BILL NUMBER: S6848
SPONSOR: WEBB
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to the
expansion of regional farmers' markets
 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To encourage, by statute, the Department of Agriculture and Markets to
help facilitate the establishment and expansion of regional farmers'
markets,
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends Agriculture and Markets Law section 284 to encourage
the Department to promote the development and facilitate the establish-
ment and expansion of regional farmers' markets to promote the direct
marketing of healthy locally produced farm and food products on a whole-
sale or bulk sales basis to large volume purchasers of such farm and
food products. Such regional farmers' markets should be, whenever possi-
ble, located in areas that have poor consumer access to high quality and
reasonably priced food and farm products (i.e. food deserts).
 
JUSTIFICATION:
The purpose of this bill is to help promote healthier lifestyles by
providing some assistance to help establish or expand existing regional
farmers' markets in those areas of the state that have poor consumer
access to high quality and reasonably priced fresh food and farm
products. This is especially the case for those areas that are in "food
deserts". This bill should also help New York State's farmers in that it
will create a new market for their agricultural products. The targeted
farmers' markets to be created would be regional markets that would
facilitate the marketing and sale of such foods, on a large scale, at
the wholesale and bulk level. In addition, the establishment of such
regional farmers' markets will increase the access of such fresh foods
to local supermarkets and restaurant that sell or prepare food in such
"food deserts".
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
2021-22: S.2199 (Passed Senate)
2019-20: S.251 (Passed Senate)
2023-24 S.1365 (Passed Senate)
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
Immediate.

Statutes affected:
S6848: 284 agriculture and markets law