NY State Senate Bill 2025-S7394

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
Apr 14, 2025	referred to agriculture

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Agriculture
Law Section:: Agriculture and Markets Law
Laws Affected:: Add §142-c, Ag & Mkts L

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Requires certain information to be included on labeling of native plant seeds for sale or distribution in New York state; requires the commissioner of agriculture and markets to promulgate certain requirements for labeling of native plant seeds; makes related provisions.

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7394

SPONSOR: MAY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to labeling
requirements for native plant seeds

 
PURPOSE:

To establish clear, consistent labeling requirements for native plant
seeds sold or distributed in New York State.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

This bill adds a new section 142-c to the agriculture and markets law.
It would:

*Require seed vendors who label products as "native plant seeds" to
disclose key information on the packaging or at the point of sale.

*Mandate the inclusion of details such as geographic provenance, ecolog-

ical suitability, botanical identification, seed origin and generation,
harvest year, and a traceable lot number.

*Direct the commissioner of agriculture and markets, in consultation
with the department of environmental conservation, to promulgate regu-
lations standardizing terminology, mapping ecological regions, and
enforcing compliance.

*Require vendors to maintain records for at least three years to verify
labeling claims.

*Require the department to make labeling standards publicly available
and provide educational materials through Cornell Cooperative Extension
and other networks.

*Authorize the commissioner to establish additional labeling standards
for specific classes of native plant seeds, as needed.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Native plant seeds play a vital role in restoration, conservation, and
climate-resilient landscaping across New York State. But currently,
there are no standardized requirements for how these seeds are labeled
or described in the marketplace.

As a result, land stewards, municipalities, farmers, and homeowners face
major challenges when trying to purchase ecologically appropriate seed.
Provenance is often unclear. Species may be mislabeled or sold under
vague or misleading terms. And without a way to verify key details-like
where the seed originated or whether it's suited to a particular
region-consumers can't make informed decisions, even when they're trying
to do the right thing.

This bill creates a simple, enforceable framework to bring clarity and
accountability to the sale of native plant seeds. By requiring vendors
to disclose basic information about the identity, source, and suitabil-

ity of native seeds, it empowers buyers, strengthens ecological
outcomes, and supports the growing native plant economy across New York.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

New bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
180 days after becoming law.

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   7394
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              April 14, 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 labeling
   requirements for native plant seeds
 
   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 142-c to read as follows:
   § 142-C. LABELING OF NATIVE PLANT SEEDS. 1. FOR THE PURPOSES  OF  THIS
 SECTION,  THE  TERM  "NATIVE PLANT SEEDS" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS
 DEFINED BY SECTION ONE HUNDRED FORTY-TWO-B OF THIS ARTICLE.
   2. ANY PERSON, FIRM, CORPORATION, DISTRIBUTOR, OR VENDOR THAT  LABELS,
 ADVERTISES,  MARKETS,  OFFERS  FOR SALE, OR DISTRIBUTES SEEDS LABELED AS
 NATIVE PLANT SEEDS WITHIN NEW YORK STATE SHALL BE REQUIRED TO INCLUDE ON
 THE PRODUCT PACKAGING, OR ON DOCUMENTATION MADE AVAILABLE AT  THE  POINT
 OF  SALE  OR  DISTRIBUTION OF SUCH SEEDS, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IN A
 CLEAR AND CONSPICUOUS MANNER:
   (A) THE ORIGINAL GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION OF COLLECTION OR SOURCE  ZONE  OF
 SUCH SEEDS, INCLUDING STATE, REGION, OR ECOLOGICAL ZONE, AS APPLICABLE;
   (B)  A  STATEMENT IDENTIFYING THE ECOLOGICAL REGION(S) WITHIN NEW YORK
 STATE FOR WHICH SUCH SEEDS ARE MOST APPROPRIATE, BASED ON ADAPTATION AND
 SUITABILITY FOR RESTORATION, CONSERVATION, OR LANDSCAPE USE;
   (C) THE FULL SCIENTIFIC NAME  OF  THE  SPECIES,  SUBSPECIES,  VARIETY,
 AND/OR  CULTIVAR,  AS  APPLICABLE, OF SUCH SEEDS, CONSISTENT WITH RECOG-
 NIZED BOTANICAL STANDARDS;
   (D) WHETHER SUCH SEEDS ARE WILD-COLLECTED, CULTIVATED  FROM  WILD-COL-
 LECTED  STOCK,  OR  PRODUCED THROUGH OTHER MEANS, AND WHETHER SUCH SEEDS
 ARE FIRST-GENERATION (G1) OR FURTHER GENERATIONS REMOVED FROM WILD POPU-
 LATIONS;
   (E) THE CALENDAR YEAR IN WHICH SUCH SEEDS WERE COLLECTED OR HARVESTED;
 AND
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD11631-01-5

 S. 7394                             2
 
   (F) A UNIQUE CODE OR NUMBER FOR LOT TRACEABILITY OF SUCH SEEDS,  WHERE
 APPLICABLE.
   3. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRON-
 MENTAL CONSERVATION, SHALL PROMULGATE RULES AND REGULATIONS TO IMPLEMENT
 THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS  SUBDIVISION. SUCH RULES AND REGULATIONS SHALL
 INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   (A) STANDARDIZED TERMINOLOGY AND  FORMATTING  REQUIREMENTS  TO  ENSURE
 CONSISTENCY AND CONSUMER READABILITY;
   (B)   CRITERIA  FOR  ECOLOGICAL  REGION  IDENTIFICATION  AND  MAPPING,
 INFORMED BY EXISTING SEED ZONES OR ECOREGIONS  RECOGNIZED  BY  STATE  OR
 FEDERAL AGENCIES;
   (C)  REQUIREMENTS  FOR  SEED  SUPPLIERS OR VENDORS TO MAINTAIN RECORDS
 VERIFYING THE ACCURACY OF THE INFORMATION PROVIDED PURSUANT TO  SUBDIVI-
 SION TWO OF THIS SECTION, FOR A MINIMUM OF THREE YEARS;
   (D)  PROCEDURES FOR INSPECTION, COMPLIANCE MONITORING, AND ENFORCEMENT
 ACTIONS, INCLUDING PENALTIES FOR MISREPRESENTATION OR FAILURE TO  COMPLY
 WITH THE LABELING REQUIREMENTS ESTABLISHED UNDER THIS SECTION.
   4. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE AVAILABLE ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE A
 SUMMARY  OF  THE  LABELING  REQUIREMENTS  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO THIS
 SECTION AND SHALL DEVELOP EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS  TO  BE  DISTRIBUTED  TO
 SEED  VENDORS, NURSERIES, PLANT FARMS, CONSERVATION ORGANIZATIONS, MUNI-
 CIPALITIES, AND OTHER RELEVANT ENTITIES, INCLUDING THROUGH  THE  CORNELL
 COOPERATIVE EXTENSION AND OTHER HORTICULTURAL AND AGRICULTURAL NETWORKS.
   5. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL PROHIBIT THE COMMISSIONER FROM ESTAB-
 LISHING  ADDITIONAL OR MORE SPECIFIC LABELING OR DOCUMENTATION STANDARDS
 FOR PARTICULAR CLASSES OF NATIVE PLANT SEEDS  IF  DEEMED  NECESSARY  FOR
 CONSUMER PROTECTION, ECOLOGICAL APPROPRIATENESS, OR REGULATORY CLARITY.
   § 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.

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Senate Bill S7394

Sponsored By

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments

Senate Bill S7394

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Sponsored By

Rachel May

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Agriculture Committee

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Details

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Summary

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

2025-S7394 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

Comments