S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   10195
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                                May 5, 2022
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Lupardo) --
   (at request of the Department of Agriculture and Markets) -- read once
   and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets  law,  in  relation  to  the
   beginning farmer advisory board on agriculture
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 309-a of the agriculture and markets law, as  added
 by chapter 129 of the laws of 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   §  309-a.  [Young]  BEGINNING farmer advisory board on agriculture. 1.
 There shall be established within the department the  [young]  BEGINNING
 farmer advisory board on agriculture, to advise and make recommendations
 to  the  state agencies on state government plans, policies and programs
 affecting agriculture, as outlined below, and in such areas as its expe-
 rience and studies may indicate to be appropriate. The department  shall
 provide necessary secretariat and support services to the board.
   2.  The  [young]  BEGINNING farmer advisory board on agriculture shall
 consist of [twenty] TWENTY-TWO members, [ten to  be]  appointed  by  the
 [governor,  with  the  advice  and  consent  of the senate and assembly,
 selected] COMMISSIONER for their experience  and  expertise  related  to
 areas  of  board responsibility. The board shall be comprised of diverse
 members of the agriculture industry as follows:
   (a) Of the [twenty] TWENTY-TWO members appointed to the board:
   (1) one shall be from the department;
   (2) one shall be from the empire state development corporation;
   (3) one shall be an officer of the Future Farmers of America (FFA);
   (4) ONE SHALL BE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR;
   (5) one shall be an urban farmer;
   [(5)] (6) one shall be from the New York Farm Bureau; [and
   (6) fifteen shall be from the general  public  appointed  as  follows:
 five  to  be appointed by the temporary president of the senate, five to
 be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, and five to be appointed by
 the governor.]
   (7) ONE SHALL BE FROM THE CORNELL SMALL FARMS PROGRAM;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD13958-02-2
 A. 10195                            2
 
   (8) ONE SHALL BE FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE;
   (9) ONE SHALL BE AN ORGANIC FARMER;
   (10) ONE SHALL BE A VETERAN FARMER;
   (11) ONE SHALL BE FROM THE YOUNG FARMERS COALITION;
   (12)  ONE  SHALL  BE  A  MEMBER  OF A GROUP THAT HAS BEEN HISTORICALLY
 UNDERREPRESENTED IN FARM OWNERSHIP; AND
   (13) TEN SHALL BE ENTRY LEVEL FARMERS OR NOVICE  FARMERS,  AGRICULTURE
 SERVICE  PROVIDERS, FINANCIAL AND LEGAL SERVICE PROVIDERS TO FARM OPERA-
 TORS, CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION REPRESENTATIVES, ADVOCACY  ORGANIZA-
 TION REPRESENTATIVES, ACADEMICS, AGRICULTURAL LEADERS, AND/OR OTHERS WHO
 CAN  CONTRIBUTE  TO THE WORK OF THE ADVISORY BOARD ON ISSUES, INCLUDING,
 AMONG OTHERS: ACCESS TO LAND AND  CAPITAL,  GRANTS,  BUSINESS  PLANNING,
 FARM PROCESSES AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAMS.
   (b) Each member shall:
   (1)  be  interested in the preservation and development of agriculture
 and preservation of the agricultural way of life in New York;
   (2) be [under the age of forty-five years old at the beginning of  the
 member's  term]  ACTIVELY  INVOLVED IN FARMING, AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES,
 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND/OR  PROVIDING  SERVICES  TO  THE  AGRICULTURAL
 COMMUNITY IN THE STATE;
   (3)  [derive  at  least  fifty percent of the member's personal income
 from farming or agricultural activities in the state;
   (4)] be a resident of the state; and
   [(5)] (4) be appointed for a term of three years and may  serve  until
 their  successors  are  chosen;  provided,  however, that of the members
 first appointed, six shall serve for a term of one year, six shall serve
 for a term of two years and eight shall serve for a term of three years.
   (c) Members shall serve  without  salary  but  shall  be  entitled  to
 reimbursement of their ordinary and necessary travel expenses.
   (d) The members of the board shall meet [quarterly] TWICE A YEAR.
   3.  The  duties  and  responsibilities of the [young] BEGINNING farmer
 advisory board on agriculture shall include, but not be limited to:
   (a) annually electing from its members a chairperson,  a  vice  chair-
 person,  and  a  secretary of the advisory board at the advisory board's
 first meeting of the calendar year;
   (b) communicating to the [general] public, the federal government, and
 the state government the importance of [young and] beginning farmers  to
 agriculture in the state;
   (c)  [identify]  IDENTIFYING  issues relating to [young and] beginning
 farmers in the state and provide timely advice to the commissioner,  the
 governor  and  the relevant state agencies, with regard to the promotion
 of agriculture as a career path and the economic development  of  [young
 and aspiring] BEGINNING farmers;
   (d)  [produce  an annual] PRODUCING A BIENNIAL report and provide such
 report to the governor, the temporary president of the  senate  and  the
 speaker of the assembly on or before the end of each calendar year. Such
 report  shall  identify and prioritize policy issues which affect [young
 and aspiring] BEGINNING farmers; and
   (e) establish committees, as necessary, to develop  projects  relating
 to the aspects of life for [young and] beginning farmers in the state.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.