N.Y. Agriculture & Markets Law § 323: State agricultural and farmland protection program

§ 323. State agricultural and farmland protection program. The

commissioner shall initiate and maintain a state agricultural and

farmland protection program to provide financial and technical

assistance, within funds available, to counties, municipalities, soil

and water conservation districts, and not-for-profit conservation

organizations for their agricultural and farmland protection efforts.

Activities to be conducted by the commissioner shall include, but not be

limited to:

1. developing guidelines for the creation by counties and

municipalities of agricultural and farmland protection plans;

2. providing technical assistance to county agricultural and farmland

protection boards, as established in article twenty-five-AA of this

chapter, and municipalities;

3. administering state assistance payments to county agricultural and

farmland protection boards, municipalities and soil and water

conservation districts;

4. disseminating information to county and municipal governments, soil

and water conservation districts, owners of agricultural lands and other

agricultural interests about the state agricultural and farmland

protection program established pursuant to this article;

5. administering state assistance payments to not-for-profit

conservation organizations; and

6. reporting biennially to the governor and the legislature regarding

the activities of the commissioner, the types of technical assistance

rendered to county agricultural and farmland protection boards,

municipalities, soil and water conservation districts and not-for-profit

conservation organizations, and the need to protect the state's

agricultural economy and land resources.