S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   2282
 
                        2021-2022 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 20, 2021
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  JORDAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to creating
   a real property tax exemption for  land  of  a  farm  operation  being
   certified as organic
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 305 of the agriculture and markets law  is  amended
 by adding a new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
   8.  A.  NOTWITHSTANDING  ANY  PROVISION  OF  LAW TO THE CONTRARY, THAT
 PORTION OF THE VALUE OF LAND OF A FARM OPERATION WHICH IS IN THE PROCESS
 OF BEING CERTIFIED BY AN ORGANIC CERTIFICATION AUTHORITY  ACCREDITED  BY
 THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF ORGAN-
 IC  CROPS,  LIVESTOCK  AND  LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM REAL
 PROPERTY TAXATION FOR A PERIOD NOT TO EXCEED THREE YEARS.  THE  LAND  OF
 THE  FARM OPERATION SUBJECT TO SUCH EXEMPTION SHALL BE CERTIFIED ORGANIC
 AT THE END OF THE THREE YEAR TAX EXEMPTION PERIOD AND SHALL BE  USED  IN
 THE  PRODUCTION OF CROPS, LIVESTOCK AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS IN ACCORDANCE
 WITH THE  UNITED  STATES  DEPARTMENT  OF  AGRICULTURE  NATIONAL  ORGANIC
 PROGRAM  STANDARDS.  THE  LAND  ELIGIBLE  FOR  SUCH  EXEMPTION  SHALL BE
 REPORTED TO THE COMMISSIONER WHO MAY ISSUE AN  ANNUAL  REPORT  DETAILING
 THE  AMOUNT OF LAND SUBJECT TO SUCH EXEMPTION BEING CONVERTED TO ORGANIC
 PRODUCTION AND THE ASSESSED VALUE OF SUCH LAND.
   B. THE LAND ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH REAL PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION SHALL NOT IN
 ANY ONE YEAR EXCEED FIFTY PERCENT OF THE TOTAL ASSESSED  VALUE  OF  SUCH
 FARM  OPERATION WHICH IS LOCATED ON LAND USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION
 WITHIN AN AGRICULTURAL DISTRICT OR FIFTY PERCENT OF THE  TOTAL  ASSESSED
 VALUE  OF  SUCH  FARM  OPERATION ELIGIBLE FOR AN AGRICULTURAL ASSESSMENT
 PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AND SECTION THREE HUNDRED SIX OF  THIS  ARTICLE
 WHERE  THE  OWNER  OF  SUCH  LAND HAS FILED AN ANNUAL APPLICATION FOR AN
 AGRICULTURAL ASSESSMENT.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              
             
                          
                                                                            LBD01550-01-1
 S. 2282                             2
 
   C. THE LAND OF THE FARM OPERATION ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH REAL PROPERTY  TAX
 EXEMPTION  MUST BE MAINTAINED AS LAND USED IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AS
 PART OF SUCH FARM OPERATION FOR EACH YEAR SUCH EXEMPTION IS GRANTED.
   D. WHEN THE LAND WHICH IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING CERTIFIED ORGANIC IS
 LOCATED  WITHIN  AN AREA WHICH HAS BEEN DECLARED BY THE GOVERNOR TO BE A
 DISASTER EMERGENCY IN A YEAR IN WHICH SUCH TAX EXEMPTION IS  SOUGHT  AND
 IN  A  YEAR  IN WHICH SUCH LAND MEETS ALL OTHER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
 FOR SUCH TAX EXEMPTION SET FORTH IN THIS SUBDIVISION, THE MAXIMUM  FIFTY
 PERCENT  TOTAL  ACREAGE  RESTRICTION  SET  FORTH  IN PARAGRAPH B OF THIS
 SUBDIVISION MAY BE EXCEEDED FOR SUCH YEAR AND FOR ANY REMAINING  SUCCES-
 SIVE  YEARS,  PROVIDED,  HOWEVER,  THAT  THE LAND ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH REAL
 PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION SHALL NOT EXCEED THE  TOTAL  ACREAGE  DAMAGED  OR
 DESTROYED  BY  SUCH  DISASTER  IN  SUCH  YEAR OR THE TOTAL ACREAGE WHICH
 REMAINS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED IN ANY REMAINING SUCCESSIVE YEAR. THE TOTAL
 ACREAGE FOR WHICH SUCH EXEMPTION IS SOUGHT PURSUANT  TO  THIS  PARAGRAPH
 SHALL BE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY THE COMMISSIONER OR HIS DESIGNEE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall apply to assess-
 ment rolls prepared on the basis of taxable status dates occurring on or
 after the first of January next succeeding such effective date.