NY State Senate Bill 2011-S7452

Senate Bill S7452

2011-2012 Legislative Session

Establishes a farm-to-senior program to facilitate and promote the purchase of New York farm products by senior centers and other institutions for the aging

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Finance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 30, 2012	reported and committed to finance
May 21, 2012	referred to aging

Votes

- May 30, 2012 - Aging Committee Vote
  S7452
  
  11
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  1
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Aging Committee Vote: May 30, 2012
      
      aye (11)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Avella
      
      Ball
      
      Farley
      
      Golden
      
      Hassell-Thompson
      
      LaValle
      
      Robach
      
      Stavisky
      
      Valesky
      
      Zeldin
      
      excused (1)
      
      Diaz

co-Sponsors

2011-S7452 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A10308
Current Committee:: Senate Finance
Law Section:: Elder Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §202, Eld L; amd §16, Ag & Mkts L
Versions Introduced in 2013-2014 Legislative Session:: S2149, A2700

2011-S7452 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Establishes a farm-to-senior program to facilitate and promote the purchase of New York farm products by senior centers and other institutions for the aging.

2011-S7452 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                BILL NUMBER:S7452

TITLE OF BILL:
An act
to amend the elder law and the agriculture and markets law, in relation
to establishing a farm-to-senior program

PURPOSE OF BILL:
To facilitate and promote the purchase of New York
State farm products by senior centers, and other institutions for the
aging, under the jurisdiction of the New York State Office for the
Aging.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 of bill adds a new subdivision
16 to section 202 of the elder law to require the director of the
office for the aging to establish a farm-to-senior program to
facilitate and promote the purchase of farm products by senior
centers and other institutions for the aging under the jurisdiction
of the office. The office will make information about New York farm
products available to farmers, farm organizations, and institutions
for the aging interested in establishing farm-to senior programs.

A new subdivision 16 of the Ag & Markets Law would require the
establishment of a farm-to-senior program where the Department would
gather information from the Office for the Aging regarding senior

centers and other aging institutions interested in purchasing NY farm
products. This information would be made readily available to
interested NY farmers, farm organizations and businesses that market
NY farm products. The Department would provide information to the
Office for the Aging and interested aging institutions about the
availability of NY farm products. The Commissioner would also report
to the Legislature on the opportunities for changes in law to
facilitate the purchases of such products by senior centers, and
other institutions for the aging.

Additionally, the Office for the Aging and the Department of Ag &
Markets would coordinate to establish a promotional event to be known
as New York Golden Harvest: Seniors Week to promote NY agriculture,
and foods to seniors at senior centers, farms, farmers' markets and
other aging institutions.

JUSTIFICATION:
With the success of the 2002 Farm-to-School legislation
and subsequent law, this legislation seeks to provide the same access
for seniors, as the current law does to students, throughout New York
State.
Senior centers and other aging institutions under the jurisdiction of
the New York State Office for the Aging are a huge potential market
for New York farm products, however, it appears that only a small
percentage of the food served in these senior centers originates from
local farms. Increasing senior centers' purchases of New York
produced food would help improve the bottom line of New York farmers
at a time when the loss of farmers and farmland continues to
accelerate because of low profits in agriculture. It would also


provide urban, suburban and rural seniors improved access to fresh,
local nutritious foods

Fortunately, there is recognition at the federal level that fostering
farm-to-senior marketing is important. The Senior Farmers' Market
Nutrition Program (SFMNP) awards grants to States to provide
low-income seniors with coupons that can be exchanged for eligible
foods at farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community supported
agricultural programs. The majority of the grant funds must be used
to support the costs of the foods that are provided under the SFMNP.
State agencies may use up to 10 percent of their grants to support
administrative costs for the program. Additionally, in New York
State, there are laws that allow for bidding exemptions making it
easier for schools to buy direct from local farms.

To build upon the efforts of the successful farm-to-school state law,
seniors and farmers need the assistance of the relevant State
agencies, (the Department of Agriculture and Markets and the State
Office for the Aging) .
This bill would create such a program to facilitate a working
relationship for the purchase and promotion of farmers' products with
local senior centers and aging institutions. For example, a website
could be created where senior center food service directors and
marketers of New York farm products could easily identify sellers,
buyers and available products. New York State government should make
every possible effort to maximize the use of government funding for
senior meals to purchase nutritious, locally produced foods to
benefit the health of seniors and our local economy and allow Upstate
and Downstate, city and rural residents to support each other.

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Legislation.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Existing federal and State funds would be used.

EFFECTIVE DATE:
120 days after it becomes law, provided, however, that
the Director of the Office for the Aging and the Commissioner of
Agriculture and Markets are authorized to promulgate any and all
rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this
act on its effective date on or before such date.

2011-S7452 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  7452

                            I N  S E N A T E

                              May 21, 2012
                               ___________

Introduced  by Sens. VALESKY, MAZIARZ, RITCHIE -- read twice and ordered
  printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Aging

AN ACT to amend the elder law and the agriculture and  markets  law,  in
  relation to establishing a farm-to-senior program

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. Paragraph (b) of  subdivision  14  and  subdivision  15  of
section 202 of the elder law, paragraph (b) of subdivision 14 as amended
and  subdivision  15  as  added  by chapter 263 of the laws of 2011, are
amended and a new subdivision 16 is added to read as follows:
  (b) make recommendations, in consultation with the division of housing
and community renewal, to the governor  and  legislature  for  assisting
mixed-use  age-integrated  housing  development  or redevelopment demon-
stration projects in urban, suburban and rural areas of the state.   The
director of the office for the aging and secretary of state shall estab-
lish  an  advisory  committee  for  purposes  of  this subdivision. Such
committee shall include, but not be limited to, top  representatives  of
local  government,  senior  citizen  organizations,  developers,  senior
service providers and planners; [and]
  15. to periodically,  in  consultation  with  the  state  director  of
[veteran's]  VETERANS'  affairs,  review  the  programs  operated by the
office to ensure that the needs of the state's aging veteran  population
are  being  met  and  to  develop  improvements to programs to meet such
needs[.]; AND
  16. (A) IN  COOPERATION  WITH  THE  COMMISSIONER  OF  AGRICULTURE  AND
MARKETS, TO ESTABLISH A FARM-TO-SENIOR PROGRAM TO FACILITATE AND PROMOTE
THE  PURCHASE  OF  NEW  YORK  FARM  PRODUCTS BY SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER
INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING UNDER THE JURISDICTION  OF  THE  OFFICE.  THE
OFFICE  SHALL MAKE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO FARMERS, FARM ORGANIZATIONS,
AND INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHING FARM-TO-SENIOR
PROGRAMS.
  (B) IN COOPERATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE  AND  MARKETS,
TO  ESTABLISH  A  PROMOTIONAL EVENT, TO BE KNOWN AS THE "NEW YORK GOLDEN
HARVEST: SENIORS WEEK", TO PROMOTE NEW YORK  AGRICULTURE  AND  FOODS  TO

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                           LBD15785-02-2

S. 7452                             2

SENIORS  AT  SENIOR CENTERS, FARMS, FARMERS' MARKETS AND OTHER LOCATIONS
IN THE COMMUNITY. SUCH POWERS AND  DUTIES  SHALL  INCLUDE,  BUT  NOT  BE
LIMITED  TO, COMPILING INFORMATION FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND
MARKETS  FROM  SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING UNDER
THE JURISDICTION OF THE OFFICE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING  NEW  YORK  FARM
PRODUCTS  AND  DISSEMINATING  TO  THOSE  SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER INSTI-
TUTIONS FOR THE AGING INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND
MARKETS ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF NEW YORK FARM  PRODUCTS,  AND  CONTACT
INFORMATION  FOR  FARMERS  AND OTHER BUSINESSES MARKETING SUCH PRODUCTS.
THE DIRECTOR SHALL REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE ON THE NEED FOR CHANGES  IN
LAW  TO  FACILITATE THE PURCHASES OF SUCH PRODUCTS BY SENIOR CENTERS AND
OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING.
  S 2. Section 16 of the agriculture  and  markets  law  is  amended  by
adding a new subdivision 5-c to read as follows:
  5-C. (A) ESTABLISH, IN COOPERATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE FOR
THE  AGING,  A  FARM-TO-SENIOR  PROGRAM  TO  FACILITATE  AND PROMOTE THE
PURCHASE OF NEW YORK FARM PRODUCTS BY SENIOR CENTERS  AND  OTHER  INSTI-
TUTIONS  FOR  THE  AGING  UNDER  THE  JURISDICTION OF THE OFFICE FOR THE
AGING. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SOLICIT INFORMATION FROM THE OFFICE FOR  THE
AGING  REGARDING  SENIOR  CENTERS  AND  OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING
INTERESTED IN PURCHASING NEW  YORK  FARM  PRODUCTS,  INCLUDING  BUT  NOT
LIMITED  TO, THE TYPE AND AMOUNT OF SUCH PRODUCTS SENIOR CENTERS WISH TO
PURCHASE AND THE NAME OF THE APPROPRIATE CONTACT PERSON FROM THE  INTER-
ESTED  SENIOR CENTER. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE THIS INFORMATION READILY
AVAILABLE TO INTERESTED NEW YORK FARMERS, FARM ORGANIZATIONS  AND  BUSI-
NESSES  THAT MARKET NEW YORK FARM PRODUCTS. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE
INFORMATION TO THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING AND  INTERESTED  SENIOR  CENTERS
AND  OTHER  INSTITUTIONS  FOR  THE  AGING  UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE
OFFICE FOR THE AGING ABOUT THE AVAILABILITY OF NEW YORK  FARM  PRODUCTS,
INCLUDING  BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE TYPES AND AMOUNT OF PRODUCTS, AND THE
NAMES AND CONTACT INFORMATION OF FARMERS, FARM ORGANIZATIONS  AND  BUSI-
NESSES  MARKETING  SUCH  PRODUCTS.  THE COMMISSIONER SHALL REPORT TO THE
LEGISLATURE ON THE NEED FOR CHANGES IN LAW TO FACILITATE  THE  PURCHASES
OF  SUCH PRODUCTS BY SENIOR CENTERS AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS FOR THE AGING
UNDER THE JURISDICTION OF THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING.
  (B) COORDINATE WITH THE OFFICE FOR THE AGING IN ESTABLISHING A  PROMO-
TIONAL EVENT, TO BE KNOWN AS "NEW YORK GOLDEN HARVEST: SENIORS WEEK", TO
PROMOTE  NEW  YORK  AGRICULTURE  AND FOODS TO SENIORS AT SENIOR CENTERS,
FARMS, FARMERS' MARKETS AND OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY.
  S 3. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law, provided, however, that effective immediate-
ly, the director of the office for the aging  and  the  commissioner  of
agriculture  and  markets are authorized to promulgate any and all rules
and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on  or
before such effective date.

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Senate Bill S7452

Share this bill

Sponsored By

David J. Valesky