H. B. 3099
(By Delegate Guthrie)
[Introduced January 13, 2010; referred to the
Committee on Agriculture then Finance.]
A BILL to amend and reenact the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as
amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §19-2-12,
relating to a program to be conducted by the Department of
Agriculture to increase the production and improve the
distribution of locally grown foods and related products for
local consumption.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended
by adding thereto a new section, designated §19-2-12, to read as
follows:
ARTICLE 2. MARKETING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS.
§19-2-12. Program to increase awareness and consumption of locally
produced foods.
(a) The commissioner shall conduct a program to increase
awareness and consumption of locally produced foods and related products and to increase the production and improve the
distribution of foods and related products for local consumption.
In the program, the commissioner shall emphasize the development of
regional food, cultural tourism trails and the development of
regional food systems through activities such as creating or
expanding facilities for the processing and distribution of food
for local consumption; creating or supporting networks of
producers; and strengthening connections between producers,
retailers, institutions, and consumers and nearby producers.
(b) The commissioner may award grants to individuals or
organizations to fund projects that are designed to increase the
sale of agricultural products grown in this state that are
purchased in close proximity to where they are produced. The
commissioner shall propose rules for legislative approval, in
accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-
nine-a, for the program under this section.
(c) The commissioner may make grants under this section for
any of the following purposes:
(1) To create, promote, and support regional food and cultural
tourism trails.
(2) To promote the development of regional food systems
through activities such as creating or expanding facilities for the
processing and distribution of food for local consumption; creating
or supporting networks of producers; and strengthening connections between producers, retailers, institutions, and consumers and
nearby producers.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to conduct a program by the
Department of Agriculture to increase the production and improve
the distribution of locally grown foods and related products for
local consumption.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.
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