TITLE 3.1. AGRICULTURE, HORTICULTURE AND FOOD.

§ 3.1-6.1 amended; §§ 3.1-666 through 3.1-684 repealed.
Virginia Sweet Potato Board. Abolishes the Virginia Sweet Potato Board, the Virginia Sweet Potato Fund and the excise tax that supports the Board's promotion of sweet potatoes. The Sweet Potato Board was created prior to 1950 to support the sweet potato industry through grants for education, research, and marketing. The Sweet Potato Association favors the elimination of the Board because the number of sweet potato growers has declined in Virginia and the funds available are not sufficient to carry out the programs to promote the industry. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Operations, Practices, Duties, and Funding of the Commonwealth's Agencies, Boards, Commissions, Councils, and Other Governmental Entities pursuant to HJR 159 (2002). HB 13; CH. 212.

§ 3.1-6.1 amended; §§ 3.1-1064.1 through 3.1-1064.7 added; §§ 3.1-1057 through 3.1-1064 repealed.
The Virginia Wine Board. Establishes the Virginia Wine Board within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Virginia Wine Promotion Fund. The Board is composed of the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services and nine gubernatorial-appointed citizens who represent grape growers and owners or operators of wineries or farm wineries. Among its powers and duties, the Board can contract for research services to improve viticultural and enological practices in Virginia, enter into contracts with private and public entities to market, advertise and promote the industry, and engage in revenue-producing activities. The Fund consists of general fund appropriations, fees from services rendered, and payments received for products, equipment or goods supplied. Contracts for advertising, marketing, or publishing that are entered into by the Board are exempted from certain provisions of the Virginia Public Procurement Act. The bill repeals the Virginia Winegrowers Advisory Board and the Winegrowers Productivity Fund and transfers any moneys remaining in the Winegrowers Productivity Fund to the new Virginia Wine Promotion Fund. HB 1230; CH. 319/SB 310; CH. 89.

§ 3.1-14.2 added.
Agriculture education. Establishes a unit of agriculture education specialists within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services who will assist in the development and revision of agriculture curriculum for inclusion in the Standards of Learning and provide professional development training for agriculture instructional personnel. The unit will be managed by the Department of Agriculture Education at VPI-SU. If funds are not allocated for these positions, the Department will not have to absorb the costs of these new positions. HB 40; CH. 180.

§ 3.1-22.4. See § 2.2-608; SB 6.

§§ 3.1-336.2, 3.1-336.3, 58.1-1000, 58.1-1003, 58.1-1009, 58.1-1010, 58.1-1011, and 58.1-1013 amended; §§ 58.1-1004, 58.1-1005, and 58.1-1014 repealed.
Cigarettes; affixing stamps thereto. Amends several of the current statutory procedures relating to the sale of cigarettes. The bill requires persons affixing Virginia revenue stamps to cigarettes to report monthly to the Department of Taxation on the number of revenue stamps affixed by such person by quantity of brand. The bill makes it unlawful for any person to purchase, possess, or affix Virginia revenue stamps without first obtaining a permit from the Department. The bill increases the current penalties for the failure to affix Virginia revenue stamps. HB 862; CH. 1029.

§ 3.1-398. See § 2.2-4002; HB 784.

§ 3.1-398.1 amended.
Inspections of food stores. Exempts retail establishments from inspection by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services if they: (i) do not prepare or serve food; (ii) sell only food or beverages that are sealed in packaging by the manufacturer and have been officially inspected in the manufacturing process; (iii) do not sell infant formulas; (iv) do not sell salvaged foods; and (v) certify to the Department that they meet the foregoing provisions. However, nothing in this bill prevents the Department from inspecting a retail establishment if a consumer complaint is received. HB 766; CH. 953.

§ 3.1-426. See § 2.2-204; SB 262.

§ 3.1-610.26:1 amended.
Beekeeper assistance. Mandates that the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services establish a beekeeper assistance program that would assist Virginia beekeepers in maintaining healthy, productive bee colonies. SB 200; CH. 201.

§§ 3.1-618, 3.1-626, 3.1-634, 3.1-634.1, and 3.1-635 amended; §§ 3.1-646.01 through 3.1-646.09 repealed.
Apple Board. Updates the Apple Board to reflect the results of the 2003 referendum, which discontinued the excise tax on apples. HB 171; CH. 214.

§§ 3.1-796.104, 3.1-796.104:1, and 3.1-796.106 amended.
Animal control officer training. Transfers the registration requirements for animal control officers employed by localities from the Department of Criminal Justice Services to the State Veterinarian and removes the Department of Criminal Justice Services' approval requirement for animal control training courses. HB 144; CH. 181.

§ 3.1-796.122 amended.
Animals attacking companion animals. Exempts an owner of a dog or cat who uses reasonable and necessary force against a dog that is attacking the owner's dog or cat from intentional animal cruelty. The owner's dog or cat must have been on the owner's property for this exemption to apply. HB 242; CH. 217.

§ 3.1-1075 amended.
Sheep Board. Directs the Governor to appoint all 12 members of the Sheep Board. Three of the board members shall represent different segments of the industry and nine members shall be appointed from four statewide districts established within Virginia, with no more than one member appointed per county. Currently, the Governor appoints the three members representing different segments of the industry, while the other nine members are the presidents of wool pool organizations. SB 150; CH. 56.

§§ 3.1-1104 and 3.1-1105 repealed.
Virginia Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. Abolishes the Virginia Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. The Commission was created in 1978 to act as a forum for identifying and discussing areas of mutual concern to local and state officials, including state and federal programs. The Commission no longer has professional staff or appropriations directly assigned or direct appropriations. The duties and responsibilities of the Commission can be assumed by existing entities or specific issue-oriented bodies created as needed. Other avenues for intergovernmental discussions currently exist, including the Virginia Municipal League, the Virginia Association of Counties, and the use of legislative and executive liaisons by local governments. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Study the Operations, Practices, Duties, and Funding of the Commonwealth's Agencies, Boards, Commissions, Councils, and Other Governmental Entities pursuant to HJR 159 (2002). HB 10; CH. 29.
§ 3.1-1111. See § 58.1-3506; SB 5005.