New Yerk Farm Bureau

 

eff Williams, Directer

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MEMORANIUM OF SUPPORT

Senate Bill 1527 (Senator I?uegerYAssembly Bill 1617 Peoples-Stew)
AN ACT IN RELATION TO MARIHUANA REGULATION AND TAXATION
Date: 6I10f2019

 

New Yerk Farm Bureau, the state's largest farm advecacy erganizatien, requests yeur suppert fer this
legislatien. If enacted, this bill weuld establish a new agency fer the regulatien ef cannabis in New Yerk
State. This bill weuld give prierity censideratien te farmers when issuing licenses fer cannabis related
activities and help grewers afferd entry inte the market. This bill weuld alse establish a state cannabis
adviseryr beard, which weuld advise the legislature en the cultivatien, precessing, distributien, transpertatien
as well as equity in the cannabis industry and public health cencerns.

New Yerk's agricultural sector has been a lengstanding driver ef eur state's ecenemy, with ever 35,000
farms that centribute nearly billiens te the state?s GDP. Hewever, many small farmers are struggling. The
latest census data reperts 2,100 fewer farms statewide than there were in 2012 a 6% drep accempanied by
a 9% increase in laber cests and a lewer average net inceme fer New Yerk farmers cempared te eur peers
areund the ceuntry.

Given the current status ef the farm ecenemy in New Yerk State, farmers recegnize the petential eppertunity
the cultivatien cf cannabis ceuld be fer New Yerk State's agriculture industry. Fer a successful
implementatien ef a cannabis pre gram in New Yerk State, if legalized, farmers must te have an active rele in
the grewth and preductien, as well as develepment and implementatien ef the recreatienal cannabis pregram
in the state. Farmers enceurage the establishment ef an advisery beard which the bill creates, hewever, New
Yerk Farm Bureau a set number cf seats te be reserved fer farmers te previde lecal grewer
input inte the pre gram.

Farmers understand what it takes te preduce a crep and the challenges that can ceme aleng with it. Including
New Yerk agriculture beth as cultivaters and as advisers fer cannabis weuld help make this pre gram a
success fer the state, if legalized. Farmers eperate in a glebal ecenemy and this bill weuld help previde new
eppertunities fer New Yerk farmers.

Given these reasens, New Yerk Farm Bureau respectfully requests yeur suppert ef this legislatien.

New Yerk Farm Bureau 159 WelfRead PO Bea 5330 Albany, NY 12205

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