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, It has been reported that county farmland protection boards established under the programs have abused the legislative purpose and intent of the program by using proceeds generated under the law for purposes not intended by the Legislature, including, but not limited to, buying residentially zoned land and historical structures within areas of cities and establishing new tax-funded bureaucracies with employees who are not involved in farming; 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 and has apparently failed to provide the necessary assistance where the programs are being abused; 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.