NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7359

Senate Bill S7359

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Establishes a New York native plants designation within the New York state grown and certified program

download bill text pdf

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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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Apr 10, 2025	referred to agriculture

2025-S7359 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A7964
Current Committee:: Senate Agriculture
Law Section:: Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §16, Ag & Mkts L

2025-S7359 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the commissioner of agriculture and markets, acting by and through the department of economic development, in cooperation with the department of environmental conservation, to establish a New York native plants designation within the New York state grown and certified program, for certain native plants grown, cultivated, harvested, or distributed by nurseries, plant farms, garden centers, and other horticultural vendors in the state.

2025-S7359 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7359     Revised 04/11/25

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab-
lishing a New York native plants designation within the New York state
grown and certified program

 
PURPOSE:

To support the cultivation and sale of native plants in New York State
by creating a dedicated certification designation under the existing New
York Grown and Certified program.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

*Establishes a "native plants" designation under the New York Grown and
Certified program.

*Directs the Department of Agriculture and Markets to create guidelines
and standards for native plant inclusion within the Grown and Certified

program.

*Authorizes nurseries, plant farms, and vendors to apply for use of the
New York Grown and Certified seal on eligible native plants.

*Requires educational and promotional outreach through relevant
networks, including Cornell Cooperative Extension.

*Takes effect 120 days after becoming law.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Native plants are essential to New York's ecosystems. They provide food
and habitat for pollinators, birds, and other wildlife, while also
improving soil health, managing stormwater, and supporting climate resi-
lience. But despite their ecological value, native plants are underrep-
resented in the nursery trade and underutilized in home, municipal, and
commercial landscapes.

This legislation creates a path to recognize and promote native plants
through the existing New York Grown and Certified program. It will help
growers, vendors, and consumers identify plants that are ecologically
appropriate to New York's regions and grown here in-state. A trusted
certification designation will increase visibility and demand for native
plants, while giving consumers the confidence that what they are buying
truly supports local ecosystems.

As climate conditions shift and biodiversity loss continues, it is more
important than ever to support plant choices that sustain New York's
natural heritage. This bill helps align agricultural opportunity with
ecological stewardship.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after it
shall have become a law.

2025-S7359 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7359
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 10, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  MAY  --  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  estab-
   lishing a New York native plants designation within the New York state
   grown and certified program

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Section 16 of the agriculture and markets law is amended by
 adding a new subdivision 2-h to read as follows:
   2-H. ESTABLISH, IN COOPERATION WITH THE  DEPARTMENT  OF  ENVIRONMENTAL
 CONSERVATION,  A  NEW YORK NATIVE PLANTS DESIGNATION WITHIN THE NEW YORK
 STATE GROWN AND CERTIFIED PROGRAM, FOR NATIVE PLANTS GROWN,  CULTIVATED,
 HARVESTED, OR DISTRIBUTED BY NURSERIES, PLANT FARMS, GARDEN CENTERS, AND
 OTHER HORTICULTURAL VENDORS WITHIN THE STATE. THE DEPARTMENT, IN COOPER-
 ATION WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION, SHALL ESTABLISH
 APPROPRIATE  STANDARDS  AND  GUIDELINES FOR SUCH DESIGNATION AND PROVIDE
 FOR THE USE OF SEALS, LABELING, OR OTHER APPROPRIATE IDENTIFICATION  FOR
 CERTIFIED  NEW  YORK NATIVE PLANTS. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL FURTHER PROVIDE
 EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS PROMOTING AWARENESS AND  UNDERSTANDING  OF  NATIVE
 PLANTS  UNDER  THE  NEW  YORK NATIVE PLANTS DESIGNATION TO HORTICULTURAL
 PRODUCERS, GARDEN CENTERS, CONSUMERS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS,  CORNELL
 COOPERATIVE  EXTENSION,  AND  RELEVANT  AGRICULTURAL  AND  ENVIRONMENTAL
 ORGANIZATIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION,  "NATIVE  PLANTS"
 SHALL  MEAN  NON-INVASIVE  HERBACEOUS  AND  WOODY PLANT SPECIES THAT ARE
 INDIGENOUS TO NEW YORK STATE AND ARE LIKELY TO MAINTAIN THEIR  RANGE  OR
 SUCCESSFULLY  ADAPT TO ANTICIPATED CLIMATE CHANGES IN NEW YORK STATE AND
 THE NORTHEASTERN UNITED STATES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
 
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11627-01-5

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