HB601: Agricultural enterprise facilities; authorizes DACS to establish in rural areas of the Commonwealth.

HOUSE BILL NO. 601

Offered January 10, 2018
Prefiled January 8, 2018
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 3.2-106.1, relating to agricultural enterprise facilities.
Patron-- Gooditis
Committee Referral Pending

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered 3.2-106.1 as follows:

§ 3.2-106.1. Establishment of agricultural enterprise facilities.

To the extent that public or private funds become available, the Department may establish agricultural enterprise facilities in rural areas throughout the Commonwealth to support the production of Virginia-grown food. Each agricultural enterprise facility shall include a commercial kitchen, a packaging and labeling facility, and an animal slaughtering facility. The Department shall select the location for each agricultural enterprise facility on the basis of its proximity to small-scale rural agricultural producers and shall seek to establish a facility within 50 miles of every agricultural producer in the Commonwealth.