GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2009

 

 

SESSION LAW 2009-303

HOUSE BILL 684

 

 

AN ACT to make a change to the membership of the north carolina agricultural development and farmland preservation trust fund advisory committee, and to make technical changes.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

SECTION 1.  G.S. 106-744(c) reads as rewritten:

"(c)       There is established a "North Carolina Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund" to be administered by the Commissioner of Agriculture. The Trust Fund shall consist of all monies received for the purpose of purchasing agricultural conservation easements or funding programs that promote the development and sustainability of farming and assist in the transition of existing farms to new farm families, or monies transferred from counties or private sources. The Trust Fund shall be invested as provided in G.S. 147-69.2 and G.S. 147-69.3. The Commissioner shall use Trust Fund monies for any of the following:following purposes:

(1)        The For the purchase of agricultural conservation easements, including transaction costs.

(2)        Public For the costs of public and private enterprise programs that will promote profitable and sustainable family farms through assistance to farmers in developing and implementing plans for the production of food, fiber, and value-added products, agritourism activities, marketing and sales of agricultural products produced on the farm, and other agriculturally related business activities.

(3)        To fund conservation agreements to bring into or maintain farmland in active production of food, fiber, and other agricultural products.

(4)        The For the costs of administering the program under this Article, including the cost of staff and staff support."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 106-744(c1) reads as rewritten:

"(c1)     The Commissioner shall distribute Trust Fund monies for such purchases,only the purposes under subsection (c) of this section, including transaction costs, as follows:

(1)        To a private nonprofit conservation organization that matches thirty percent (30%) of the Trust Fund monies it receives with funds from sources other than the Trust Fund.

(2)        To counties according to the match requirements under subsection (c2) of this section."

SECTION 3.  G.S. 106-744(g)(11) reads as rewritten:

"(11)    The Director of the Southeast Regional Office of the American Farmland Trust or the The Executive Director of the Rural Advancement Foundation International - USA or the Executive Director's designee."


 

SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law and the change in membership of the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund Advisory Committee under G.S. 106-744, as amended by Section 3 of this act, shall occur prior to the next quarterly meeting of the Advisory Committee that occurs on or after that date.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 9th day of July, 2009.

 

 

                                                                    s/  Walter H. Dalton

                                                                         President of the Senate

 

 

                                                                    s/  Joe Hackney

                                                                         Speaker of the House of Representatives

 

 

                                                                    s/  Beverly E. Perdue

                                                                         Governor

 

 

Approved 5:18 p.m. this 17th day of July, 2009