Three Hinchey Bills Pass Senate Legislative Package to Support New York Agriculture

ALBANY, NY – A legislative package championed by Senator Michelle Hinchey, the Chair of the Senate Agriculture & Food Committee, passed the State Senate today, including three bills introduced by Hinchey.

Senator Michelle Hinchey, said, “Every facet of our lives leads back to the success of agriculture, from the New York-grown food that sustains us to the state of our economy to the power of American manufacturing. Keeping New York farmers farming is a fundamental priority of our Senate Majority, and I’m proud to help champion this robust legislative package, which will greatly expand access to healthy, locally-sourced food for all New Yorkers, strengthen agriculture’s vital role in the fight against the Climate Crisis, and create new avenues of support to bolster the financial standing of farms across New York State. I thank my colleagues for their partnership in protecting our homegrown food supply and the farmers who produce it.”

“Farmers have always served as the backbone of America and they have always played an important role in New York State,’’ Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. “I am proud of the Senate Majority for putting forth and passing this legislation that reaffirms our commitment to the people who produce our food. From every corner of New York State, agriculture plays an important role in our lives as well as economy, and is something we must always make an effort to protect and support. I thank Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Senator Michelle Hinchey, and the bill sponsors for their work on this important legislation”

The three bills sponsored by Senator Hinchey include:

• Establishing Food Procurement Goals for State Agencies: S3125 would establish first-ever food procurement goals for state agencies that spend over $2 million annually on food, providing a direct line for all agencies to buy from New York farmers.
• Creating a One-Stop Farming Hotline: S2236 would establish a hotline, with assistance from Cornell Cooperative Extension, to connect farmers with information and support on tax credit programs, loans, grants, research, and marketing assistance.
• Expanding the New York Agricultural Assessment Program: S1056A expands eligibility under the Agricultural Assessment Program so more New York farmers can access tax benefits.
  
   

Other agricultural bills passed by the Senate with Senator Hinchey’s support include:

• Developing a Carbon Farming Tax Credit: S4270 would develop a tax credit for farmers who maximize carbon sequestration potential through a "carbon farming" land management strategy and directs the Department of Environmental Conservation to develop regulations related to certifying the amount of carbon sequestered or emissions reduced. This would create a new financial incentive for land management practices undertaken by farmers, which help improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
• Establishing Temporary Craft Beverage Permits: S2722 would allow licensed NYS farm distilleries, breweries, cideries, wineries, and meaderies, to apply for temporary 24-hour permits from the State Liquor Authority for both indoor and outdoor functions.
• Expanding Regional Farmers' Markets: S1365 would direct the Department of Agriculture and Markets to increase the number of regional farmers' markets to help expand access to locally-sourced food products, especially in communities where access to healthy, local options are limited.
• Creating the Office of Urban Agriculture: S2415 would establish the Office of Urban Agriculture to assist with and promote urban farming in New York.

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