Designates black dirt as the state soil and designates the black dirt region as home to the most fertile soil.
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the state law, in relation to designating black dirt as the state soil and to designate
Designates black dirt as the state soil and designates the black dirt region as home to the most fertile soil.
TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the state law, in relation to designating black dirt as the state soil and to designate the black dirt region as home to the most fertile soil
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: Designates black dirt as the state soil and designates the black dirt region in southern Orange County as home to the most fertile soil.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1: Amends the State Law by adding a new section 89 which provides that black dirt is the official soil of the State of New York and the black dirt region in southern Orange County is the official home of the most fertile soil in the State of New York.
Section 2: Effective date.
JUSTIFICATION: This bill designates the black dirt as the official soil of New York State and the black dirt region as home to the most fertile soil in the state. The black dirt region is located in Southern Orange County, NY and comprises some 14,000 acres.
About 12,000 years ago, when glaciers receded from what is now lower New York State, they left behind pockets of low-lying bogland that built up deep layers of decayed plant matter. It wasn't until the early 1900s that German, Polish and Dutch immigrants to Orange County drained the bogs with a network of ditches, revealing a sulfur- and nitrogen-rich black soil that in some places is 30 feet deep.
It is known for its dark color and nutrient rich properties perfect for farming, some say the most fertile soil in North America is found in the back dirt region. While most soils 'contain only up to about 10% organic material, the black dirt contains 30-50% even sometimes up to 90% organic material. One half the onions grown in New York State come from the black dirt region. Other crops grown in the black dirt area include lettuce, radishes, cabbage, carrots, corn, pumpkin, squash, as well as sod farms.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: A.9393 of 2012: Held for consideration in Assembly Governmental Operations
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS: None.
EFFECTIVE DATE: This act shall take effect immediately.
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 3950 2013-2014 Regular Sessions IN SENATE February 28, 2013 ___________Introduced by Sen. BONACIC -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Govern- ment Operations AN ACT to amend the state law, in relation to designating black dirt as the state soil and to designate the black dirt region as home to the most fertile soil THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. The state law is amended by adding a new section 89 to read as follows: S 89. STATE SOIL. BLACK DIRT SHALL BE THE OFFICIAL SOIL OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK AND THE BLACK DIRT REGION LOCATED IN SOUTHERN ORANGE COUNTY SHALL BE THE OFFICIAL HOME OF THE MOST FERTILE SOIL IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK. S 2. This act shall take effect immediately.EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD05077-01-3