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NY A11638
Bill
Status
7/6/2010
Primary Sponsor
David Koon
Click for details
AI Summary
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Establishes a Dairy Farmers' Bill of Rights declaring state policy to protect milk producers' freedom to independently choose whether to join cooperatives or remain independent without coercion
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Prohibits milk dealers from coercing producers through threats, soliciting breach of marketing agreements, offering loans or gifts to leave cooperatives, refusing to deal with producers based on cooperative membership, making false statements about cooperatives, or conspiring with others to commit these acts
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Authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets to investigate violations and take judicial action, provided the milk dealer is subject to a final administrative or judicial order prohibiting such conduct
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Allows milk producers to negotiate all transportation-related costs including hauling fees, stop fees, and fuel surcharges with milk dealers
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Increases the maximum civil liability penalty for encouraging cooperative members to breach marketing contracts from $100 to $10,000 per contract and expands liability to include agents and employees
Legislative Description
Establishes a dairy farmers' bill of rights; specifies prohibited unfair trade practices which have the purpose of intentionally impairing a producer's freedom to bargain collectively with other producers in the marketing of the producer's product; provides that the commissioner of the department of agriculture and markets shall take action to restrain such violations upon the application of an association of producers; increases the limit on damages for encouraging or permitting delivery of products in violation of marketing agreements.
Last Action
referred to agriculture
7/6/2010