Senate Bill S271

                                
 
BILL NUMBER: S271

SPONSOR: HELMING
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
lishing a small farm disaster recovery grant program

 
PURPOSE:

To establish recovery grant program for small farm disasters.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1: Amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new
section 325b, establishing the "Small Farm Disaster Recovery Grant
Program," and defines a small farm to include only those that sell
produce and have annual sales of one hundred thousand dollars or less.
The owner of any small farm may submit an application for a grant, the
amount of which is to be determined by the Commissioner of Agriculture
and Markets up to $10,000, awarded solely for the purpose of purchasing
              

and replanting crops that have been destroyed by a natural disaster.

This Program shall be funded through annual appropriations of the Legis-
lature or any other funds received by the state. Grants from the program
shall only be awarded based upon the availability of funds.

Section 2: Effective Date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

After a 70-year drop in numbers, small farms are beginning to make a
comeback. For decades, the number of farmers has been shrinking as a
share of the population, but the last Agricultural Census in 2007 showed
a 4 percent increase in the number of farms. It is the first increase
since 1920, and in many cases, young people and college graduates are
joining in the return to the land. Behind this trend, to a large degree,
is the appeal of locally grown and specialty produce, filling a niche
that larger farms geared to national and international markets have left
open for exploitation.

But while there has been an increase in promoting locally grown food,
New York's small farmers still struggle to get a foothold in this prom-
ising new market. Regardless of size, all farmers are vulnerable to the
forces of nature, whether they are excessive heat and drought, flooding,
or infestation. For small, newly established farms, one such natural
disaster can mean the difference between failure and survival.

The small farm disaster recovery grant program will help cover the costs
of replanting crops following a natural disaster or pestilence.  The
grant can be up to $10,000.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2018: S.5127 passed Senate 62-0/A.191 referred to Agriculture
2017: S.5127 passed Senate 60-0/A.191 referred to Agriculture
2016: S.5635-A passed Senate 61-0/ A.2457-A referred to Agriculture
2015: S.5635-A passed Senate 60-1/ A.2457-A referred to Agriculture
2014: S.4521- referred to Agriculture/ A.7038 - referred to Agriculture
2013: S.4521- referred to Agriculture/ A.7038 - referred to Agriculture

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the first of April succeeding the date on
which it shall have become law, provided, however, that effective imme-
diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation
necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is
authorized and directed to be made on or before such effective date.