Bill Text: NY A01528 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Amended
Bill Title: Establishes a youth development agriculture technology challenge.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-08-23 - signed chap.280 [A01528 Detail]
Download: New_York-2023-A01528-Amended.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1528--A 2023-2024 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 17, 2023 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER, BRABENEC, DeSTEFANO, MANKTELOW, STIRPE, JONES, WILLIAMS, COOK, JACOBSON, GOODELL, DICKENS, GLICK, LEMONDES, LUPARDO, BLANKENBUSH, RAGA -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. HAWLEY, TAGUE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee AN ACT to establish a youth development agriculture technology challenge The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. There is hereby established a youth development agricul- 2 ture technology challenge competition ("challenge") for students in 3 elementary, secondary, and higher education. Such challenge shall be 4 coordinated by the department of agriculture and markets ("department") 5 as part of the state fair in conjunction with Cornell cooperative exten- 6 sion and other interested partners, including, but not limited to, 7 institutions of higher education, school districts and boards of cooper- 8 ative education services, youth agricultural organizations promoting 9 leadership and career success in agriculture, and other science, tech- 10 nology, engineering and mathematics and/or robotics competition 11 programs. The department is authorized to utilize funds appropriated for 12 the state fair and received pursuant to section 31-c of the agriculture 13 and markets law and to receive, accept and use gifts and donations for 14 the purpose of this act. All money received as 15 gifts or donations shall be deposited in a special fund pursuant to 16 section 31-c of the agriculture and markets law and disbursed for the 17 purposes of this act or paid to the commissioner of taxation and 18 finance, who together with the state comptroller is hereby constituted 19 and appointed the joint custodian thereof and shall constitute a special 20 fund to be used under the direction of the department for the purposes 21 of this act. The department, Cornell cooperative extension and other 22 participating partners shall work together to establish the challenge to EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD04637-02-3A. 1528--A 2 1 engage students to develop solutions to relevant technological problems 2 and issues faced by farmers and food producers including, but not limit- 3 ed to, increasing food production, increasing energy efficiency and 4 decreasing the cost of farming and food production, and addressing the 5 impact of farming on the environment and the impact of environmental 6 changes such as climate change or pollinator loss on farming. The 7 department and its partners shall identify resources including training 8 or coaching that will assist students in underserved rural and urban 9 communities to participate in the challenge, and develop deadlines, 10 parameters including establishing elementary, secondary, or higher 11 education categories, and relevant judging criteria for the projects 12 submitted for the agriculture technology challenge. Subject to funds 13 available for the purposes of this act prizes may be awarded for the 14 winning submissions of the challenge. 15 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.