S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                  1723--A
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 13, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sens. SKOUFIS, MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and
   when printed to be  committed  to  the  Committee  on  Agriculture  --
   reported  favorably from said committee and committed to the Committee
   on Finance -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as
   amended and recommitted to said committee

 AN ACT to establish a youth development agriculture technology challenge
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.   There is hereby established a youth development agricul-
 ture technology challenge  competition  ("challenge")  for  students  in
 elementary,  secondary,  and  higher  education. Such challenge shall be
 coordinated by the department of agriculture and markets  ("department")
 as part of the state fair in conjunction with Cornell cooperative exten-
 sion  and  other  interested  partners,  including,  but not limited to,
 institutions of higher education, school districts and boards of cooper-
 ative education services,  youth  agricultural  organizations  promoting
 leadership  and  career success in agriculture, and other science, tech-
 nology,  engineering  and  mathematics   and/or   robotics   competition
 programs. The department is authorized to utilize funds appropriated for
 the  state fair and received pursuant to section 31-c of the agriculture
 and markets law and to receive, accept and use gifts and  donations  for
 the     purpose     of    this    act.    All    money    received    as
 gifts or donations shall be deposited in  a  special  fund  pursuant  to
 section  31-c  of  the agriculture and markets law and disbursed for the
 purposes of this act  or  paid  to  the  commissioner  of  taxation  and
 finance,  who  together with the state comptroller is hereby constituted
 and appointed the joint custodian thereof and shall constitute a special
 fund to be used under the direction of the department for  the  purposes
 of  this  act.  The  department, Cornell cooperative extension and other
 participating partners shall work together to establish the challenge to
 engage students to develop solutions to relevant technological  problems
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04637-03-3
              

 S. 1723--A                          2
 
 and issues faced by farmers and food producers including, but not limit-
 ed  to,  increasing  food  production,  increasing energy efficiency and
 decreasing the cost of farming and food production, and  addressing  the
 impact  of  farming  on  the environment and the impact of environmental
 changes such as climate  change  or  pollinator  loss  on  farming.  The
 department  and its partners shall identify resources including training
 or coaching that will assist students in  underserved  rural  and  urban
 communities  to  participate  in  the  challenge, and develop deadlines,
 parameters  including  establishing  elementary,  secondary,  or  higher
 education  categories,  and  relevant  judging criteria for the projects
 submitted for the agriculture technology  challenge.  Subject  to  funds
 available  for  the  purposes  of this act prizes may be awarded for the
 winning submissions of the challenge.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.