Creates a task force on improving urban and rural access to locally produced, healthy foods; provides that such task force should identify strategies, opportunities and methods to expand such access; provides that such task force report to the governor and the legislature within one year after the section takes effect.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
4689
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 24, 2017
___________
Introduced by Sen. SANDERS -- 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 the task
force on improving urban and rural consumer access to locally
produced, healthy foods; and providing for the repeal of such
provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
2 section 28 to read as follows:
3 § 28. Task force on improving urban and rural consumer access to
4 locally produced, healthy foods. 1. There is hereby created the task
5 force on improving urban and rural consumer access to locally produced,
6 healthy foods. The task force is to be comprised of eleven members. Such
7 task force shall have one ex-officio chairperson, who shall be the
8 commissioner or his or her designee. Four members shall be appointed by
9 the governor, two members shall be appointed by the temporary president
10 of the senate, two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the
11 assembly, one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the
12 senate and one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the
13 assembly. The appointed members of such task force shall be represen-
14 tative of:
15 (a) a farm engaged in growing crops, livestock or livestock products,
16 as defined in section three hundred one of this chapter;
17 (b) not-for-profit food access organizations dedicated to expanding
18 access of underserved, urban and rural communities to healthy, locally
19 produced food;
20 (c) the grocery industry; and
21 (d) economic development agencies serving county, New York state and
22 New York city government.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02074-01-7
S. 4689 2
1 Any vacancy on such task force shall be filled by the original
2 appointing authority. Task force members shall receive no compensation
3 for their services but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary
4 travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
5 2. The mission of the task force is to identify strategies and oppor-
6 tunities to expand access for underserved, nutritionally deficient urban
7 and rural communities to healthy, locally produced food in New York
8 state. The task force shall develop and identify new and innovative
9 methods to increase the production, marketing and distribution of local-
10 ly produced, fresh food in such communities in New York state.
11 3. Not later than one year after the effective date of this section,
12 the task force shall report to the governor and the legislature on its
13 activities, findings and recommendations.
14 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be
15 deemed repealed December 31, 2021.
