HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 35
(By Delegates Beach, Henderson, Evans, Leggett, Ball, Osborne,
Nichols, Burke, Everson, Thompson, Williams, Fragale and
Anderson)
(Originating in the House Committee on
Agriculture and Natural Resources)
[February 28, 1995]
Requesting the appointment of a special joint committee to
conduct an interim study relating to the poultry industry in
West Virginia.
Whereas, The poultry industry is West Virginia's fastest growing
agricultural industry, with poultry and eggs accounting for thirty-
seven percent of all West Virginia agricultural commodities in cash
receipts in 1993; and
Whereas, The industry, located primarily in a five-county area
in the Eastern Panhandle (Hardy, Hampshire, Grant, Mineral and
Pendleton Counties), has 375 producers and processors employing
more than three thousand West Virginians; and
Whereas, Associated with the rapid growth of the industry are
growing concerns about the environmental impact of poultry
production, particularly the resulting waste, on the state's water
quality and solid waste disposal facilities; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Department of Agriculture, in
association with the twelve-member West Virginia Poultry Water
Quality Advisory Committee, has produced voluntary standards onmanaging and disposing of litter, applying nutrients correctly,
disposing of dead birds and maintaining environmental stability;
and
Whereas, Small poultry processors which are not subject to
inspection by the United States Department of Agriculture have
expressed the desire to have their facilities inspected in order to
sell in interstate markets; and
Whereas, The Legislature has under consideration amendments to
article two-b, chapter nineteen of the code of West Virginia, one
thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, to authorize
inspection by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture of
poultry processing operations in a manner parallel to the
inspection of meat operations; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House
create a special joint committee to conduct an interim study
relating to the poultry industry in West Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the special joint committee be
comprised of the members of the Senate Agriculture and Natural
Resources Committee and the members of the House Agriculture and
Natural Resources Committee; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the study by the special joint
committee address, but not be limited to, the following subject
areas:
1.The environmental impact of the poultry industry on the
natural resources of the State, including proposing strategies for
reducing the actual and/or potential damaging impacts of poultryoperations;
2.Protection of the health and safety of workers in the
industry;
3.The promotion of the production of value-added products
from raw agricultural products of the industry;
4.The degree of the industry's compliance with the
voluntary standards "Nutrient Management and Water Quality
Practices for the West Virginia Poultry Industry" and the further
need, or lack of it, for legislative rules to regulate the
industry;
5.The present and anticipated impact of the industry on the
workload of the West Virginia Department of Agriculture; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the special joint committee be
authorized to conduct public hearings at one or more places
throughout the State for the purpose of receiving public comment on
the issues under consideration and be authorized to take testimony
at any such hearing; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the special joint committee report to
the regular session of the Legislature, 1996, on its findings,
conclusions and recommendations, and to include with its report
drafts of any proposed legislation or regulations necessary to
effectuate its recommendations; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the expenses necessary to conduct this
study, to prepare a report and to draft any proposed legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.