Amendment #24 to H3982

The Massachusetts Agricultural Disaster Relief Fund

Ms. Blais of Deerfield moves to amend the bill in section 2 by inserting after item 2000-0120 the following item:

“XXXX-XXXX     For a fund to be known as the Massachusetts Agricultural Disaster Relief Fund, hereby amending Chapter 29 of the General Laws by inserting after Section 2QQQQ the following section, Section 2RRRR, provided that, $20,000,000 shall be appropriated to the department of agricultural resources, to be expended for the Massachusetts Agricultural Disaster Relief Fund, to provide direct assistance to farmers in the Commonwealth who have suffered agricultural losses, financial losses, or property damage caused by an event of force majeure that occured after January 1, 2023.

The Massachusetts Agriculture Relief Fund may receive money from: (i) gifts, grants and donations from public or private sources; (ii) federal reimbursements and grants-in-aid (iii) any appropriations authorized by the general court specifically designated to be credited to the fund; and (iv) any interest earned from the fund. The state treasurer shall be the custodian of the fund and shall receive, deposit and invest all money transmitted under this section to ensure the highest interest rate available consistent with the safety of the fund. The books and records of the fund shall be subject to an annual audit by the state auditor. The department of agricultural resources may expend money in the fund and no expenditure from the fund shall cause it to be in deficiency at the close of a fiscal year. The commissioner of agricultural resources shall report annually to the house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture on income received into the fund and sources of that income, any expenditure from the fund and the purpose of that expenditure and the fund’s balance. Money in the fund at the end of the fiscal year shall not revert to the General Fund and shall be available for expenditure in the subsequent year and shall not be subject to section 5C of chapter 29................................................................................................. $20,000,000"

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #24 to H3982

The Massachusetts Agricultural Disaster Relief Fund