Assembly Bill A9545

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9545
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                              March 16, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation  to  estab-
   lishing  the  New York state meat processing grant expansion programs;
   and making an appropriation therefor
 
   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 96-k to read as follows:
   § 96-K. NEW YORK STATE MEAT PROCESSING EXPANSION GRANT  PROGRAM.    1.
 THERE  IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT A NEW YORK STATE MEAT
 PROCESSING EXPANSION GRANT PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM SHALL BE ESTABLISHED  BY
 THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPO-
 RATION. THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM SHALL BE TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO ENCOUR-
 AGE  THE  EXPANSION OF MEAT PROCESSING ENTERPRISES THROUGHOUT THE STATE,
 WITH AN EMPHASIS ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MORE PROCESSING PLANTS THAT ARE
 CERTIFIED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
   2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS AND  CREATE  AN
 APPLICATION FORM FOR THE PROGRAM WITHIN SIXTY DAYS OF THE EFFECTIVE DATE
 OF  THIS  SECTION. SUCH PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NEED NOT
 BE LIMITED TO;
   (A) PROPOSALS FOR GRANTS SHALL BE FOR  NO  LESS  THAN  FIFTY  THOUSAND
 DOLLARS AND SHALL BE USED FOR THE EXPANSION OF EXISTING PLANTS, CREATION
 OF  NEW  PLANTS,  JOB TRAINING, SAFETY UPGRADES, OR OTHER PURPOSE DEEMED
 NECESSARY TO FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES FOR BEEF, PORK AND OTHER MEAT FARMERS
 TO PROCESS THEIR MEAT WITHIN THE STATE; AND
   (B) FUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE DEPARTMENT FOR THE GRANT PROGRAM  SHALL  BE
 DIVIDED  AMONG EACH REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL REGION THAT IS
 ABLE TO DISPERSE FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS EACH TO ONE  OR  MULTIPLE
 ENTITIES  WHO  CAN  PROVE  NEED FOR ONE-TIME CAPITAL FUNDING TO INCREASE
 MEAT PROCESSING CAPABILITIES WITHIN THE STATE.
   3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMOTE THE PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE STATE.
   4. GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS SHALL BE  ALLOCATED  WITHIN  ONE  YEAR  OF  THE
 EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD14406-02-2
 A. 9545                             2
 
   §  2. The sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000), or so much thereof
 as may be available, is hereby appropriated to the department  of  agri-
 culture and markets from any moneys in the state treasury in the general
 fund  to  the credit of the state purposes account, not otherwise appro-
 priated,  and made immediately available, for the purposes of establish-
 ing the New York state meat processing  expansion  grant  program.  Such
 moneys  shall  be payable on the audit and warrant of the comptroller on
 vouchers certified or approved by the commissioner  of  agriculture  and
 markets in the manner prescribed by law.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.