THE NAME OF THE APPROPRIATE CONTACT PERSON FROM THE INTER-
ESTED SENIOR CENTER. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE THIS INFORMATION READILY
AVAILABLE TO INTERESTED NEW YORK FARMERS, FARM ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSI-
NESSES THAT MARKET NEW YORK FARM PRODUCTS. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE
INFORMATION TO THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING AND INTERESTED SENIOR CENTERS
AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE
OFFICE FOR THE AGING ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF NEW YORK FARM PRODUCTS,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE TYPES AND AMOUNT OF PRODUCTS, AND THE
NAMES AND CONTACT INFORMATION OF FARMERS, FARM ORGANIZATIONS AND BUSI-
NESSES MARKETING SUCH PRODUCTS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE ON THE NEED FOR CHANGES IN LAW TO FACILITATE THE PURCHASES
OF SUCH PRODUCTS BY SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING
UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING.
(B) COORDINATE WITH THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING IN ESTABLISHING A PROMO-
TIONAL EVENT, TO BE KNOWN AS "NEW YORK GOLDEN HARVEST: SENIORS WEEK", TO
PROMOTE NEW YORK AGRICULTURE AND FOODS TO SENIORS AT SENIOR CENTERS,
FARMS, FARMERS' MARKETS AND OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law, provided, however, that effective immediate-
ly, the director of the office for the aging and the commissioner of
agriculture and markets are authorized to promulgate any and all rules
and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on or
before such effective date.