2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26104064D

HOUSE BILL NO. 1169

Offered January 14, 2026

Prefiled January 14, 2026

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 3.2 a section numbered 3.2-108.3, relating to Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Office of Small Farms and Virginia Small Farms Fund established; report.

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Patron—Cole, N.T.

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Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Article 1 of Chapter 1 of Title 3.2 a section numbered 3.2-108.3 as follows:

§ 3.2-108.3. Office of Small Farms established; Virginia Small Farms Fund; report.

A. As used in this section:

"Agricultural operation" means the same as that term is defined in § 3.2-300.

"Fund" means the Virginia Small Farms Fund.

"Farm products" means the same as that term is defined in § 3.2-4709.

"Office" means the Office of Small Farms.

"Small farms" means any local agricultural operation with a gross cash farm income under $350,000.

B. The Office of Small Farms is established in the Department under the supervision of the Commissioner. The Office shall have the following duties:

1.Facilitate the growth of small farms in the Commonwealth that revitalizes rural and urban communities, promotes healthy eating with access to fresh foods, creates jobs, ensures a readily available supply of safe food during an emergency, and supports economic growth through making farm products available throughout the Commonwealth;

2. Assist small farms in identifying and securing necessary resources and equipment to begin, maintain, and expand projects and networks necessary for the development of small farms;

3. Facilitate the building of infrastructure, including aggregation, processing, storage, packaging, and distribution facilities necessary to move a small farm's farm products to local markets;

4. Support and expand programs that recruit, train, and provide technical assistance to small farms and residents to encourage the production of farm products in the Commonwealth;

5. Coordinate interagency policies, initiatives, and procedures promoting farm products in the Commonwealth with federal, state, and local agencies and seek input from community-based organizations, academic institutions, and trade organizations for such policies, initiatives, and procedures;

6. Facilitate the use of public lands for growing local farm products in coordination with federal, state, and local agencies and other governmental entities;

7. Monitor the development and expansion of small farms in the Commonwealth through data collection, tracking, measurement, and analysis; and

8. Work with relevant partners and state agencies, including the Department of General Services, the Department of Education, and the Department of Corrections, to increase procurement of local farm products by schools and state agencies.

C. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Small Farms Fund (the Fund). The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All funds appropriated for such purpose and any gifts, donations, grants, bequests, and other funds received on its behalf shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys in the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining in the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund shall be used solely for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this section. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the Commissioner.

D. The Commissioner shall submit a report on the operation of the Office by December 1 of each year to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.