NY State Senate Bill 2017-S7681

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Feb 07, 2018	referred to agriculture

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A9619
Current Committee:: Senate Agriculture
Law Section:: Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:: Add §323-a, Ag & Mkts L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2019-2020: S3142
2021-2022: S2611
2023-2024: S6016

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to the establishment of the "Farmland for a New Generation" program.

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S7681

SPONSOR: HELMING
 
TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in
relation to the establishment of the "Farmland for a New Generation"
program

 
PURPOSE OF THE BILL:

The purpose of this bill is to establish the "Farmland for a New Gener-
ation" program under the oversight of the Commissioner of the New York
State Department of Agriculture and Markets in coordination with Ameri-
can Farmland Trust, in order to establish a statewide resource center
for farmland transition and conservation, and to provide financial
assistance to partnering organizations.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new section
323a, which establishes the "Farmland for a New Generation" program
under the oversight of the Commissioner of the New York State Department

of Agriculture and Markets in coordination with American Farmland Trust
and outlines the responsibilities of this program.

Section 2 appropriates funds as may be deemed necessary and appropriate,
within the constraints of the budget, to the Department of Agriculture
and Markets for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of Section 1
above by establishing a statewide resource center for farmland transi-
tion and conservation.

Section 3 appropriates funds as may be deemed necessary and appropriate,
within the constraints of the budget, to the Department of Agriculture
and Markets for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of Section 1
above by providing financial assistance to organizations partnering with
the Farmland for a New Generation program.

Section 4 establishes the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Currently, nearly 30% of the farmland in New York is operated by senior
farmers age 65 and over who face barriers to the transfer of their farms
to the next generation. Farmland in transition is vulnerable to being
lost to real estate development-meeting the same fate as the nearly
5,000 farms that have been lost to real estate development in New York
since the 1980s. At the same time, beginning farmers-including young
people, immigrants, veterans, and others seeking to start a farm-have
difficulty finding affordable farmland in close proximity to markets.

The Farmland for a New Generation Program will address this problem by
significantly expanding support for new and next generation farmers in
finding farmland, assisting established farmers to find a successor for
their agricultural business, and assisting farmers in protecting their
land using conservation easements.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

None.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7681
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 7, 2018
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. HELMING -- (at request of the Legislative Commission
   on Rural Resources) -- read twice and ordered printed, and when print-
   ed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets  law,  in  relation  to  the
   establishment of the "Farmland for a New Generation" program

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a  new
 section 323-a to read as follows:
   §  323-A. FARMLAND FOR A NEW GENERATION. 1. THE COMMISSIONER, TOGETHER
 WITH AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST, SHALL OVERSEE  AND  ADMINISTER  A  PROGRAM
 ENTITLED "FARMLAND FOR A NEW GENERATION". SUCH PROGRAM SHALL ESTABLISH A
 STATEWIDE  RESOURCE CENTER FOR FARMLAND TRANSITION AND CONSERVATION, AND
 A NETWORK OF REGIONAL NAVIGATORS TO  ASSIST  WITH  FARMLAND  ACCESS  AND
 TRANSFER THROUGHOUT NEW YORK.
   2.  THE "FARMLAND FOR A NEW GENERATION" PROGRAM MAY INCLUDE, BUT SHALL
 NOT BE LIMITED TO: HELPING NEW FARMERS FIND AFFORDABLE LAND TO START  AN
 AGRICULTURAL  BUSINESS;  ENABLING FARMERS TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL LAND FOR
 THEIR AGRICULTURAL BUSINESS; ASSISTING ESTABLISHED  FARMERS  TO  FIND  A
 SUCCESSOR  FOR  THEIR  AGRICULTURAL  BUSINESS; AIDING FARMLAND OWNERS IN
 FINDING FARMERS WILLING TO FARM SUCH FARMLAND; SUPPORTING FARM  FAMILIES
 IN  TRANSFERRING  OWNERSHIP OF THE FARMLAND TO SUCCESSORS; AND ASSISTING
 FARMERS IN PROTECTING THEIR LAND USING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.
   § 2. Subject to appropriation, funds shall be allocated to the depart-
 ment of agriculture and markets for the  purpose  of  carrying  out  the
 provisions of section 323-a of the agriculture and markets law, as added
 by  section one of this act, by establishing a statewide resource center
 in collaboration with American Farmland Trust  for  farmland  transition
 and  conservation.  Subject  to appropriation, additional funds shall be
 allocated to the department of agriculture and markets, for the  purpose
 of  carrying  out the provisions of section 323-a of the agriculture and
 markets law, as added by section one of this act, by providing financial
 assistance for regional navigators across the state within  the  Cornell
 Cooperative Extension not-for-profit conservation organization and other
 organizations.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD13344-05-8

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Senate Bill S7681

Sponsored By

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S7681

Share this bill

Sponsored By

Pamela Helming

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Details

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2017-S7681 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments