What's happening
This bill creates a grant program to help small farms (annual sales $100,000 or less) recover from natural disasters.
Why it matters
Targets the most vulnerable farms. By limiting eligibility to farms with annual sales of $100,000 or less, the bill focuses on helping those least likely to have financial reserves or insurance to recover from disasters.
Directs funds specifically for crop restoration. Grant money can only be used for purchasing and replanting crops destroyed by natural disasters, ensuring aid goes directly toward reviving farm productivity rather than broader operational expenses.
Limits and manages grant size and availability. With a maximum grant amount of $10,000 per farm and funding dependent on annual state appropriations, the program is structured to support as many qualifying farms as possible while maintaining fiscal oversight and sustainability.
Streamlines state intervention in agricultural crises. By establishing an application and review process through the Department of Agriculture (in conjunction with Empire State Development), the bill creates a clear, official mechanism for disaster recovery aid to reach small farmers quickly when needed.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Aid for Small Farm Disasters
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
2 Co-sponsors
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to agriculture
- Committed to rules
- Advanced to third reading
- 2nd report cal.
- 1st report cal.97
- 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.
Aid for Small Farm Disasters
In Assembly Committee · Agriculture · Sponsor Angelo Santabarbara
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
271
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 9, 2019
Introduced by Sen. HELMING -- 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 establishing a small farm disaster recovery grant program
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 325-b to read as follows:
§ 325-b. Small farm disaster recovery grant program. 1. There is hereby established a small farm disaster recovery grant program to be administered by the department, in conjunction with the empire state development corporation.
2. The purpose of the program is to provide financial relief to small farms that have been affected by natural disasters.
3. For purposes of this section, small farm shall only include farms that sell produce and have annual sales of one hundred thousand dollars or less.
4. The owner of any small farm may submit an application for a grant pursuant to this section to the department. Grants awarded pursuant to this section shall be used solely for the purpose of purchasing and replanting crops that have been destroyed by a natural disaster.
5. The commissioner, upon review of an owner's application, shall determine if the owner is eligible for a grant pursuant to this section. The commissioner shall make the determination as to the amount of grant the small farm owner needs to rebuild his or her crop, provided that such amount shall in no event exceed ten thousand dollars.
6. This program shall be funded through annual appropriations of the legislature or any other funds received by the state for the purposes of this section. Grants shall only be awarded based upon the availability of funds.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04930-01-9
S. 271 2
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to estab- lishing a small farm disaster recovery grant program
Purpose
To establish recovery grant program for small farm disasters.
Summary of provisions
Section 1: Amends the agriculture and markets law by adding a new section 325b, establishing the "Small Farm Disaster Recovery Grant Program," and defines a small farm to include only those that sell produce and have annual sales of one hundred thousand dollars or less. The owner of any small farm may submit an application for a grant, the amount of which is to be determined by the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets up to $10,000, awarded solely for the purpose of purchasing and replanting crops that have been destroyed by a natural disaster.
This Program shall be funded through annual appropriations of the Legis- lature or any other funds received by the state. Grants from the program shall only be awarded based upon the availability of funds.
Section 2: Effective Date.
Justification
After a 70-year drop in numbers, small farms are beginning to make a comeback. For decades, the number of farmers has been shrinking as a share of the population, but the last Agricultural Census in 2007 showed a 4 percent increase in the number of farms. It is the first increase since 1920, and in many cases, young people and college graduates are joining in the return to the land. Behind this trend, to a large degree, is the appeal of locally grown and specialty produce, filling a niche that larger farms geared to national and international markets have left open for exploitation.
But while there has been an increase in promoting locally grown food, New York's small farmers still struggle to get a foothold in this prom- ising new market. Regardless of size, all farmers are vulnerable to the forces of nature, whether they are excessive heat and drought, flooding, or infestation. For small, newly established farms, one such natural disaster can mean the difference between failure and survival.
The small farm disaster recovery grant program will help cover the costs of replanting crops following a natural disaster or pestilence. The grant can be up to $10,000.
Legislative history
2018: S.5127 passed Senate 62-0/A.191 referred to Agriculture 2017: S.5127 passed Senate 60-0/A.191 referred to Agriculture 2016: S.5635-A passed Senate 61-0/ A.2457-A referred to Agriculture 2015: S.5635-A passed Senate 60-1/ A.2457-A referred to Agriculture 2014: S.4521- referred to Agriculture/ A.7038 - referred to Agriculture 2013: S.4521- referred to Agriculture/ A.7038 - referred to Agriculture
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of April succeeding the date on which it shall have become law, provided, however, that effective imme- diately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date is authorized and directed to be made on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.