Bill > A03623

This bill establishes the NY Food Insecurity, Farm Resiliency and Rural Poverty Initiative, a comprehensive program designed to support New York's agricultural sector and address food insecurity. The initiative creates multiple grant and assistance programs to help farmers and food banks, including a permanent agricultural purchasing assistance program that will provide $10 million annually for regional food banks to buy agricultural products from New York farmers, with an additional $20 million available during declared emergencies. The bill includes several key components: a commercial meat and dairy processing incentive program to increase processing capacity, a meat and dairy processing study commission to examine industry challenges, grants for beginning farmers, farm infrastructure improvements, cold storage equipment and transportation assistance, and fuel reimbursement for food banks. The legislation also increases tax credits for farmers donating to food pantries from 25% to 50% of the fair market value, allows farmers to claim two tractors instead of one as an asset, and makes various technical changes to labor and workers' compensation laws regarding agricultural workers. The overall goal is to support New York's agricultural industry, which employs nearly 200,000 residents, produces billions of pounds of food annually, and was significantly disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, by providing financial assistance, improving infrastructure, and creating new opportunities for farmers and food distributors.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A3623