N.Y. Agriculture & Markets Law § 329: Farmland viability program

§ 329. Farmland viability program. The commissioner shall initiate and

maintain a state farmland viability program within the department which

is intended to improve the profitability and efficiency of participating

farms. The program shall provide technical and financial assistance in

the form of matching grants to applicants for projects which contribute

to overall farm profitability and sound environmental management.

1. The commissioner may award grants, within available funding, for

the following purposes:

a. to a county agricultural and farmland protection board for the

implementation of any component of its approved agricultural protection

plan which addresses improved farm profitability;

b. to an applicant, other than a county agricultural and farmland

protection board, for the development of a farmland viability plan or a

portion of such a plan, which shall assess overall farm profitability

and identify potential strategies for improved farm profitability such

as farm expansion, value added production, diversification,

environmental management, or marketing and promotional activities, and

c. to an applicant, other than a county agricultural and farmland

protection board, for the implementation of any component of its

farmland viability plan which has been approved by the commissioner.

2. The commissioner shall consult with the college of agriculture and

life sciences at Cornell university and the state advisory council on

agriculture to identify and coordinate available resources for the

farmland viability program.