Bill > S04162

This bill expands the FreshConnect program, a state-level initiative that provides financial incentives for purchasing local produce, to include produce sold in supermarkets and grocery stores. The bill precisely defines key terms such as "local produce" (which must be grown entirely in New York from seed or conception), "producer" (a farmer, student farmer, or food manufacturer in New York, but not a wholesaler or distributor), and "supermarket/grocery store" (a retail location selling food for off-premises consumption, with specific exclusions like restaurants, hotels, and hospitals). Under the expanded program, the commissioner of agriculture and markets will offer a two-dollar rebate for every two dollars of local produce purchased in supermarkets and grocery stores, effectively creating a dollar-for-dollar matching incentive to encourage consumers to buy New York-grown produce. The bill will take effect 180 days after becoming law, with provisions allowing for immediate preparation of necessary regulations. By broadening the program's reach to include supermarkets, the bill aims to increase access to and consumption of locally produced agricultural products.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/S4162