Establishes the office of urban agriculture

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Khaleel Anderson and 1 co-sponsor

Establishes the Office of Urban Agriculture to coordinate and support urban farming, community gardens, and related programs, aiding urban growers and local groups.

REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE

Overview

Bill Number & Title: A 124, Establishes the office of urban agriculture

Status: Referred to the Assembly Agriculture Committee

Introduced: January 8, 2025

Sponsor: Catalina Cruz (primary); Khaleel Anderson (cosponsor)

Related/Companion Legislation: A 9644 (prior-session), A 6613 (prior-session); Senate companion is S 4754 (listed twice)

What the bill would do (as far as the provided information indicates)

The bill’s stated purpose is to establish an Office of Urban Agriculture. The available information does not include the bill’s full text or a detailed list of duties, powers, or funding.

Given the title, the office would presumably be created within state government to promote, coordinate, and support urban agriculture activities. Specifics such as organizational structure, authority, program scope, and funding are not provided in the information available.

Key provisions and potential impacts (not yet specified in the provided text)

The exact powers and responsibilities of the Office of Urban Agriculture are not listed here. Typical elements in bills establishing a new office might include:

Duties to support urban farming, community gardens, edible landscaping, and related enterprises
Coordination with local governments, nonprofit organizations, and farmers
Development of funding programs, grants, technical assistance, and educational resources
Reporting requirements and performance metrics
Administrative organization, staffing, and potential appropriations

Because the text is not included, the precise scope, eligibility criteria for programs, oversight mechanisms, and implementation timeline remain unknown.

Who would be affected

Likely beneficiaries include urban farmers, community garden organizers, and residents benefiting from urban agriculture programs.

Local governments and community organizations could interact with the new office for guidance, partnerships, and funding (if provided).

Stakeholders would monitor how funding is allocated and what regulatory or programmatic requirements the office imposes or supports.

Procedural and timeline considerations

Current status shows only a referral to the Agriculture Committee on January 8, 2025; there are no further actions listed.

If enacted, typical next steps would include committee consideration, floor votes in the Assembly and Senate, enactment into law, and gubernatorial action or veto.

The existence of companion/Senate bills (S 4754) suggests parallel consideration in the Senate, which could influence timing and provisions.

How to track or learn more

To obtain the full scope and specifics, consult the bill text for A 124 and any amended versions, as well as analyses from the Assembly Agriculture Committee. Also review the companion Senate bill S 4754 and related Assembly/Senate materials for cross-chamber context.

This summary reflects the information provided; for a complete understanding, the bill text and committee reports are essential.

Bill