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A02417 Summary:

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A02417 Committee Votes:

A02417 Floor Votes:

A02417 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                         2417--C
                                                                Cal. No. 112
 
                               2015-2016 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    January 16, 2015
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by M. of A. SANTABARBARA, ORTIZ, MONTESANO, CROUCH, SKOUFIS,
          BLANKENBUSH,  DUPREY,  COOK,  PALMESANO,  HOOPER,  GOODELL,  NOJAY  --
          Multi-Sponsored  by  -- M. of A. BARCLAY, BLAKE, BRENNAN, LOPEZ, LUPI-
          NACCI, MARKEY, McLAUGHLIN -- read once and referred to  the  Committee
          on  Agriculture  -- reported and referred to the Committee on Ways and
          Means -- committee discharged,  bill  amended,  ordered  reprinted  as
          amended  and recommitted to said committee -- again reported from said
          committee with amendments, ordered reprinted as amended and  recommit-
          ted  to  said  committee  --  advanced to a third reading, amended and
          ordered reprinted, retaining its place on the order of third reading
 
        AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law and the New  York  state
          urban  development  corporation  act,  in  relation to creating a farm
          investment fund
 
          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Section 16 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by
     2  adding a new subdivision 49 to read as follows:
     3    49. Cooperate with the empire state development corporation to develop
     4  a  farm  investment  fund  program  to provide grants to farmers for the
     5  purposes of making investments in their farm and farm practices, includ-
     6  ing, but not limited to, infrastructure, equipment and marketing of farm
     7  products. Such investments may also include updating and improving agri-
     8  cultural environmental management, as defined  in  article  eleven-A  of
     9  this  chapter,  practices, equipment and infrastructure. Farm investment
    10  is especially important for farms that are being transitioned from long-
    11  time owners to new owners and beginning farmers.
    12    § 2. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of  1968,  constituting  the
    13  New York state urban development corporation act, is amended by adding a
    14  new section 16-x to read as follows:
    15    §  16-x.  Farm  investment fund. 1. The farm investment fund is hereby
    16  created. The purpose of the farm investment fund is to  make  grants  to
 
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01493-11-6
        A. 2417--C                          2
 
     1  eligible  applicants  for  investments in their farm and farm practices,
     2  including, but not limited to, infrastructure, equipment  and  marketing
     3  of  farm products. Such investment may also include updating and improv-
     4  ing   agricultural  environmental  management,  as  defined  in  article
     5  eleven-A of the agriculture and markets law,  practices,  equipment  and
     6  infrastructure.  Farm  investment is especially important for farms that
     7  are being transitioned from long-time owners to new owners and beginning
     8  farmers.
     9    2. The corporation shall consult with the  department  of  agriculture
    10  and  markets  in order to establish such criteria governing the award of
    11  grants as authorized by  this  section,  as  the  corporation  and  such
    12  department  deem  necessary.  Such  criteria  shall  include, but not be
    13  limited to:
    14    (a) farmers who will materially and substantially participate  in  the
    15  production of an agricultural product within a region of the state;
    16    (b)  farmers  who  demonstrate innovative plans for investing in their
    17  farms that would result in the growth of business within the  state  and
    18  the concomitant creation of jobs and tax revenues for the state; and
    19    (c) farmers who have developed a formal business plan.
    20    3.  The  corporation  shall establish a competitive rating process for
    21  the evaluation of applicants for the farm investment fund.  Such  rating
    22  criteria  to  be considered for eligibility include, but are not limited
    23  to:
    24    (a) plans that show concrete steps for growth,  protection  of  assets
    25  and sales development;
    26    (b)  education,  including  a  post secondary degree in an agriculture
    27  related field of study or online training; and
    28    (c) experience working on a farm.
    29    The corporation may give preference to veterans, those transferring  a
    30  family  farm  to a new farmer and to farmers expanding an existing farm.
    31  When awarding funds pursuant to  this  section,  the  corporation  shall
    32  ensure that applicants meet the criteria and requirements established by
    33  the corporation pursuant to this section.
    34    4.  The  farm investment fund shall not invest an amount in any single
    35  beneficiary  that  exceeds  fifty  thousand  dollars,  subject  to   any
    36  exceptions to be established by guidelines of the corporation.
    37    5.  Notwithstanding  any  provision of law to the contrary, the corpo-
    38  ration may establish a program fund for program use and  pay  into  such
    39  fund  any  eligible  funds available to the corporation from any source,
    40  including moneys appropriated by the state.
    41    6. The corporation shall submit a report annually on December  thirty-
    42  first  to  the  director  of  the budget, the temporary president of the
    43  senate, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of  the  senate
    44  and the minority leader of the assembly detailing:
    45    (a) the total amount of funds committed to each applicant;
    46    (b) the location of each applicant; and
    47    (c) such other information as the corporation deems necessary.
    48    7.  The  corporation  is hereby authorized to establish guidelines for
    49  the administration of the program, including application procedures  and
    50  disbursement terms. Such guidelines shall require the repayment of funds
    51  received  by the beneficiary if the beneficiary leaves New York state or
    52  otherwise ceases farming activity within five  years.  Any  such  repaid
    53  moneys shall be returned to the farm investment fund.
    54    §  3.   Funding for such program shall consist of all revenue received
    55  pursuant to an appropriation thereto, and all other monies appropriated,
    56  credited or transferred from any other source pursuant to  law.  Nothing
        A. 2417--C                          3
 
     1  in  this  section  shall  be  deemed to prevent the state from receiving
     2  grants, gifts or bequests for the purpose of the program.  Grants  shall
     3  only be awarded based upon the availability of funds.
     4    §  4. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
     5  the date on which it shall have become a law;  provided,  however,  that
     6  effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule
     7  or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effec-
     8  tive date is authorized to be made and completed on or before such date.