Legislation

* § 291. Legislative declaration. It is hereby declared that the
marketing of agricultural commodities and aquatic products in this
state, in excess of reasonable and normal market demands therefor;
disorderly marketing of such commodities; improper preparation for
market and lack of uniform grading and classification of agricultural
commodities and aquatic products; unfair methods of competition in the
marketing of such commodities and the inability of individual producers
to develop new and larger markets for agricultural commodities and
aquatic products, result in an unreasonable and unnecessary economic
waste of the agricultural wealth of this state. Such conditions and the
accompanying waste jeopardize the future continued production of
adequate food supplies for the people of this and other states. These
conditions vitally concern the health, safety, and general welfare of
the people of this state. It is therefore declared the legislative
purpose and the policy of this state:

1. To enable agricultural producers and aquatic producers of this
state, with the aid of the state, more effectively to correlate the
marketing of their agricultural commodities and aquatic products with
market demands therefor.

2. To establish orderly, efficient, and equitable marketing of
agricultural commodities and aquatic products.

3. To provide for uniform grading and proper preparation of
agricultural commodities and aquatic products for market.

4. To provide methods and means for the development of new and larger
markets for agricultural commodities and aquatic products produced in
New York.

5. To eliminate or reduce the economic waste in the marketing of
agricultural commodities and aquatic products.

6. To eliminate unjust impairment of the purchasing power of aquatic
producers and the agricultural producers of this state.

7. To aid agricultural and aquatic producers in maintaining an income
at an adequate and equitable level.

* NB Effective July 1, 2026