Assembly Bill A4481

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4481
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 2, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A.  MAGEE, CROUCH, FINCH, GUNTHER, HAWLEY, OTIS,
   ROSENTHAL, JENNE,  SKOUFIS,  STIRPE,  JAFFEE,  MAGNARELLI,  MONTESANO,
   PEOPLES-STOKES,  TITONE, BRONSON, BARRETT, WOERNER, DiPIETRO -- Multi-
   Sponsored by -- M. of A.   BARCLAY, BUTLER, COOK,  GOTTFRIED,  KEARNS,
   LOPEZ,  LUPARDO, LUPINACCI, McDONOUGH, McLAUGHLIN, PALMESANO, SIMANOW-
   ITZ, THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets  law,  in  relation  to  the
   beginning farmer revolving loan fund program
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 328 of the agriculture and markets law  is  amended
 by adding a new subdivision 5 to read as follows:
   5.  "BEGINNING  FARMER"  SHALL  MEAN  A FARMER WHO HAS NOT PRODUCED AN
 "AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT" AS DEFINED IN THIS SECTION,  FOR  MORE  THAN  TEN
 CONSECUTIVE YEARS, AND WHO WILL MATERIALLY AND SUBSTANTIALLY PARTICIPATE
 IN  THE  PRODUCTION  OF  AN  AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT WITHIN A REGION OF THE
 STATE.
   § 2. The agriculture and markets  law  is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 section 330-a to read as follows:
   §  330-A. BEGINNING FARMER REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM. 1. THE COMMISSIONER
 SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A BEGINNING FARMER REVOLVING  LOAN  PROGRAM
 TO  PROVIDE  LOW INTEREST LOANS TO BEGINNING FARMERS FOR THE PURPOSES OF
 SUPPORTING BEGINNING FARMERS, ENCOURAGING THE GROWTH OF SMALL  AGRIBUSI-
 NESS,  PRESERVING  FARMLAND  AS  A  WORKING  AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE, AND
 PROVIDING OPEN SPACE BENEFITS FOR ALL RESIDENTS OF THE  STATE.  PROPERLY
 MANAGED  FARMLAND  HAS  BEEN  DEMONSTRATED  TO BE THE BEST ENVIRONMENTAL
 USAGE OF LAND FOR WATERSHED PROTECTION, SO IT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF
 THE STATE TO MAINTAIN AGRICULTURAL LAND. SUCH PROGRAM  SHALL,  FROM  ANY
 APPROPRIATION  MADE  AVAILABLE  FOR  THIS  PURPOSE, PROVIDE LOW INTEREST
 LOANS TO BEGINNING FARMERS AS THE COMMISSIONER SHALL DEEM TO BE ELIGIBLE
 PURSUANT TO RULE OR REGULATION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD07454-01-7

 A. 4481                             2
 
   2. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE RULES  AND  REGULATIONS  FOR  THE
 PURPOSE OF CARRYING OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION, INCLUDING ESTAB-
 LISHING:
   A.  AN  APPLICATION  PROCESS  WHEREBY  BEGINNING FARMERS MAY APPLY FOR
 LOANS;
   B. CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR DETERMINING A BEGINNING FARMER'S  ELIGI-
 BILITY FOR A LOAN;
   C.  CRITERIA  AND STANDARDS FOR DETERMINING THE PRIORITY TO BE GRANTED
 AMONG BEGINNING FARMER APPLICANTS;
   D. CRITERIA AND STANDARDS FOR  DETERMINING  THE  AMOUNT  OF  FINANCIAL
 ASSISTANCE TO BE PROVIDED TO A BEGINNING FARMER; AND
   E. CRITERIA AND STANDARDS TO BE USED IN DETERMINING THE LOAN REPAYMENT
 PERIODS AND THE TERMS OF ANY REPAYMENT AGREEMENT.
   §  3. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law;  provided,  however,  that
 any  rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this
 act on its effective date are authorized to be made on  or  before  such
 date.