What's happening
This bill creates a Young Farmer Advisory Board to advise New York State on policies affecting young and aspiring farmers.
Why it matters
Creates a formal channel for young and aspiring farmers to influence state policy. , ensuring their specific challenges—like access to land, capital, and training—are considered in government decisions that affect the future of agriculture in New York.
Mandates diverse representation, including urban farmers, Future Farmers of America, and the New York Farm Bureau. , which broadens the advisory board’s perspective and ensures a variety of farming backgrounds and regions are included in policy discussions.
Requires that board members be under 45 years old and actively engaged in farming as their primary income. , which means the board’s advice will be grounded in current, real-world experience rather than distant or retired perspectives.
Tasks the board with producing annual reports and policy recommendations. , potentially making the needs of young farmers more visible to lawmakers and increasing accountability for addressing barriers to entering and sustaining careers in agriculture.
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Create Young Farmer Board
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Substituted by S4021
- Rules report cal.536
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to agriculture
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Create Young Farmer Board
Signed by Governor · Sponsor Patty Ritchie
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6042
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 21, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. MAGEE -- read once and referred to the Committee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to establishing a young farmer agriculture advisory board
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The agriculture and markets law is amended by adding a new section 309-a to read as follows:
§ 309-a. Young farmer advisory board on agriculture. 1. There shall be established within the department the young farmer advisory board on agriculture, to advise and make recommendations to the state agencies on state government plans, policies and programs affecting agriculture, as outlined below, and in such areas as its experience and studies may indicate to be appropriate. The department shall provide necessary secretariat and support services to the board.
2. The young farmer advisory board on agriculture shall consist of twenty members, ten to be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate and assembly, selected for their experience and expertise related to areas of board responsibility. The board shall be comprised of diverse members of the agriculture industry as follows:
(a) Of the twenty members appointed to the board:
(1) one shall be from the department;
(2) one shall be from the empire state development corporation;
(3) one shall be an officer of the Future Farmers of America (FFA);
(4) one shall be an urban farmer;
(5) one shall be from the New York Farm Bureau; and
(6) fifteen shall be from the general public appointed as follows: five to be appointed by the temporary president of the senate, five to be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, and five to be appointed by the governor.
(b) Each member shall:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD09202-03-7
A. 6042 2
(1) be interested in the preservation and development of agriculture and preservation of the agricultural way of life in New York;
(2) be under the age of forty-five years old at the beginning of the member's term;
(3) derive at least fifty percent of the member's personal income from farming or agricultural activities in the state;
(4) be a resident of the state; and
(5) be appointed for a term of three years and may serve until their successors are chosen; provided, however, that of the members first appointed, six shall serve for a term of one year, six shall serve for a term of two years and eight shall serve for a term of three years.
(c) Members shall serve without salary but shall be entitled to reimbursement of their ordinary and necessary travel expenses.
(d) The members of the board shall meet quarterly.
3. The duties and responsibilities of the young farmer advisory board on agriculture shall include, but not be limited to:
(a) annually electing from its members a chairperson, a vice chairperson, and a secretary of the advisory board at the advisory board's first meeting of the calendar year;
(b) communicating to the general public, the federal government, and the state government the importance of young and beginning farmers to agriculture in the state;
(c) identify issues relating to young and beginning farmers in the state and provide timely advice to the commissioner, the governor and the relevant state agencies, with regard to the promotion of agriculture as a career path and the economic development of young and aspiring farmers;
(d) produce an annual report and provide such report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on or before the end of each calendar year. Such report shall identify and prioritize policy issues which affect young and aspiring farmers; and
(e) establish committees, as necessary, to develop projects relating to the aspects of life for young and beginning farmers in the state.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.