Senate gives final approval to legislation in keeping with overall 'Grown in NY' legislative strategy ~ O'Mara says actions can help keep next generation of farmers competitive

Albany, N.Y., June 11—The New York State Senate has given final legislative approval to two pieces of legislation co-sponsored by Senator Tom O’Mara (R-C, Big Flats), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, that continue to enact initiatives in keeping with the Senate’s “Grown in New York” strategy.

"We’re continuing to take actions that can help keep our next generation of farmers, and New York’s agricultural industry overall, competitive for the long haul,” said O’Mara, who also serves as one of 10 members on the Legislature’s joint, bipartisan Commission on Rural Resources.  “These new tools and incentives take steps to enhance access to viable land for farming, and seek to expand markets for our locally grown products.”

Both of the measures given final approval by the Senate this week will now be delivered to Governor Andrew Cuomo to be signed into law.

One piece of legislation (S.1824/A.1571) would provide new and beginning farmers with enhanced access to viable agricultural land. It would require the state's Agriculture Advisory Council to assist appropriate state agencies regarding tax, financial assistance and other policies and programs that could address the needs of beginning farmers and help them navigate the process they face during transfer of ownership of farms. It would also encourage the identification of state-owned properties that are viable for farming and could be sold or leased to new or beginning farmers. 

A second initiative (S.3441/A.228) would create the “Urban and Regional Farmers' Market Facilities Construction Program” to help with the establishment, expansion and development of  year-round urban or regional farmers' market facilities. Construction grants would be awarded to cover between 60- to 80-percent of the cost of eligible projects including site acquisition and design, improvements and renovations, and equipment purchases. 

Over the past few years, O’Mara and other senators have pushed and updated from year to year a comprehensive Grown in NY legislative strategy aimed at keeping the state’s leading industry competitive for the next generation.  Grown in NY has helped initiate critical new laws and programs to assist farmers and the entire agricultural industry, including a new program last year to provide start-up grants to beginning farmers and to begin a college education loan forgiveness program.

New York is home to 36,000 family farms that form the backbone of the state’s $5-billion-plus agricultural industry.