S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1363--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              January 8, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. WOERNER, BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO, MANKTELOW, STIRPE,
   JONES, GRIFFIN, WILLIAMS, COOK, RODRIGUEZ, JACOBSON, GOODELL, DICKENS,
   GLICK, BARRON, LEMONDES -- Multi-Sponsored by  --  M.  of  A.  HAWLEY,
   SALKA, TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
   --  committee  discharged,  bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended
   and recommitted to said committee
 
 AN ACT to establish a youth development agriculture technology challenge
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.   There is hereby established a youth development agricul-
 ture technology challenge  competition  ("challenge")  for  students  in
 elementary,  secondary,  and  higher  education. Such challenge shall be
 coordinated by the department of agriculture and markets  ("department")
 as part of the state fair in conjunction with Cornell cooperative exten-
 sion  and  other  interested  partners,  including,  but not limited to,
 institutions of higher education, school districts and boards of cooper-
 ative education services,  youth  agricultural  organizations  promoting
 leadership  and  career success in agriculture, and other science, tech-
 nology,  engineering  and  mathematics   and/or   robotics   competition
 programs. The department is authorized to utilize funds appropriated for
 the  state fair and received pursuant to section 31-c of the agriculture
 and markets law and to receive, accept and use gifts and  donations  for
 the  purpose  of  this  act which may be offered notwithstanding section
 eleven of the state finance law or any other provision of law. All money
 received as gifts or donations shall be  deposited  in  a  special  fund
 pursuant  to  section  31-c  of  the  agriculture  and  markets  law and
 disbursed for the purposes of this act or paid to  the  commissioner  of
 taxation  and finance, who together with the state comptroller is hereby
 constituted and appointed the joint custodian thereof and shall  consti-
 tute a special fund to be used under the direction of the department for
 the  purposes of this act. The department, Cornell cooperative extension
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD01206-02-1

 A. 1363--A                          2
 
 and other participating partners shall work together  to  establish  the
 challenge to engage students to develop solutions to relevant technolog-
 ical  problems and issues faced by farmers and food producers including,
 but  not limited to, increasing food production, increasing energy effi-
 ciency and decreasing the cost  of  farming  and  food  production,  and
 addressing  the  impact  of farming on the environment and the impact of
 environmental changes such as climate change or pollinator loss on farm-
 ing. The department and its partners shall identify resources  including
 training  or coaching that will assist students in underserved rural and
 urban communities to participate in the  challenge,  and  develop  dead-
 lines, parameters including establishing elementary, secondary, or high-
 er  education categories, and relevant judging criteria for the projects
 submitted for the agriculture technology  challenge.  Subject  to  funds
 available  for  the  purposes  of this act prizes may be awarded for the
 winning submissions of the challenge.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.