S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   8007
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                               May 30, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by M. of A. LUPARDO -- read once and referred to the Commit-
   tee on Economic Development
 
 AN ACT to amend the urban development corporation act,  in  relation  to
   the beginning farmers NY fund
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section 1. Subdivisions 2, 3 and 5 of section 16-w  of  section  1  of
 chapter  174  of  the  laws  of  1968 constituting the urban development
 corporation act, subdivision 2 as amended by section  1  of  part  W  of
 chapter  58  of  the laws of 2016 and subdivisions 3 and 5 as amended by
 section 1 of part FF of chapter 58 of the laws of 2015, are  amended  to
 read as follows:
   2.  The  corporation  shall consult with the department of agriculture
 and markets in order to establish such criteria governing the  award  of
 grants as authorized herein, as the corporation and such department deem
 necessary.  Such  criteria shall include, but not be limited to, farmers
 who have not produced an "agricultural product" as  defined  by  section
 three  hundred twenty-eight of the agriculture and markets law, for more
 than ten consecutive years, and who will  materially  and  substantially
 participate in the production of an agricultural product within a region
 of  the  state.  SUCH  CRITERIA SHALL ALSO CONSIDER FARM INCOME AND FARM
 INVESTMENTS AS NECESSARY TO ACCOMMODATE BEGINNING FARMERS REPORTING LESS
 THAN TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS OF ANNUAL FARM INCOME.
   3. Appropriations to the beginning farmers NY fund may be used for the
 following purposes:
   (a) to assist farmers in demonstrating innovative  agricultural  tech-
 niques  including,  but  not  limited  to, organic farming and specialty
 crops.
   (b) capital grants in accordance with a business plan to improve  farm
 profitability.  Upon  completion of such business plan, recipients shall
 be eligible for capital grants to enhance the profitability  of  farming
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD11676-01-9

 A. 8007                             2
 
 operations,  INCLUDING ON LAND UNDER LEASE BY THE RECIPIENT. Such grants
 may be used for purposes including, but not limited to, the purchase  of
 machinery  or  the  construction  or improvement of physical structures,
 INCLUDING   SEMI-PERMANENT   STRUCTURES.     RECIPIENTS  OF  AWARDS  FOR
 CONSTRUCTION OR IMPROVEMENT OF PHYSICAL STRUCTURES ON LAND  UNDER  LEASE
 BY  THE AWARD RECIPIENT, SHALL RECEIVE COMPENSATION FOR OR RETAIN OWNER-
 SHIP OF SUCH STRUCTURES.  Any capital grant shall be issued with a  one-
 to-one match between the state and recipient.
   5.  The  beginning  farmers  NY fund shall not invest an amount in any
 single beneficiary that IS  LESS  THAN  ONE  THOUSAND  DOLLARS  OR  THAT
 exceeds  fifty  thousand dollars, subject to any exceptions to be estab-
 lished by guidelines of the corporation.  THE CORPORATION  SHALL  ESTAB-
 LISH  AWARD  TIERS  TO  ACCOMMODATE AWARDS OF LESS THAN FIFTEEN THOUSAND
 DOLLARS. AWARDS OF FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS OR LESS SHALL BE AWARDED  IN  A
 SINGLE PAYMENT PRIOR TO PROJECT COMPLETION.
   §  2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
 the date on which it shall have become a law.