§ 329. Farmland viability program. The commissioner shall initiate and maintain a state farmland viability program within the department which is intended to improve the profitability and efficiency of participating farms. The program shall provide technical and financial assistance in the form of matching grants to applicants for projects which contribute to overall farm profitability and sound environmental management.

1. The commissioner may award grants, within available funding, for the following purposes:

a. to a county agricultural and farmland protection board for the implementation of any component of its approved agricultural protection plan which addresses improved farm profitability;

b. to an applicant, other than a county agricultural and farmland protection board, for the development of a farmland viability plan or a portion of such a plan, which shall assess overall farm profitability and identify potential strategies for improved farm profitability such as farm expansion, value added production, diversification, environmental management, or marketing and promotional activities, and

c. to an applicant, other than a county agricultural and farmland protection board, for the implementation of any component of its farmland viability plan which has been approved by the commissioner.

2. The commissioner shall consult with the college of agriculture and life sciences at Cornell university and the state advisory council on agriculture to identify and coordinate available resources for the farmland viability program.