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

                                  9756

                          I N  A S S E M B L Y

                              April 5, 2016
                               ___________

Introduced  by M. of A. MAGEE -- read once and referred to the Committee
  on Agriculture

AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law and the economic  devel-
  opment  law, in relation to annual awards recognizing certain New York
  farms, businesses and institutions

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

  Section  1.  Section 309 of the agriculture and markets law is amended
by adding a new subdivision 9 to read as follows:
  9. A. THE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON AGRICULTURE SHALL ADVISE THE COMMISSION-
ER IN ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR MAKING ANNUAL AWARDS  RECOGNIZING  NEW
YORK  FARMS, AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD BUSINESSES, AND INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE
SUCCESSFUL IN PRODUCING, PROCESSING,  MARKETING,  AND/OR  PROMOTING  NEW
YORK  FARM AND FOOD PRODUCTS. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL COORDINATE WITH THE
COMMISSIONER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO DETERMINE WHICH DEPARTMENT SHALL
MAKE AWARDS IN CATEGORIES THAT MAY BE SIMILAR TO THOSE LISTED IN  SUBDI-
VISION  EIGHTEEN-C  OF  SECTION  ONE HUNDRED OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
LAW. THESE AWARDS SHALL BE GIVEN IN RECOGNITION OF EXCEPTIONAL  PERFORM-
ANCE  AND  SUPPORT FOR NEW YORK AGRICULTURE BY PERSONS, FIRMS AND ORGAN-
IZATIONS THAT ARE PRINCIPALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE STATE OF NEW  YORK  AND
ENGAGED  IN THE OPERATION OF NEW YORK STATE FARMS, BUSINESSES AND INSTI-
TUTIONS.
  B. THE COUNCIL MAY ANNUALLY NOMINATE AND FORWARD SUCH NOMINATIONS  FOR
AWARDS TO THE COMMISSIONER FOR HIS OR HER CONSIDERATION IN THE FOLLOWING
CATEGORIES:
  (I) INNOVATIVE AND UNIQUE FARM PRODUCTS DEVELOPED FOR FOOD, BEVERAGES,
OR HORTICULTURE;
  (II) AGRI-TOURISM;
  (III)  FOODS OR BEVERAGES PROCESSED OR MANUFACTURED FROM NEW YORK FARM
PRODUCTS;
  (IV) RETAIL FOOD STORES;
  (V) RESTAURANTS AND OTHER FOOD SERVICE BUSINESSES; AND

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD14900-01-6

              

A. 9756                             2

  (VI) EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND  RESIDENTIAL  INSTITUTIONS  INCLUDING,
BUT  NOT LIMITED TO, FOOD SERVICE IN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, HOSPITALS, NURS-
ING HOMES, DAY CARE AND SENIOR CENTERS.
  C.  THE COUNCIL MAY ALSO RECOMMEND TO THE COMMISSIONER NOMINATIONS FOR
AWARDS GIVEN PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION EIGHTEEN-C OF SECTION  ONE  HUNDRED
OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT LAW.
  D. THE COMMISSIONER MAY DESIGNATE AWARD WINNERS FROM THESE NOMINEES AT
HIS  OR  HER DISCRETION. CURRENT MEMBERS OF THE ADVISORY BOARD AND THEIR
BUSINESSES ARE NOT ELIGIBLE AS NOMINEES.
  S 2. Subdivision 18-c of section 100 of the economic development  law,
as  added  by  chapter  212  of  the laws of 1996, is amended to read as
follows:
  18-c. to establish, in cooperation with the commissioner  of  agricul-
ture and markets, procedures for proposing nominations, INCLUDING PROCE-
DURES TO COORDINATE WITH SUCH COMMISSIONER TO DETERMINE WHICH DEPARTMENT
SHALL  MAKE  NOMINATIONS FOR AWARDS IN CATEGORIES THAT MAY BE SIMILAR TO
THOSE LISTED IN SUBDIVISION NINE OF SECTION THREE HUNDRED  NINE  OF  THE
AGRICULTURE  AND MARKETS LAW to the governor for three annual, non-mone-
tary awards to be known as: (a) New York  State  Direct  Farm  Marketing
Award;  (b)  New  York  State Agri-Tourism Award; and (c) New York State
Specialty Food Product Award. These awards shall be given in recognition
of unusual efforts by farmers, food processors and  food  retailers  for
the  marketing of New York state grown agricultural commodities or foods
processed from or  primarily  containing  New  York  state  agricultural
commodities and for promoting New York state farms that are also tourist
destinations.
  S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.