Amendment #539 to H4789

Next Generation Farmers Fund

Ms. Blais of Deerfield moves to amend the bill by adding following new section:-

“SECTION XXX. Chapter 29 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 2RRRR the following section:-

Section 2SSSSSS. (a) There shall be established and set up on the books of the commonwealth a separate fund to be known as the Next Generation Farmers Fund. The fund shall be administered by the secretary of labor and workforce development, in consultation with the secretary of environmental affairs.

(b) The fund shall be credited with $3,000,000 annually from the Workforce and Competitiveness Trust Fund, established by section 2WWW of chapter 28, for an agricultural workforce development grant program. Said program shall award grants to the commonwealth’s higher education institutions, vocational technical schools, or community-based organizations that have existing programs for providing workforce development training to first time farmers or the capacity to create such programs. Priority consideration shall be given to programs that serve a high percentage of minority or low-income students or people with disabilities, as well as programs that include hands-on training and training in agricultural practices that mitigate climate change and protect the environment. Not less than $3,000,000 annually from this fund shall go to programs that provide training in agriculture as defined by section 1A of chapter 128, provided that not more than $1,000,000 shall be granted annually to programs providing training in the growing and harvesting of forest products upon forest land.

(c) A report detailing the expenditures of the fund shall be submitted annually on or before May 30 to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the committees on economic development and emerging technologies and the committee on environment, natural resources and agriculture.”

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #539 to H4789

Next Generation Farmers Fund