Bill Text: NY A07367 | 2017-2018 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Authorizes and directs the commissioner of agriculture and markets to study and develop a long-term strategy for sustaining farming and food production in New York state.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-03 - referred to agriculture [A07367 Detail]

Download: New_York-2017-A07367-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
                                          7367
                               2017-2018 Regular Sessions
                   IN ASSEMBLY
                                     April 25, 2017
                                       ___________
        Introduced  by M. of A. MAGEE -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Agriculture
        AN ACT to authorize and  direct  the  commissioner  of  agriculture  and
          markets to study and develop a long-term strategy for sustaining farm-
          ing and food production in New York state
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
     1    Section 1. The commissioner  of  agriculture  and  markets  is  hereby
     2  authorized  and  directed  to study and develop a long-term strategy for
     3  sustaining farming and food  production  in  New  York  state.  At  such
     4  commissioner's  discretion,  the  plan  shall be based on an analysis of
     5  land use, economic trends, market trends, natural resource conservation,
     6  and other factors necessary to develop a forward-looking statewide blue-
     7  print for conserving productive land and  maintaining  the  vitality  of
     8  agricultural production in New York state.
     9    §  2.  The commissioner of agriculture and markets is directed to give
    10  particular focus to article 25-AA, section 300 et seq., of the  agricul-
    11  ture  and  markets law. Such commissioner should evaluate the efficiency
    12  and thoroughness of past applications of section 308 of article 25-AA of
    13  the agriculture and markets law, and determine if that  section  of  law
    14  has  protected  farmland without allowing section 306 of the agriculture
    15  and markets law's grant of authority to preserve unacceptable practices.
    16  Suggestions for reducing the number of inconclusive "sound  agricultural
    17  practice opinions" should also be included in the report.
    18    §  3.  The commissioner of agriculture and markets is further directed
    19  to propose programs that encourage: the independent growth of farms less
    20  than 220 total acres in size, or that employ "non-traditional"  diversi-
    21  fied  sustainable  practices, or that have aspects of their business not
    22  directly related to commodity market sales.
    23    § 4. Such strategy may be developed in consultation with  agricultural
    24  and economic development advisory bodies created or authorized by statue
         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD07793-01-7
        A. 7367                             2
     1  and  such  other organizations or person as the commissioner of agricul-
     2  ture and markets shall deem appropriate.
     3    §  5.  Within  one year of the effective date of this act, the commis-
     4  sioner of agriculture and markets shall submit a report of any  findings
     5  and recommendations to the governor and the legislature.
     6    § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.