WEST virginia legislature

2021 regular session

Introduced

House Bill 2338

By Delegates Westfall and Lovejoy

[Introduced February 12, 2021; Referred to the Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources then Finance]

A BILL to amend and reenact §19-37-2 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to adding pasteurized milk and other dairy foods produced or processed in West Virginia to the list of items required to be purchased by all state-funded institutions, such as schools, colleges, correctional facilities, governmental agencies, and state parks; and authorizing the Commissioner of Agriculture to promulgate legislative rules to add additional products to the list.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 37. West VIRGINIA FRESH FOOD ACT.

§19-37-2. State-funded institutions to purchase food from in-state sources; exception.

Beginning July 1, 2019, All State-funded institutions, such as schools, colleges, correctional facilities, governmental agencies, and state parks, shall purchase a minimum of five percent of their fresh produce, meat, and poultry products, and, beginning July 1, 2021, pasteurized milk and other dairy foods produced or processed in West Virginia, from in-state producers: Provided, That such produce, meat, and poultry products, pasteurized milk, and other dairy foods can be grown or are available from in-state producers and processors. The Commissioner of Agriculture may include in the rules promulgated pursuant to this article additional agricultural products which shall be required to be purchased by all State-funded institutions from West Virginia in-state producers as set forth in this section.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to add pasteurized milk and other dairy foods produced or processed in West Virginia to the list of items required to be purchased by all State-funded institutions, such as schools, colleges, correctional facilities, governmental agencies, and state parks. The bill also authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture to add additional products to the list.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.