NY State Senate Bill 2017-S4900

Senate Bill S4900

Vetoed By Governor

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Relates to access to viable agricultural land for new and beginning farmers

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Archive: Last Bill Status - Vetoed by Governor

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

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Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Oct 23, 2017	vetoed memo.167
Oct 11, 2017	delivered to governor
Jun 06, 2017	returned to senate passed assembly
May 24, 2017	ordered to third reading cal.420 substituted for a5060
Mar 22, 2017	referred to agriculture
Mar 21, 2017	delivered to assembly passed senate ordered to third reading cal.451 committee discharged and committed to rules
Mar 03, 2017	referred to agriculture

Votes

- Mar 21, 2017 - Floor Vote
  S4900
  
  62
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Floor Vote: Mar 21, 2017
      
      aye (62)
      
      Addabbo Jr.
      
      Akshar
      
      Alcantara
      
      Amedore
      
      Avella
      
      Bailey
      
      Bonacic
      
      Boyle
      
      Breslin
      
      Brooks
      
      Carlucci
      
      Comrie
      
      Croci
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Diaz
      
      Dilan
      
      Felder
      
      Flanagan
      
      Funke
      
      Gallivan
      
      Gianaris
      
      Golden
      
      Griffo
      
      Hamilton
      
      Hannon
      
      Helming
      
      Hoylman-Sigal
      
      Jacobs
      
      Kaminsky
      
      Kennedy
      
      Klein
      
      Krueger
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Larkin
      
      Latimer
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Marchione
      
      Montgomery
      
      Murphy
      
      O'Mara
      
      Ortt
      
      Parker
      
      Peralta
      
      Persaud
      
      Phillips
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Ritchie
      
      Rivera
      
      Robach
      
      Sanders Jr.
      
      Savino
      
      Serino
      
      Serrano
      
      Seward
      
      Squadron
      
      Stavisky
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Tedisco
      
      Valesky
      
      Young
  Mar 21, 2017 - Rules Committee Vote
  S4900
  
  25
  
  Aye
  
  0
  
  Nay
  
  0
  
  Aye with Reservations
  
  0
  
  Absent
  
  0
  
  Excused
  
  0
  
  Abstained
  - - Rules Committee Vote: Mar 21, 2017
      
      aye (25)
      
      Bonacic
      
      Breslin
      
      Carlucci
      
      DeFrancisco
      
      Dilan
      
      Flanagan
      
      Gianaris
      
      Griffo
      
      Hannon
      
      Kennedy
      
      Krueger
      
      LaValle
      
      Lanza
      
      Larkin
      
      Little
      
      Marcellino
      
      Montgomery
      
      Parker
      
      Ranzenhofer
      
      Robach
      
      Savino
      
      Seward
      
      Squadron
      
      Stewart-Cousins
      
      Valesky

co-Sponsors

2017-S4900 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A5060
Law Section:: Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §§16, 309 & 323, add §329-a, Ag & Mkts L; amd §2, Pub Lds L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S5377
2015-2016: S1824, S7011, A9536

2017-S4900 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Relates to access to viable agricultural land for new and beginning farmers.

2017-S4900 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S4900

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law and the public lands
law, in relation to access to viable agricultural land for new and
beginning farmers

 PURPOSE :

To direct the Commissioner of the New York State Department of
Agriculture and Markets to enhance access to viable agricultural land
for new and beginning farmers and would direct the Commissioner of the
Office of General Services to work with the Commissioner of
Agriculture and Markets to develop an inventory of state-owned real
property that may be viable for farming.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 amends § 16 of the agriculture and markets law by adding new
subdivision 2-e. Subdivision 2-e provides aid in efforts supporting
the successful transfer of viable agricultural land from existing
owners to new owners and operators, especially beginning farmers.

Section 2 amends subdivision 5 of section 309 of the agriculture and
markets law to require the Agriculture Advisory Council to provide

guidance regarding tax, financial assistance, and other policies and
programs that might address the needs of new farmers to the
Commissioner and State agencies.

Section 3 amends subdivision 6 of section 323 of the agriculture and
markets law to require the Commissioner to report to the Governor and
the Legislature on efforts to enhance access to viable agricultural
land for new and beginning farmers.

Section 4 amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new
section 329-a, that requires the Department to collect and compile
information about both public and private lands available for purchase
or leasing for farming, and make such information available on its
internet website.

Section 5 amends § 2 of the public lands law by adding two new
subdivisions 2-a and 2-b. Subdivision 2-a directs the Commissioner of
the Office of General Services to work with the Commissioner of
Agriculture and Markets to develop an inventory of available land for
farming. Subdivision 2-b requiring the Commissioner of the Office of
General Services to report to the Governor and the Legislature within
one year of the effective date on issues related to selling state
lands for farming.

Section 6 amends § 2 of the public lands law by adding a new
subdivision 3-a directing the Commissioner of the Office of General
Services to work with other state agencies to identify land that may
be viable for farming.

Section 7 is the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

The most recent federal census of agriculture in 2007 found that the
average age of farmers in New York State is about 56, up from 50 in
the early 1980s. In light of that statistic, the U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture has set a goal of recruiting 100,000 new farmers across
the country to replace those that are retiring. Farming is a difficult
business; several factors, such as the complex process of transferring
ownership of farms and prohibitive capital costs, contribute to the
aging of the farm population and present barriers to younger farmers
gaining access to land. There is increasing interest by young people
hoping to find viable land they can farm.  Trends in the marketplace
such as the recent growth in Greek yogurt and other dairy processors,
and increased demand for locally grown foods and beverages from
consumers, foodservice businesses and institutions, highlight the
importance of assisting new farmers starting out.

This bill would emphasize assistance for new and beginning farmers in
existing state law. For example, it would require the State's
Agriculture Advisory Council to provide advice to State agencies
regarding tax, financial assistance and other policies and programs
that could address the needs of beginning farmers and the issues they
face related to the transfer of ownership of farms. It would also
encourage the identification of properties owned by the State that are
viable for farming and could be sold or leased for farming. This bill
will also promote information among those interested in purchasing or
leasing those properties.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

2016: S.7011-A/A.9536
2015: S.1824/A.1571
2013-2014: S.5377-A/A.7002-B

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

Undetermined.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect immediately.

2017-S4900 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4900
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               March 3, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. RITCHIE -- 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  and  the  public  lands
   law,  in  relation  to  access to viable agricultural land for new and
   beginning farmers

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 16 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision 2-f to read as follows:
   2-F. AID IN EFFORTS SUPPORTING THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF VIABLE AGRI-
 CULTURAL  LAND  FROM  EXISTING OWNERS TO NEW OWNERS AND OPERATORS, ESPE-
 CIALLY BEGINNING FARMERS.
   § 2. Subdivision 5 of section 309 of the agriculture and markets  law,
 as  added  by  chapter  79  of  the  laws of 1980, is amended to read as
 follows:
   5. The advisory council on agriculture shall advise  the  commissioner
 and  other  state  agency  heads on state government plans, policies and
 programs affecting farming and the agricultural industry of  this  state
 INCLUDING,  BUT  NOT LIMITED TO, ADVICE REGARDING TAX, FINANCIAL ASSIST-
 ANCE AND OTHER POLICIES AND PROGRAMS THAT COULD  ADDRESS  THE  NEEDS  OF
 BEGINNING  FARMERS AND ISSUES RELATED TO TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP OF FARMS.
 Concerned state agencies shall be  encouraged  to  establish  a  working
 relationship with the council and shall fully cooperate with the council
 in any requests it shall make.
   §  3. Subdivision 6 of section 323 of the agriculture and markets law,
 as amended by chapter 150 of the laws of 2013, is  amended  to  read  as
 follows:
   6.  reporting biennially to the governor and the legislature regarding
 the activities of the commissioner, INCLUDING EFFORTS TO ENHANCE  ACCESS
 TO  VIABLE AGRICULTURAL LAND FOR NEW AND BEGINNING FARMERS, the types of
 technical  assistance  rendered  to  county  agricultural  and  farmland
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.

                                                            LBD08824-01-7

 S. 4900                             2
 
 protection boards, municipalities, soil and water conservation districts
 and  not-for-profit  conservation organizations, and the need to protect
 the state's agricultural economy and land resources.
   §  4.  The  agriculture  and  markets  law  is amended by adding a new
 section 329-a to read as follows:
   § 329-A.   FARMLAND AVAILABILITY INFORMATION. 1.  THE  DEPARTMENT  MAY
 COLLECT  AND  COMPILE  INFORMATION  ABOUT PUBLIC LAND THAT IS VIABLE FOR
 FARMING AND IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE OR  LEASE  FOR  FARMING  AND  MAKE
 AVAILABLE SUCH INFORMATION, INCLUDING CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE OFFICE
 OF  GENERAL  SERVICES,  OTHER  STATE AGENCIES, MUNICIPALITIES, AND OTHER
 GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES OFFERING SUCH LAND, ON ITS INTERNET  WEBSITE.  THE
 DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND ASSISTANCE TO THE OFFICE OF GENER-
 AL SERVICES, OTHER STATE AGENCIES, MUNICIPALITIES AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL
 ORGANIZATIONS  THAT REQUEST SUCH ASSISTANCE, IN IDENTIFYING LAND THAT IS
 VIABLE FOR FARMING.
   2. THE DEPARTMENT MAY ALSO MAKE AVAILABLE  SIMILAR  INFORMATION  ABOUT
 PRIVATE  LAND  AVAILABLE  FOR  PURCHASE  OR LEASE FOR FARMING, INCLUDING
 CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE OWNERS OF SUCH LAND.
   § 5. Section 2 of the public lands law is  amended  by  adding  a  new
 subdivision 3-a to read as follows:
   3-A.  LAND  VIABLE  FOR  FARMING;  IDENTIFICATION. THE COMMISSIONER OF
 GENERAL SERVICES IS AUTHORIZED AND DIRECTED TO CONSULT, AS PART  OF  THE
 STATE-OWNED  REAL  PROPERTY  MANAGEMENT  PROGRAM, WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
 AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS TO IDENTIFY LAND THAT MAY BE VIABLE FOR  FARMING
 AND  MAY  BE  MADE  AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE OR LEASE FOR FARMING AND MAKE
 THAT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND  MARKETS
 TO BE DISSEMINATED TO THE PUBLIC.
   § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S4900

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Sponsored By

Patty Ritchie