Senate Bill S1908A

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1908--A
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 16, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. JACKSON -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture  --  committee
   discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
   to said committee
 
 AN  ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to provid-
   ing fresh produce to food deserts in the state
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 16 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision 52 to read as follows:
   52.  (A)  ESTABLISH  A  PROGRAM IN THE STATE TO PURCHASE FRESH PRODUCE
 FROM FARMS LOCATED IN THE STATE UTILIZING  ALL  MONIES  APPROPRIATED  TO
 SUCH  PROGRAM  AND  DISTRIBUTE  SUCH FRESH PRODUCE IN AREAS OF THE STATE
 DETERMINED BY THE COMMISSIONER TO  BE  FOOD  DESERTS.  THE  COMMISSIONER
 SHALL PROMULGATE FOR SUCH PROGRAM:
   (I)  ELIGIBILITY  AND APPLICATION CRITERIA FOR INDIVIDUALS IN AREAS IN
 THE STATE DESIGNATED AS FOOD DESERTS TO RECEIVE FRESH  PRODUCE  PURSUANT
 TO THE PROGRAM;
   (II)  ELIGIBILITY  AND  APPLICATION CRITERIA FOR FARMS IN THE STATE TO
 REGISTER AS VENDORS TO EXPEDITE  THE  ACQUISITION  AND  DISTRIBUTION  OF
 FRESH PRODUCE FROM SUCH FARMS;
   (III) CRITERIA THAT PROMOTES OPPORTUNITIES FOR MARKET PARTICIPATION BY
 FARMERS FROM UNDER-REPRESENTED COMMUNITIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
 FARMERS  WHO  ARE  BLACK,  INDIGENOUS, OR FROM COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THE
 PROGRAM SHALL PROMOTE A CONSISTENT DEMAND OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES  FROM
 UNDER-REPRESENTED  FARMERS,  INCLUDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FARMERS WHO ARE
 BLACK, INDIGENOUS, OR FROM COMMUNITIES OF  COLOR  TO  RE-ESTABLISH  FARM
 OWNERSHIP.
   (B)  AS  USED  IN  THIS  SUBDIVISION "FOOD DESERT" SHALL HAVE THE SAME
 MEANING AS DEFINED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF  AGRICULTURE.  FOR
 THE  PURPOSES  OF  THE  PROGRAM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD02339-07-1

 S. 1908--A                          2
 
 THIS SUBDIVISION, THE COMMISSIONER SHALL ADDITIONALLY  CONSIDER  READILY
 AVAILABLE ACCESS TO FRESH FOODS, THE SOCIO-ECONOMICS OF AN AREA, AND THE
 DISTANCE  TO  FOOD  ESTABLISHMENTS  THAT  PROVIDE HEALTHY AND/OR ORGANIC
 FOODS  WHEN  DETERMINING  WHAT AREAS OF THE STATE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE A
 FOOD DESERT FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE PROGRAM.
   (C) THE COMMISSIONER SHALL PROMULGATE ANY RULES OR REGULATIONS  NECES-
 SARY TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBDIVISION.
   §  2.  This  act shall take effect on the ninetieth day after it shall
 have become a law.    Effective  immediately,  the  addition,  amendment
 and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation
 of  this  act  on  its  effective  date  are  authorized  to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.