S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4210
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 13, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  M.  of  A. TAGUE, MANKTELOW, GALLAHAN, HAWLEY, BRABENEC,
   DeSTEFANO, E. BROWN, MILLER, GUNTHER, LEMONDES, MIKULIN --  read  once
   and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
 
 AN  ACT  to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
   lishing a veterans in agriculture assistance and outreach program

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new
 section 29 to read as follows:
   § 29. VETERANS IN AGRICULTURE ASSISTANCE AND OUTREACH PROGRAM.  1.  AS
 USED IN THIS SECTION, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEAN-
 INGS:
   (A)  "VETERAN"  MEANS  A  PERSON  WHO  SERVED  ON  ACTIVE  DUTY IN THE
 UNIFORMED SERVICES OF THE UNITED STATES, OR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL  GUARD,
 AIR  NATIONAL  GUARD, OR SERVICE AS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN THE PUBLIC
 HEALTH SERVICE, COMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC  AND  ATMO-
 SPHERIC  ADMINISTRATION  OR  ENVIRONMENTAL  SCIENCES  SERVICES  ADMINIS-
 TRATION, CADET AT A UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES SERVICE ACADEMY, AND  WHO
 HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM SUCH SERVICE UNDER OTHER THAN DISHONORABLE CONDI-
 TIONS.
   (B)  "QUALIFIED  VETERAN BUSINESS ENTITY" MEANS A BUSINESS ENTERPRISE,
 INCLUDING A SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP, PARTNERSHIP, LIMITED LIABILITY  COMPANY
 OR CORPORATION THAT IS:
   (I) AT LEAST FIFTY-ONE PERCENT OWNED BY ONE OR MORE VETERANS;
   (II)  AN  ENTERPRISE IN WHICH SUCH VETERAN OWNERSHIP IS REAL, SUBSTAN-
 TIAL, AND CONTINUING;
   (III) AN ENTERPRISE IN WHICH SUCH VETERAN OWNERSHIP HAS AND  EXERCISES
 THE AUTHORITY TO CONTROL INDEPENDENTLY THE DAY-TO-DAY BUSINESS DECISIONS
 OF THE ENTERPRISE; AND
   (IV)  AN  ENTERPRISE  AUTHORIZED  TO  DO BUSINESS IN THIS STATE AND IS
 INDEPENDENTLY-OWNED AND OPERATED.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05806-01-3
              

 A. 4210                             2
 
   2. THE DEPARTMENT, SHALL ESTABLISH A PROGRAM TO HELP INTEGRATE  VETER-
 ANS  INTO THE FIELD OF AGRICULTURE, AND SUPPORT VETERANS CURRENTLY WORK-
 ING IN AGRICULTURE.
   3. SUCH PROGRAM SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) RECRUITING AND PROVIDING TRAINING FOR VETERANS TO FACILITATE ENTRY
 INTO  THE  FIELD  OF AGRICULTURE, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
 VETERANS' SERVICES, THE DIVISION OF MILITARY AND NAVAL AFFAIRS  AND  THE
 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
   (B)  IDENTIFYING AND MAKING ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO FORMERLY INCARCER-
 ATED VETERANS TO FACILITATE ENTRY INTO  THE  FIELD  OF  AGRICULTURE,  IN
 CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  DEPARTMENT  OF CORRECTIONS AND COMMUNITY SUPER-
 VISION.
   (C) PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS IN RURAL AND URBAN COMMUNITIES BY
 PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT, MENTORSHIP, AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES.
   (D) FACILITATING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH CORNELL  UNIVERSITY
 AND THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK.
   (E) CONNECTING BETWEEN VETERANS AND APPLICABLE LOCAL, STATE AND FEDER-
 AL RESOURCES.
   (F) CREATING A WEBSITE RELATING TO PROVIDE VETERANS INFORMATION ON AND
 EASY ACCESS TO PROGRAM RESOURCES.
   (G)  PROMOTING  PARTICIPATION BY VETERANS AND QUALIFIED BUSINESS ENTI-
 TIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE CONDUCT OF OUTREACH AND EDUCATION
 EFFORTS TO ENCOURAGE AND FACILITATE PARTICIPATION.
   (H) COORDINATING WITH MILITARY, GOVERNMENT, OR PRIVATE SECTOR  MARKET-
 ING   EFFORTS  THAT  ALREADY  IDENTIFY,  EMPHASIZE,  AND  ENCOURAGE  THE
 PRODUCTION AND MARKETING OF NEW YORK PRODUCED  AGRICULTURAL  COMMODITIES
 BY VETERANS AND QUALIFIED BUSINESS ENTITIES.
   (I)  PARTNERING  WITH  THE  OFFICE OF MENTAL HEALTH, THE DEPARTMENT OF
 HEALTH AND NY FARMNET TO DEVELOP A SPECIALIZED MENTAL HEALTH AND SUICIDE
 PREVENTION PROGRAM FOR VETERANS IN AGRICULTURE.
   (J) TRAINING AND SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS RESOURCES TO CONNECT
 VETERANS AND THEIR PRODUCTS WITH LOCAL RETAILERS.
   (K) ESTABLISHING MENTORSHIPS FOR VETERANS WITH FARMING ENDEAVORS.
   (L) PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO VETERANS  TO  APPLY  FOR  AVAILABLE  GRANT
 FUNDING.
   (M)  WITHIN  FUNDING  MADE  AVAILABLE FOR SUCH PURPOSES, CONDUCTING AN
 ASSESSMENT OF PROPERTIES AND  MAKING  SUCH  PROPERTY  AVAILABLE  FOR  AN
 AFFORDABLE LEASE PROGRAM FOR VETERANS.
   (N)  WORKING  WITH VETERANS AND PROPERTY OWNERS TO ENSURE VETERANS WHO
 WANT TO FARM HAVE A PLACE TO DO SO.
   (O) IDENTIFYING CURRENT NEW YORK GROWN AND CERTIFIED  PROGRAM  PARTIC-
 IPANTS  WHO  QUALIFY  TO  USE  THE  LOGOTYPE  DEVELOPED  PURSUANT TO THE
 PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION AND ENCOURAGE APPLICATION
 FOR THE USE OF SUCH LOGOTYPE.
   (P) ESTABLISHING A SPECIAL VETERANS' CATEGORY IN NEW  YORK  GROWN  AND
 CERTIFIED DATABASE OF PRODUCTS.
   (Q) REPORTING ON THE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING REHABILITATION SITES TO
 ASSIST  WOUNDED  AND  DISABLED  VETERANS TO READJUST AND HEAL TO ADDRESS
 POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER AND TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY ISSUES THROUGH
 AGRICULTURE THERAPY PROGRAMS.
   (R) CREATING AND BUILDING A BRAND FOR FARMER-VETERANS' PRODUCTS.
   (S) DEVELOPMENT OF A VETERAN  AGRICULTURE  LOGOTYPE  PURSUANT  TO  THE
 PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION.
   4.  (A) THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE EMPIRE STATE DEVELOP-
 MENT CORPORATION, SHALL DESIGN A  LOGOTYPE  THAT  CLEARLY  IDENTIFIES  A
 PRODUCT  AS  BOTH  MEETING  EXISTING  NEW YORK STATE GROWN AND CERTIFIED
 A. 4210                             3
 
 STANDARDS PURSUANT TO 1 NYCRR 161.3 AND BEING PRODUCED BY A  VETERAN  OR
 QUALIFIED  VETERAN BUSINESS ENTITY. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL INCORPORATE THE
 NEW YORK STATE GROWN AND CERTIFIED SEAL, AND MAY PARTNER WITH  ORGANIZA-
 TIONS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE FARMER VETERAN COALITION HOMEG-
 ROWN BY HEROES PROGRAM AND SIMILAR PROGRAMS INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE VETER-
 ANS  TO  FARM  OR  TO OTHERWISE BENEFIT FARMERS WHO ARE VETERANS, IF THE
 DEPARTMENT ELECTS TO  ADOPT  SUCH  ORGANIZATIONS'  SEPARATE  AND  UNIQUE
 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA.
   (B)  SUCH  LOGOTYPE  SHALL  BE MADE AVAILABLE TO VETERANS OR QUALIFIED
 VETERAN BUSINESS ENTITIES FOR DESCRIPTIVE LABELS,  PACKAGING  OR  ADVER-
 TISEMENT INFORMATION AT NO COST.
   (C)  THE  DEPARTMENT SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO PROVIDE
 FOR CIVIL PENALTIES AND INJUNCTIVE RELIEF FOR IMPROPER USE OF THE  LOGO-
 TYPE DESIGNED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBDIVISION.
   5.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL MAKE THE PROGRAM DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS
 SECTION AVAILABLE TO:
   (A) VETERANS;
   (B) PERSONS WHO SERVED ON ACTIVE DUTY IN THE UNIFORMED SERVICES OF THE
 UNITED STATES, OR IN THE ARMY NATIONAL GUARD,  AIR  NATIONAL  GUARD,  OR
 SERVICE  AS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, COMMIS-
 SIONED OFFICER OF THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION OR
 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES SERVICES ADMINISTRATION, CADET AT A UNITED STATES
 ARMED FORCES SERVICE ACADEMY,  AND  WHO  HAS  BEEN  RELEASED  FROM  SUCH
 SERVICE  UNDER  OTHER A CONDITION OTHER THAN HONORABLE ON A CASE-BY-CASE
 BASIS FOLLOWING REVIEW AND APPROVAL BY THE DEPARTMENT;
   (C) IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF A  VETERAN  KILLED  WHILE  SERVING  ON
 ACTIVE DUTY, A PRISONER OF WAR, OR DIED FROM A SERVICE-RELATED INJURY OR
 EXPOSURE,  WHERE  SUCH IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBER IS LICENSED UNDER THE NEW
 YORK STATE GROWN AND CERTIFIED STANDARDS PURSUANT TO 1 NYCRR 161.3; AND
   (D) QUALIFIED VETERAN BUSINESS ENTITIES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition,  amend-
 ment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implemen-
 tation  of  this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and
 completed on or before such effective date.