Bill > A04515

This bill expands the FreshConnect program, a state initiative that provides financial incentives for purchasing local produce, to include supermarkets and grocery stores. The bill carefully defines key terms such as "local produce" (produce grown entirely within New York from seed to final product), "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 hotels, restaurants, hospitals, and food courts). 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, which aims to improve access to locally grown food. The legislation will take effect 180 days after becoming law, with provisions allowing immediate preparation of necessary regulations to implement the program. The bill's primary goal is to incentivize the purchase of local produce by making it more financially attractive to consumers in traditional retail settings.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A4515