BILL NUMBER:S4741               REVISED 4/2/14

TITLE OF BILL:  An act to amend the state law, in relation to making
sweet corn the state vegetable

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To establish sweet corn as the official vegetable of New York state.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Amends the State law by adding a new section 89 designating sweet corn
as the official vegetable of the state of New York.

JUSTIFICATION:

Sweet corn is one of the leading agricultural produce in New York
State. Sweet corn is grown on more farms in New York State than any
other vegetable and is planted on more than 30,000 acres throughout
the state. Sweet Corn sales in New York State top $70 million
annually.

Vegetables are herbaceous plants of which some portion is used for
human consumption, either cooked or raw, during the primary part of
the meal. This classification would include obvious vegetables like
lettuce and broccoli but also those in which the seeds are eaten, such
              

as peas and sweet corn. New York already has an official fruit, the
apple; an official tree, the sugar maple and even an official state
muffin, apple muffin, as well as an official beverage that recognizes
the value of our state's dairy farmers - milk.

The value of all New York vegetable production in 2012 totaled over
$409 million, according to the New York Agricultural Statistics
Service. New York is fifth in the nation in area harvested and sixth
in value of principal fresh market vegetables.

This legislation recognizes the importance of the vegetable industry
to the economy of Upstate New York and farm towns of Long Island and
highlights the importance of our state's vegetable farms to New York
consumers.

PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

S.3919 of 2007/2008
S.4238 of 2009/2010

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

EFFECTIVE DATE:

This act shall take effect immediately.