EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0473*
SENATE BILL 473
M4 5lr1853
SB 311/24 – EEE & B&T
By: Senators West and Hester
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2025
Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment and Budget and Taxation
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Agriculture – Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism Grant 2
Program – Expansion 3
FOR the purpose of expanding the Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism 4
Grant Program by making certain qualified suppliers eligible for grant funding; 5
establishing the Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Operating Fund; and 6
generally relating to the Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism 7
Grant Program. 8
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9
Article – Agriculture 10
Section 10–2101 and 10–2102 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13
BY adding to 14
Article – Agriculture 15
Section 10–2104 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2016 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 18
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 19
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 20
Article – Agriculture 21
10–2101. 22
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 23
(b) “Fund” means the Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism 24 2 SENATE BILL 473
Fund. 1
(c) “MD FARM” means the Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency 2
Mechanism Grant Program. 3
(D) “OPERATING FUND” MEANS THE MARYLAND FOOD AND 4
AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCY OPERATING FUND. 5
(E) “QUALIFIED SUPPLIER” MEANS A BUSINESS ENTITY OR N ONPROFIT 6
ORGANIZATION THAT OP ERATES A FARM OR COM MUNITY GARDEN IN THE STATE 7
THAT: 8
(1) OPERATES ON AT LEAST 100 ACRES; 9
(2) GROWS AT LEAST 1,000,000 POUNDS OF PRODUCE AN NUALLY; 10
AND 11
(3) DONATES AT LEAST 25% OF ITS ANNUAL HARVES T TO THE 12
STATE’S FOOD BANKS AND CHA RITABLE EMERGENCY FO OD PROVIDERS AT NO C OST. 13
10–2102. 14
(a) There is a Maryland Food and Agricultural Resiliency Mechanism Grant 15
Program. 16
(b) The purpose of MD FARM is to build food system resiliency by leveraging 17
Maryland agricultural products and services to support the State’s food banks [and], 18
charitable emergency food providers, AND QUALIFIED SUPPLIERS to alleviate food 19
insecurity. 20
10–2104. 21
(A) (1) THERE IS A MARYLAND FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL RESILIENCY 22
OPERATING FUND IN THE DEPARTMENT . 23
(2) THE PURPOSE OF THE OPERATING FUND IS TO PROVIDE GR ANTS 24
TO QUALIFIED SUPPLIERS FOR OPERATIONAL COSTS AS SOCIATED WITH SUPPLY ING 25
AGRICULTURAL FOOD PR ODUCTS TO THE STATE’S FOOD BANKS AND CHA RITABLE 26
EMERGENCY FOOD PROVI DERS. 27
(B) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADMI NISTER THE OPERATING FUND. 28
(C) (1) THE OPERATING FUND IS A SPECIAL, NONLAPSING FUND THAT IS 29
NOT SUBJECT TO § 7–302 OF THE STATE FINANCE AND PROCUREMENT ARTICLE. 30 SENATE BILL 473 3
(2) THE STATE TREASURER SHALL HOLD THE OPERATING FUND 1
SEPARATELY, AND THE COMPTROLLER SHALL ACC OUNT FOR THE OPERATING 2
FUND. 3
(D) THE OPERATING FUND CONSISTS OF : 4
(1) MONEY APPROPRIATED IN THE STATE BUDGET TO THE 5
OPERATING FUND; AND 6
(2) ANY OTHER MONEY FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE ACC EPTED FOR 7
THE BENEFIT OF THE OPERATING FUND. 8
(E) THE OPERATING FUND SHALL BE USED TO PROVIDE GRANTS TO 9
QUALIFIED SUPPLIERS FOR OPERATIONAL COST S ASSOCIATED WITH SUPPL YING 10
AGRICULTURAL FOOD PR ODUCTS TO THE STATE’S FOOD BANKS AND CHA RITABLE 11
EMERGENCY FOOD PROVI DERS. 12
(F) FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND EACH FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER , THE 13
GOVERNOR SHALL INCLUD E IN THE ANNUAL BUDG ET BILL AN APPROPRIA TION OF 14
$1,000,000 TO THE OPERATING FUND. 15
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 16
1, 2025. 17