Enacts the "New York farmer recruitment and retention act of 2011" and appropriates monies to implement certain provisions thereof; appropriation

BILL NUMBER:S4997

Title of bill

An act to enact the "New York farmer recruitment and retention act of 2011"; to direct the board of regents and education department to study agricultural education programs (Part A); to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "agriculture producer scholarship act" and making appropriations therefor (Part B); to amend the education law, in relation to establishing the producer's loan forgiveness program (Part C); to direct the board of regents and the education department to implement an outreach program to encourage elementary and secondary students to enter the agricultural field (Part D); and to direct the commissioner of agriculture and markets to report on reducing the taxation for landowners who use their land for agricultural production (Part E)

Purpose

To attract young people to the agricultural industry, specifically into production, in New York State.

Summary of provisions

This bill contains several provisions designed to attract and retain a younger workforce in the agricultural field, principally into agricultural production.

Part A directs the New York Board of Regents and the Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Agriculture and Markets, to investigate current education programs for agriculture in vocational-technical schools, community colleges and universities to identify the scope of agriculture education programs in the state; identify non-traditional agricultural education programs; develop models for innovative agricultural education programs that will encourage individuals to become producers; develop and implement an outreach campaign encouraging elementary and secondary education students to enter the agricultural field and attend one of New York States college agricultural education programs.

Part B creates an Agriculture Producers Scholarship program to increase the number of students studying agriculture production in New York State.

Part C creates a Producer's Loan Forgiveness to reduce the amount of education loans for farm operators who fulfill an obligation to operate a farm on a full-time basis for at least five years.

Justification

New York's farming community is aging and it has become increasingly difficult to attract young people to fanning and encourage younger generations to take over the family farm. The average age of a farm operator in the state is fifty-four and in 2004, less than 1000 students were awarded degrees in agriculture by a college in New York State and the majority of these degrees were not awarded in a discipline leading to a career as a producer. The agriculture industry has a substantial impact on the overall impact on the

overall economic health and wellbeing of the state and it is in the best interest of the state to ensure that enough producers are recruited and retained in agriculture production. The Assembly Republican Task Force on the State of New York Agriculture talked to farmers all over the state, including young farmers, to discover ways to increase interest in agriculture and assist young farmers just starting out. This bill is the culmination of those ideas.

Legislative history

None.

Fiscal implications

To be determined.

Effective date

This Act shall take effect immediately.