§ 879. Purposes and powers of the authority. The purposes of the authority shall be to assist in the establishment and development of agriculture and agriculturally related businesses in the district, and to acquire, construct, reconstruct, improve, equip, operate and maintain adequate regional market facilities within the district for the buying and selling of agricultural products and to conduct such other business activities as reasonably are incidental to and in furtherance of the convenient, efficient, profitable and successful operation of such regional market facilities. For the purposes of this title, "agriculturally related business" shall include, but not be limited to, agricultural economic development projects in the district for production, manufacturing, processing, warehousing, distribution, marketing, training, research and diagnostics related to sale of crops, livestock and livestock products as defined in section three hundred one of the agriculture and markets law. Project costs may include, but not be limited to, land, buildings, machinery, equipment, processed or partially processed agricultural commodities, root stock, livestock, other personal property, materials, working capital, or stock in trade required to establish such project. Not-for-profit corporations, agricultural cooperative corporations, public benefit corporations, municipalities and educational institutions serving the district shall be eligible to apply for support under this title. To enable the authority to carry out such purposes, the authority shall have power:

1. To sue and be sued.

2. To have a seal and alter the same at pleasure.

3. To acquire, hold, lease, sell, convey and dispose of any property, real or personal, or interest therein, for its corporate purposes.

3-a. To lease real property heretofore acquired and now held by it and not required for regional market facilities for agricultural, business, commercial or industrial uses.

4. To condemn real property which shall be necessary for its corporate purposes, in the manner provided in the condemnation law.

5. To determine the location, type, size, construction and equipment of requisite regional market facilities within the district.

6. To prepare a plan for financing the acquisition, construction, equipment and operation of such facilities.

7. To make such investigations and hold hearings and conferences as may be necessary or convenient to formulate, adopt and revise programs and plans for financing, building, acquiring and operating such facilities.

8. To acquire, erect, construct, reconstruct, improve, equip, maintain and operate such buildings, structures and facilities as may be necessary or convenient.

9. To appoint officers, agents and employees and fix and determine their qualifications, duties and compensation, subject to the provisions of the civil service law of the state of New York and such rules as the civil service commission of the county of Monroe may adopt and make applicable to public authorities.

10. To contract for expert and other professional services.

11. To make contracts and leases, and to execute all instruments necessary or convenient.

12. To fix and collect rentals, fees and other charges for the use of its property or facilities, subject to the provisions of section eight hundred eighty of this title.

13. To make by-laws for the organization, management and regulation of its affairs.

14. To borrow money and to issue negotiable bonds and notes and to provide for the rights of the holders thereof.

15. To do all things necessary or convenient to carry out the powers expressly given by this title.