§ 297. Food and agriculture industry development; program created. 1. Creation. There is hereby created within the department a food and agriculture industry development program.

2. Purpose. The purpose of the food and agriculture industry development program shall be to share the cost of implementing innovative and low risk approaches to the research, development, production, processing and distribution of agricultural products and quality foods that capitalize on the state's unique resources and strategic location near significant markets. With an emphasis on programmatic results, such program shall be designed to favor projects which will have an economic benefit to the state's economy and food supply in the near term, and which will have a lasting effect and long-term economic value to business development and job creation.

3. Powers of the commissioner. The commissioner is hereby authorized to issue requests for proposals to implement the food and agriculture industry development program; to award project grants within the limits of any appropriations therefor, provided that grant recipients match awards with at least equal amounts of funds in the form of cash, in-kind services or other resources; and to contract for services with eligible applicants to carry out such program.

4. Eligible projects. Projects involving new product development; alternative production, processing, distribution and marketing technologies; introduction of high technologies; or organizational methods that further development of the food and agriculture industry in the state shall be eligible for grant awards pursuant to the food and agriculture industry development program. Also eligible shall be projects involving farm woodland or fresh water aquatic products produced in either natural or man-made water bodies or in natural or man-made controlled structures. Projects that include public-private partnership investments, and with a strong potential for near-term commercial application and long-term economic value to the state and localities, shall be given priority.

5. Targeted projects. The commissioner may set-aside up to twenty-five percent of any moneys appropriated for the purposes of the food and agriculture industry development program for projects that exhibit special regional or state-wide significance for food and agriculture industry development and that meet the project eligibility requirements established pursuant to this article.

6. Eligible applicants. Public and private agencies and organizations, business and industry, educational institutions, local governments and individuals shall be eligible to submit proposals for funding pursuant to this article.

7. Grant awards. Project grants for contractual services that further development of the state's food and agriculture industry as described in this article shall be awarded on a competitive basis through a request for proposal process. Such grants shall be awarded for worthwhile projects throughout the state, to the extent practicable, so that broad geographic representation is achieved. At least one solicitation for project proposals shall be held within each fiscal year in which appropriations are made for the food and agriculture industry development program. Grant awards for an individual project shall not exceed sixty thousand dollars within a single state fiscal year.

8. Request for proposal guidelines. The commissioner shall, in consultation with the advisory council on agriculture, develop rules and regulations for proposal submission pursuant to this article, including but not limited to: project eligibility and selection process; project proposal format; eligible costs; project implementation; and reporting.

9. Advice of advisory council on agriculture. The commissioner shall seek the recommendations and advice of the advisory council on agriculture regarding the development and promulgation of the request for proposal rules and regulations and the submission of biennial reports for the food and agriculture industry development program.

10. Technology transfer. The commissioner, in consultation with the empire state development corporation, the Cornell cooperative extension service and food and agriculture industry representatives, shall share technological innovations developed as a result of the food and agriculture industry development program with the food and agriculture industry.

11. Preparation and distribution of reports. The commissioner shall submit a biennial report to the governor and legislature describing the progress of the food and agriculture industry development program. The first report shall be submitted on or before September first, two thousand one.