NY State Senate Bill 2023-S9656

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

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

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
May 16, 2024	referred to agriculture

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A1678
Current Committee:: Senate Agriculture
Law Section:: Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:: Add §16-c, Ag & Mkts L
Versions Introduced in 2021-2022 Legislative Session:: A8568

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires the establishment of a plant-based agriculture grant program to assist small and medium-sized farms transition to plant-based agriculture.

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S9656

SPONSOR: BRISPORT
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to requir-
ing the establishment of a plant-based agriculture grant program

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section one amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new
section 16-b.

Section two sets the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

The plant-based food market is rapidly growing as more people seek out
healthful and environmentally friendly alternatives to meat. Between May
2020 and May 2021, sales of plant-based meat alternatives grew by 25%,
compared to just 9.5% growth for meat. In 2020, the growth of plant-
based food sales outpaced the growth of food sales overall, indicating

an increasing demand and an expanding customer base.  Plant-based alter-
natives to meat and dairy are becoming more mainstream each day; restau-
rants are adding these items to their menus and large companies, such as
Nestle and Tyson, are investing in the meat and dairy alternatives
market.

Consumers are increasingly seeking out plant-based milks, such as oat,
soy and almond milk, which has begun to impact dairy production, a cate-
gory facing a decrease in sales. As more people turn to plant-based meat
and dairy alternatives, traditional farms that have raised livestock and
feed crops will eventually need to shift production to crops like
grains, tree nuts and vegetables that are necessary to produce plant-
based foods. In New York State, the top agricultural products produced
include milk and cattle, as well as corn and hay grown for use as animal
feed. If current trends continue, these farms, which rely heavily on the
production of animal-based foods, would benefit from making changes now.

By establishing a grant program for farms interested in transitioning to
plant-based production, New York State can get ahead of the curve and
provide a smooth transition for small and midsize farms. This legis-
lation would establish a program that makes grants available to certain
farms looking to transition to plant-based agriculture and will also
provide the farms with the technical assistance necessary to implement
these changes.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2021-22: A.8568 - Referred to Agriculture

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:  Undetermined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9656
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                               May 16, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. BRISPORT -- 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, in relation to  requir-
   ing the establishment of a plant-based agriculture grant 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 16-c to read as follows:
   § 16-C. PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE GRANT PROGRAM. 1. FOR PURPOSES OF THIS
 SECTION, THE FOLLOWING DEFINITIONS APPLY:
   (A)  "EXPERT  ASSISTANCE" MEANS ASSISTANCE FROM AN AGRICULTURAL SCIEN-
 TIST, CLIMATOLOGIST, PEDOLOGIST, HORTICULTURIST, HYDROLOGIST,  OR  AGRO-
 NOMIST  FOR  ASSESSMENT, DESIGN, PLANNING, AND BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES
 OF A LAND-USE TRANSITION TO PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE.
   (B) "FEED CROP" MEANS A CROP THAT IS GROWN FOR LIVESTOCK CONSUMPTION.
   (C) "LIVESTOCK" MEANS POULTRY, CATTLE, DAIRY COWS, SHEEP, SWINE, GOAT,
 OR FISH.
   (D) "PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE" MEANS ANY FARMING THAT  USES  CROPS  FOR
 GROWING  INPUTS  FOR PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS AND DOES NOT INCLUDE LIVESTOCK
 FARMING, DAIRY, OR ANY CROP PRODUCTION FOR LIVESTOCK FEED.
   (E) "PROGRAM" MEANS THE PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE GRANT PROGRAM.
   (F) "TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE" MEANS OUTREACH, EDUCATION,  EXPERT  ASSIST-
 ANCE,  LEGAL SUPPORT FOR CONTRACTUAL BARRIERS, PROJECT PLANNING, PROJECT
 DESIGN, GRANT APPLICATION  ASSISTANCE,  BUYER  EXPERTISE  AND  PACKAGING
 ASSISTANCE,  PROJECT  IMPLEMENTATION,  OR  PROJECT  REPORTING ASSISTANCE
 PROVIDED TO A FARMER TO IMPROVE THEIR SUCCESSFUL  PARTICIPATION  IN  THE
 PROGRAM.
   (G)  "TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE  PROVIDER" MEANS ORGANIZATIONS WITH DEMON-
 STRATED TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN DESIGNING AND  IMPLEMENTING  AGRICULTURAL
 MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.
   (H) "SMALL FARM" MEANS A FARM WITH AN ANNUAL GROSS CASH FARM INCOME OF
 LESS THAN THREE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLARS.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05753-01-3
 S. 9656                             2

 
   (I)  "MIDSIZE FARM" MEANS A FARM WITH AN ANNUAL GROSS CASH FARM INCOME
 BETWEEN THREE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND AND NINE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE  THOU-
 SAND NINE HUNDRED NINETY-NINE DOLLARS.
   2.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  ESTABLISH  A PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE GRANT
 PROGRAM TO ASSIST SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED FARMS TRANSITION TO PLANT-BASED
 AGRICULTURE.  SUCH PROGRAM SHALL, AT A MINIMUM:
   (A) PROVIDE GRANTS TO PERSONS FARMING ON SMALL  TO  MIDSIZE  FARMS  TO
 TRANSITION  THE  USE  OF THE LAND FROM RAISING LIVESTOCK OR GROWING FEED
 CROPS TO PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE.
   (B) DEVELOP BEST PRACTICES FOR TRANSITIONING  LAND  USED  FOR  RAISING
 LIVESTOCK OR GROWING FEED CROPS TO PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE.
   (C)  PROVIDE  TECHNICAL  ASSISTANCE,  IN  CONSULTATION  WITH TECHNICAL
 ASSISTANCE PROVIDERS, TO PERSONS FARMING ON SMALL TO MIDSIZE FARMS.
   3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL REQUIRE AN APPLICANT FOR A GRANT TO SUBMIT THE
 FOLLOWING TO THE DEPARTMENT IN THE APPLICATION:
   (A) A DESCRIPTION OF ANY CROPS CURRENTLY PRODUCED ON THE FARM;
   (B) A DESCRIPTION OF THE LAND THAT WILL BE TRANSITIONED  FROM  RAISING
 LIVESTOCK OR GROWING FEED CROPS TO PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE;
   (C)  A  PLAN  THAT DEMONSTRATES HOW THE APPLICANT WILL TRANSITION SUCH
 LAND TO PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE USING THE BEST  PRACTICES  DEVELOPED  BY
 THE  DEPARTMENT  PURSUANT  TO  PARAGRAPH  (B) OF SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS
 SECTION;
   (D)  A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT THE FARM WILL TRANSITION TO PRODUCING USING
 PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE;
   (E) A PROJECTED TIMELINE FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE TRANSITION; AND
   (F) ANY OTHER INFORMATION THE DEPARTMENT DEEMS NECESSARY.
   4. GRANTS SHALL BE AWARDED ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS  THROUGH  A  REQUEST
 FOR  PROPOSAL  PROCESS  WHICH  SHALL  SET  FORTH  THE  STANDARDS FOR THE
 SELECTION PROCESS, THE REQUIRED PROJECT PROPOSAL FORMAT, COSTS  ELIGIBLE
 FOR  FUNDING,  PROJECT  IMPLEMENTATION, REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, AND SUCH
 OTHER PROVISIONS AS THE DEPARTMENT MAY DEEM NECESSARY OR  BENEFICIAL  IN
 IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM.
   5.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  REQUIRE  A  PERSON WHO RECEIVES A GRANT TO
 PROVIDE A REPORT, IN CONSULTATION WITH A TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  PROVIDER,
 TO  THE DEPARTMENT THAT DEMONSTRATES THAT THE GRANT RECIPIENT IS TRANSI-
 TIONING TO PLANT-BASED AGRICULTURE.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.

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Senate Bill S9656

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S9656

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Sponsored By

Jabari Brisport

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Details

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2023-S9656 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments