SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 26

(By Senators Manchin, Whitlow, Miller, Dittmar, Macnaughtan, Schoonover, Ross, Wiedebusch, Love, Bowman, Blatnik, Kimble, Yoder, Dugan, Scott, Deem, Oliverio, Sharpe, Plymale, Bailey, White, Walker, Craigo, Jackson, Anderson, Grubb, Tomblin, Mr. President, Minear and Wooton)


Requesting that West Virginia's congressional delegation oppose the definitional change of the term "farm sales of $1,000" to "farm sales of $10,000" as proposed by the United States Department of Commerce and the United States Bureau of Census.

Whereas, The United States Department of Commerce and Bureau of Census is proposing to change the method of defining a farm for statistical purposes by changing the definition from "farm sales of $1,000" to "farm sales of $10,000"; and
Whereas, Eighty-nine percent of West Virginia farms generate less than ten thousand dollars in sales and, notwithstanding the high number of part-time farmers, West Virginia's cumulative gross farm product now exceeds four hundred million per annum and direct full-time employment exceeds five thousand West Virginians; and
Whereas, Such a change would drastically reduce the number of West Virginia farms recognized by the Bureau of Census and U.S. Department of Commerce; and
Whereas, Such a reduction in the number of farms in West Virginia would have a negative impact on the allocation of Smith- Liver funds, Hatch Act funds to agriculture experiment stations and funding for agriculture research and extensions at one thousand eight hundred ninety land grant colleges under Sections 1444 and 1445 of the National Agriculture Research Extension and Teaching Policy Act of 1977; and
Whereas, Other programs affected by such a change include the allocation of funds for lending in rural areas and some conservation programs; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate:
 That the Senate of West Virginia strongly opposes the definitional change proposed by the United States Department of Commerce and Bureau of Census; and, be it
 Further Resolved, That the Clerk is hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to United States Senators Robert C. Byrd and John D. Rockefeller, IV; to United States Representatives Allan B. Mollohan, Robert E. Wise, Jr. and Nick Joe Rahall; to the Secretary of the United States Department of Commerce, Mr. Ron Brown; and to the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture, Mr. Dan Glickman.