Bill Text: NY S04892 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Establishes the Nourish New York program to facilitate programming that ensures that certain surplus agricultural products are provided to food relief organizations at competitive wholesale prices.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-5)

Status: (Passed) 2021-11-20 - APPROVAL MEMO.45 [S04892 Detail]

Download: New_York-2021-S04892-Introduced.html

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                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          4892

                               2021-2022 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    February 17, 2021
                                       ___________

        Introduced by Sens. HINCHEY, BORRELLO -- 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
          Nourish New York program

          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  article 27 to read as follows:
     3                                 ARTICLE 27
     4                              NOURISH NEW YORK
     5  Section 450. Declaration of legislative findings and intent.
     6          451. Definitions.
     7          452. Nourish New York program.
     8    § 450. Declaration of legislative findings and intent. While the Nour-
     9  ish New York program was developed in response to disrupted food  supply
    10  chains  due  to  the  COVID-19  pandemic, it has emerged as an important
    11  innovation, significantly supporting the state's farms  while  providing
    12  nourishing  fresh  foods  to  people  experiencing  food insecurity. The
    13  COVID-19 crisis unveiled the  weaknesses  in  our  state's  food  supply
    14  system  and  has caused serious economic hardships for the state's farms
    15  and agribusinesses.  But, in the ten months since its inception, Nourish
    16  New York has already strengthened the state's food  supply  network  and
    17  expanded markets for New York farm products. The local food movement has
    18  also  gained  significant  momentum during the pandemic, with increasing
    19  numbers of New Yorkers wanting to know  where  their  food  is  sourced.
    20  This  presents  the  state with a major opportunity to support our local
    21  economies and create greater equity in  our  food  system  by  providing
    22  greater  access to local, healthy options in food insecure areas through
    23  making the Nourish New York program permanent.
    24    § 451. Definitions. 1. "Food relief organization"  means  a  religious
    25  organization  or  other  not-for-profit  that  provides food for free to

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD09808-01-1
        S. 4892                             2

     1  persons experiencing food insecurity, including but  not  limited  to  a
     2  food  pantry, food bank, or soup kitchen or community-based organization
     3  that provides food for free to persons experiencing food insecurity.
     4    2. "Surplus agricultural products" means consumable or edible agricul-
     5  tural  products  grown  in  New  York  but shall not include condiments,
     6  sweeteners or beverages containing alcohol.
     7    § 452. Nourish New York program. 1. The  commissioner  shall,  to  the
     8  extent  permitted  by  state or federal appropriations for such purpose,
     9  facilitate programming that ensures surplus  agricultural  products  are
    10  provided to food relief organizations at competitive wholesale prices.
    11    2. The commissioner shall provide technical assistance and information
    12  about  the  program  to  food relief organizations, producers of surplus
    13  agricultural products and the public, including,  but  not  limited  to,
    14  information posted on the department's website.
    15    3.  The commissioner shall provide means, which may include posting on
    16  the department's website, for producers to make available surplus  agri-
    17  cultural  products  and  for food relief organizations to access surplus
    18  agricultural products.
    19    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.