Senate Bill S7843

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7843

SPONSOR: RITCHIE
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to authorize and direct the commissioner of
agriculture and markets to conduct a "women in farming" study

 
PURPOSE:

To authorize a study by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets on
women who are farm operators and the programs available to support and
encourage women farmers

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one authorizes the commissioner of agriculture and markets to
conduct a "women in farming" study.

Section two states that the commissioner shall report the study findings
to the Senate, Assembly and Governor within one year of the effective
date.

              

Section three provides the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Women account for approximately 30 percent of the farm operators in the
United States, a number which has almost tripled in the last three
decades, creating the fastest growing segment in agriculture.  In New
York State, the number of farm businesses owned by women grew 14% from
2002 to 2017, while at the same time, male owned farms decreased by 8%.
Women are also part of the reason for an important shift in today's farm
landscape as women tend to farm on smaller pieces of land, grow diverse
crops, favor sustainable practices, and prioritize food over commodity
crops.

In an effort to encourage new farmers and new farm operations in New
York, an effort is needed to encourage more women to pursue careers in
farming. To that end, a study of the potential impediments and barriers
to women-operated farm businesses would be helpful. Such a study should
also include any factors which contribute to women choosing to become
farm operators and recommendations for legislation or administrative
programs to support and encourage more women to pursue farming as a
career.

Attracting new farmers to pursue farming careers in New York is crit-
ical, and focusing our efforts on encouraging growing sectors of the
agricultural economy, like women-owned farm businesses, is a very impor-
tant step in that direction.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is new legislation.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

Minimal.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediately.