BILL NUMBER: S580
SPONSOR: HELMING
 
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:
According to the latest Agricultural Census, in 2022, over 90 percent of
New York State's farms have been categorized as small farms. Addi-
tionally, New York's farms grossed $8.5 billion in income in 2022, a
47.8% increase from 2017 to 2022. Behind the economic growth, 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.
New York has several agricultural products ranked in the top 3 nation-
wide, including beets, apples, maple syrup, cabbage and milk. Yet, New
York's small farmers still struggle to get a foothold in this promising
market. Between 2012 and 2022, the state lost close to 14% of its farms
and over 9% of farmland. Contributing to the consolidation,and the loss
of farms due to the unpredictability of farming, is extreme weather.
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:
2023-2024: S.6014 referred to Agriculture/A.1046 referred to Agriculture
2021-2022: S.1266 referred to Agriculture/A.1650 referred to Agriculture
2020: S.271 reported from Agriculture and committed to Finance/A.1137
referred to Agriculture
2019: S.271 committed to Rules/A.1337 referred to Agriculture
2017-2018: S.5127 passed Senate/A.191 referred to Agriculture
2015-2016: S.5635-A passed Senate/ A.2457-A referred to Agriculture
2012-2014: S.4521 referred to Agriculture/ A.7038 referred to Agricul-
ture
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Undetermined.
 
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.