Virginia · statute · Va. Code tit. 3.2 · 1,139 active provisions
As used in this title, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Board" means the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services. "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. "Department" means the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
A. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is continued. The Department shall be under the management and control of a Commissioner appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, for a term coincident with that of the Governor. Any vacancy in the office of the Commissioner shall…
Whenever in this title the Board, the Commissioner, or the Department is required to send any mail or notice by certified mail and such mail or notice is sent certified mail, return receipt requested, then any subsequent, identical mail or notice that is sent by the Board, the Commissioner, or the Department may be sen…
A. The Commissioner shall be vested with the powers and duties set out in § 2.2-601 , the powers and duties herein provided, and such other powers and duties as may be prescribed by law, including those prescribed in Title 59.1. He shall be the executive officer of the Board, and shall see that its orders are carried o…
The Commissioner shall hold the following records of the Department in confidence unless otherwise directed by the Governor or the Board: 1. Schedules of work for regulatory inspection; 2. Trade secrets and commercial or financial information supplied by individuals or business entities to the Department; 3. Reports of…
The Commissioner may serve in his official capacity on the board of directors of any entity established to ensure the implementation in the Commonwealth of a national tobacco trust established to provide payments to tobacco growers and tobacco quota owners to ameliorate adverse economic consequences resulting from a na…
The Commissioner shall establish a century farm program to honor farm families in the Commonwealth whose property has been in the same family for 100 years or more. In order to be eligible for recognition under the program, a farm shall (i) have been owned by the same family for at least 100 consecutive years; (ii) be…
A. It is the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage the growth of all segments of its agricultural industry. The General Assembly finds that the horse breeding industry has a significant impact on the Commonwealth's economy and that it is to the Commonwealth's benefit to encourage, expand, and develop horse breeding f…
A. The Commissioner may have tested samples of manufactured, processed, or natural products delivered to laboratories operated by the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services or the Department and prescribe and collect reasonable fees for the services rendered. B. All fees and moneys collected or received by the Co…
A. From such funds as may be appropriated for such purposes and from gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds as may be received, the Department shall establish a program to: 1. Encourage the production of alternative crops in the Commonwealth that may be used as a feedstock for energy generation and transpo…
A. The Department shall develop and maintain a Virginia Pollinator Protection Strategy (the Strategy) to (i) promote the health of and mitigate the risks to all pollinator species and (ii) ensure a robust agriculture economy and apiary industry for honeybees and other managed pollinators. B. In developing the Strategy,…
A. It is the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage the growth of all segments of its agricultural industry. The General Assembly finds that the livestock industry has a significant impact on the Commonwealth's economy and that it is to the Commonwealth's benefit to encourage, expand, and develop slaughter and meat-pr…
The Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services is established as a policy board, within the meaning of § 2.2-2100 , in the executive branch of state government and may adopt regulations in accordance with the provisions of this title. The Board shall consist of (i) one member from each congressional district, at least…
A. The Board shall annually elect a president, vice president, and secretary. B. The Board shall meet at least three times a year for the transaction of business. Special meetings may be held at any time upon the call of the president of the Board, the request of the Commissioner, or the written request of a majority o…
A. The Board shall be charged with all matters tending to the promotion of the agricultural interests of the Commonwealth. It shall have power to receive, hold in trust, and administer any donation made to it for the advancement of the agricultural interests of the Commonwealth. B. The Board shall have power to purchas…
The Board shall adopt regulations governing the ballots to be used in any referendum, the conduct of any referendum, canvassing the results thereof, and declaring the results of any referendum provided for in this title. The Board shall fix the date, hours, and voting places with respect to the holding of any referendu…
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Agricultural operation" means any operation devoted to the bona fide production of crops, animals, or fowl, including the production of fruits and vegetables of all kinds, meat, dairy, and poultry products, nuts, tobacco, nursery, and floral pro…
In order to limit the circumstances under which agricultural operations may be deemed to be a nuisance, especially when nonagricultural land uses are initiated near existing agricultural operations, no locality shall adopt any ordinance that requires that a special exception or special use permit be obtained for any pr…
A. No agricultural operation or any of its appurtenances shall be or become a nuisance, private or public, if such operations are conducted in substantial compliance with any applicable best management practices in use by the operation at the time of the alleged nuisance and with any applicable laws and regulations of…
As used in this chapter, unless the context requires a different meaning: "Agricultural products" means crops, livestock, and livestock products, including field crops, fruits, vegetables, horticultural specialties, cattle, sheep, hogs, goats, horses, poultry, fur-bearing animals, milk, eggs, aquaculture, commercially…
A. There is hereby created in the state treasury a nonreverting fund to be known as the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (the Fund) to be used by the Governor to attract new and expanding aquaculture, agriculture and forestry processing or value-added facilities using Virginia-grown produ…
The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry, in consultation with the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Virginia Department of Forestry, shall assist the Governor in developing objective guidelines and criteria that shall be used in awarding g…
A. Notwithstanding any provision in this chapter or in the guidelines established pursuant to § 3.2-305 , each political subdivision that receives a grant or loan from the Fund shall enter into a contract with each business beneficiary of moneys from the Fund. A person or entity shall be a business beneficiary of funds…
Notwithstanding any provision in this chapter or in the guidelines established pursuant to § 3.2-305 , prior to executing any such contract with a business beneficiary, the political subdivision shall provide a copy of the proposed contract to the Attorney General. The Attorney General shall review the proposed contrac…
Notwithstanding any provision in this chapter or in the guidelines established pursuant to § 3.2-305 , a political subdivision shall not expend, distribute, pledge, use as security, or otherwise use any award from the Fund unless and until such contract is executed with the business beneficiary.