SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 69
(By Senators Sprouse, McKenzie, Barnes, Yoder, Helmick,
Weeks, Guills, Caruth, Minear and McCabe)
Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study
voluntary farmland protection programs.
Whereas, Voluntary farmland protection programs provide for
county farmland protection boards to implement the legislative
purposes of farmland protection, including assistance with
sustaining the farming community, providing sources of agriculture
products for citizens, controlling encroachment of urban expansion
on farms and woodlands, curbing the spread of urban blight and
deterioration, protecting agricultural land and woodland, enhancing
tourism and protecting lands which are inseparably associated with
traditional farming; and
Whereas, In adopting these purposes, members of the
Legislature intended that the fee revenue provided by voluntary
farmland protection programs would be used to help farm families
preserve their way of life and preserve farmlands for farming and
agribusiness purposes; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Agricultural Land Protection
Authority is charged with assisting county farmland protection
boards in applying for and obtaining all state and federal funding consistent with the purposes of voluntary farmland protection
programs; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is hereby
requested to study voluntary farmland protection programs; and, be
it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance determine whether the implementation of the programs meets
the expectation of the Legislature and whether farm families and
the business of farming are being supported and encouraged by the
provisions of the programs; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and
Finance report to the regular session of the Legislature, 2007, on
its findings, conclusions and recommendations, together with drafts
of any legislation 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 necessary legislation be
paid from legislative appropriations to the Joint Committee on
Government and Finance.