{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/10.1-1119.3.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/10.1-1119.3.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/10.1-1119.3.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/10.1-1119.3.html"}],"law_id":60610,"edition_id":1,"section_id":60610,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.3","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Office; Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund","history":"2024, cc. 10, 146.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Office shall have the following powers and duties:1\n\nTo develop, in cooperation with the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the American Farmland Trust, the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, the Virginia Association of Counties, and the Virginia Cooperative Extension, (i) model policies and practices that may be used as a guide to establish local purchase of development rights programs; (ii) criteria for the certification of local purchase of development rights programs as eligible to receive grants, loans, or other funds from public sources; and (iii) methods and sources of revenue for allocating funds to localities to purchase agricultural and forestal conservation easements;2\n\nTo create programs to educate the public about the importance of farmland and forestland preservation to the quality of life in the Commonwealth;3\n\nTo provide technical, professional, and other assistance to farmers on matters related to farmland and forestland preservation;4\n\nTo provide technical, professional, and other assistance to local governments interested in developing additional farmland and forestland preservation policies and programs. Such policies and programs shall include (i) use value assessment and taxation pursuant to §§ 58.1-3230 and 58.1-3231; (ii) transfer of development rights pursuant to Article 7.1 (§ 15.2-2316.1 et seq.) of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2; (iii) agricultural and forestal districts pursuant to Chapter 43 (§ 15.2-4300 et seq.) of Title 15.2; and (iv) establishment of local lease of development rights; and5\n\nTo administer the Virginia Farm Link Program established pursuant to § 10.1-1119.4.B\n\nState grants shall be distributed to local purchase of development rights programs under policies, procedures, and guidelines developed by the Office. In general, for each $1 in grant moneys awarded by the Office, the applicable local purchase of development rights program of the county or city shall be required to provide a $1 match. However, as part of these policies, procedures, and guidelines developed by the Office, the Office shall include incentives that recognize and encourage counties and cities participating in use value taxation pursuant to Article 4 (§ 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1.C\n\nThere is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. The Fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated to it by the General Assembly and such moneys as may be made available from any other source, public or private. All moneys 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 article. 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 State Forester.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":221520,"text":"The Office shall have the following powers and duties:","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"A1"},"1":{"id":221521,"text":"To develop, in cooperation with the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the American Farmland Trust, the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, the Virginia Association of Counties, and the Virginia Cooperative Extension, (i) model policies and practices that may be used as a guide to establish local purchase of development rights programs; (ii) criteria for the certification of local purchase of development rights programs as eligible to receive grants, loans, or other funds from public sources; and (iii) methods and sources of revenue for allocating funds to localities to purchase agricultural and forestal conservation easements;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","1"],"prefix":"1","entire_prefix":"A1","prefix_anchor":"A1","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"A2"},"2":{"id":221522,"text":"To create programs to educate the public about the importance of farmland and forestland preservation to the quality of life in the Commonwealth;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","2"],"prefix":"2","entire_prefix":"A2","prefix_anchor":"A2","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A1","next_prefix":"A3"},"3":{"id":221523,"text":"To provide technical, professional, and other assistance to farmers on matters related to farmland and forestland preservation;","type":"section","prefixes":["A","3"],"prefix":"3","entire_prefix":"A3","prefix_anchor":"A3","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A2","next_prefix":"A4"},"4":{"id":221524,"text":"To provide technical, professional, and other assistance to local governments interested in developing additional farmland and forestland preservation policies and programs. Such policies and programs shall include (i) use value assessment and taxation pursuant to §§ 58.1-3230 and 58.1-3231; (ii) transfer of development rights pursuant to Article 7.1 (§ 15.2-2316.1 et seq.) of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2; (iii) agricultural and forestal districts pursuant to Chapter 43 (§ 15.2-4300 et seq.) of Title 15.2; and (iv) establishment of local lease of development rights; and","type":"section","prefixes":["A","4"],"prefix":"4","entire_prefix":"A4","prefix_anchor":"A4","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A3","next_prefix":"A5"},"5":{"id":221525,"text":"To administer the Virginia Farm Link Program established pursuant to § 10.1-1119.4.","type":"section","prefixes":["A","5"],"prefix":"5","entire_prefix":"A5","prefix_anchor":"A5","level":2,"prior_prefix":"A4","next_prefix":"B"},"6":{"id":221526,"text":"State grants shall be distributed to local purchase of development rights programs under policies, procedures, and guidelines developed by the Office. In general, for each $1 in grant moneys awarded by the Office, the applicable local purchase of development rights program of the county or city shall be required to provide a $1 match. However, as part of these policies, procedures, and guidelines developed by the Office, the Office shall include incentives that recognize and encourage counties and cities participating in use value taxation pursuant to Article 4 (§ 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A5","next_prefix":"C"},"7":{"id":221527,"text":"There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. The Fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated to it by the General Assembly and such moneys as may be made available from any other source, public or private. All moneys 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 article. 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 State Forester.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B"}},"ancestry":[{"id":12783,"edition_id":1,"name":"Office of Working Lands Preservation","identifier":"2.1","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12782,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":145055,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12783,"identifier":"2.1","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1","url":"\/10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12782,"edition_id":1,"name":"Forest Resources and the Department of Forestry","identifier":"11","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12741,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":144835,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12782,"identifier":"11","token":"10.1\/II\/11","url":"\/10.1\/II\/11\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12741,"edition_id":1,"name":"Activities Administered by Other Entities","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12740,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":144833,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12741,"identifier":"II","token":"10.1\/II","url":"\/10.1\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12740,"edition_id":1,"name":"Conservation","identifier":"10.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":143313,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12740,"identifier":"10.1","token":"10.1","url":"\/10.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":53962,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.2","catch_line":"Office of Working Lands Preservation established","url":"\/10.1-1119.2\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.2","metadata":false},{"id":60610,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.3","catch_line":"Powers and duties of the Office; Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund","url":"\/10.1-1119.3\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.3","metadata":false},{"id":60345,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.4","catch_line":"Virginia Farm Link Program","url":"\/10.1-1119.4\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.4","metadata":false},{"id":72763,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.5","catch_line":"Reporting requirements","url":"\/10.1-1119.5\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.5","metadata":false},{"id":63374,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.6","catch_line":"Review of capital projects and availability of working lands","url":"\/10.1-1119.6\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.6","metadata":false},{"id":56585,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.7","catch_line":"Characteristics to be considered in evaluating impacts on farm and forest lands","url":"\/10.1-1119.7\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.7","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":53962,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.2","catch_line":"Office of Working Lands Preservation established","url":"\/10.1-1119.2\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.2","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":60345,"structure_id":12783,"section_number":"10.1-1119.4","catch_line":"Virginia Farm Link Program","url":"\/10.1-1119.4\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.4","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/10.1-1119.3\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2024. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 10<\/a> and 146<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":[{"id":80925,"section_number":"2.2-1509.4","catch_line":"Budget bill to include an appropriation for land preservation","order_by":null,"url":"\/2.2-1509.4\/"}],"refers_to":[{"id":63008,"section_number":"15.2-2316.1","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-2316.1\/"},{"id":83266,"section_number":"15.2-4300","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/15.2-4300\/"},{"id":56646,"section_number":"58.1-3229","catch_line":"Repealed","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-3229\/"},{"id":54425,"section_number":"58.1-3230","catch_line":"Special classifications of real estate established and defined","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-3230\/"},{"id":62066,"section_number":"58.1-3231","catch_line":"Authority of counties, cities and towns to adopt ordinances; general reassessment following adoption of ordinance","order_by":null,"url":"\/58.1-3231\/"}],"permalink":{"id":145061,"object_type":"law","relational_id":60610,"identifier":"10.1-1119.3","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.3","url":"\/10.1-1119.3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/10.1-1119.3\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11\/2.1\/10.1-1119.3","dublin_core":{"Title":"Powers and duties of the Office; Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 10.1-1119.3","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Office shall have the following powers and duties: <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

1.<\/span> To develop, in cooperation with the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the American Farmland Trust, the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, the Virginia Association of Counties, and the Virginia Cooperative Extension, (i) model policies and practices that may be used as a guide to establish local purchase of development rights programs; (ii) criteria for the certification of local purchase of development rights programs as eligible to receive grants, loans, or other funds from public sources; and (iii) methods and sources of revenue for allocating funds to localities to purchase agricultural and forestal conservation easements; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

2.<\/span> To create programs to educate the public about the importance of farmland and forestland preservation to the quality of life in the Commonwealth; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

3.<\/span> To provide technical, professional, and other assistance to farmers on matters related to farmland and forestland preservation; <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

4.<\/span> To provide technical, professional, and other assistance to local governments interested in developing additional farmland and forestland preservation policies and programs. Such policies and programs shall include (i) use value assessment and taxation pursuant to §§ 58.1-3230<\/a> and 58.1-3231<\/a>; (ii) transfer of development rights pursuant to Article 7.1 (§ 15.2-2316.1<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2; (iii) agricultural and forestal districts pursuant to Chapter 43 (§ 15.2-4300<\/a> et seq.) of Title 15.2; and (iv) establishment of local lease of development rights; and <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

5.<\/span> To administer the Virginia Farm Link Program established pursuant to § 10.1-1119.4<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> State grants shall be distributed to local purchase of development rights programs under policies, procedures, and guidelines developed by the Office. In general, for each $1 in grant moneys awarded by the Office, the applicable local purchase of development rights program of the county or city shall be required to provide a $1 match. However, as part of these policies, procedures, and guidelines developed by the Office, the Office shall include incentives that recognize and encourage counties and cities participating in use value taxation pursuant to Article 4 (§ 58.1-3229<\/a> et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. The Fund shall consist of all moneys appropriated to it by the General Assembly and such moneys as may be made available from any other source, public or private. All moneys 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 article. 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 State Forester. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPOWERS AND DUTIES OF THE OFFICE; VIRGINIA FARMLAND AND FORESTLAND PRESERVATION\nFUND (\u00a7 10.1-1119.3)\n\nA. The Office shall have the following powers and duties:\n\n 1. To develop, in cooperation with the Department of Small Business and\n Supplier Diversity, the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, the American Farmland\n Trust, the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, the Virginia Outdoors\n Foundation, the Virginia Association of Counties, and the Virginia Cooperative\n Extension, (i) model policies and practices that may be used as a guide to\n establish local purchase of development rights programs; (ii) criteria for the\n certification of local purchase of development rights programs as eligible to\n receive grants, loans, or other funds from public sources; and (iii) methods\n and sources of revenue for allocating funds to localities to purchase\n agricultural and forestal conservation easements;\n\n 2. To create programs to educate the public about the importance of farmland\n and forestland preservation to the quality of life in the Commonwealth;\n\n 3. To provide technical, professional, and other assistance to farmers on\n matters related to farmland and forestland preservation;\n\n 4. To provide technical, professional, and other assistance to local\n governments interested in developing additional farmland and forestland\n preservation policies and programs. Such policies and programs shall include\n (i) use value assessment and taxation pursuant to §§ 58.1-3230 and\n 58.1-3231; (ii) transfer of development rights pursuant to Article 7.1 (§\n 15.2-2316.1 et seq.) of Chapter 22 of Title 15.2; (iii) agricultural and\n forestal districts pursuant to Chapter 43 (§ 15.2-4300 et seq.) of Title\n 15.2; and (iv) establishment of local lease of development rights; and\n\n 5. To administer the Virginia Farm Link Program established pursuant to §\n 10.1-1119.4.\n\nB. State grants shall be distributed to local purchase of development rights\nprograms under policies, procedures, and guidelines developed by the Office. In\ngeneral, for each $1 in grant moneys awarded by the Office, the applicable local\npurchase of development rights program of the county or city shall be required\nto provide a $1 match. However, as part of these policies, procedures, and\nguidelines developed by the Office, the Office shall include incentives that\nrecognize and encourage counties and cities participating in use value taxation\npursuant to Article 4 (§ 58.1-3229 et seq.) of Chapter 32 of Title 58.1.\n\nC. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to\nbe known as the Virginia Farmland and Forestland Preservation Fund. The Fund\nshall be established on the books of the Comptroller. The Fund shall consist of\nall moneys appropriated to it by the General Assembly and such moneys as may be\nmade available from any other source, public or private. All moneys shall be\npaid into the state treasury and credited to the Fund. Interest earned on moneys\nin the Fund shall remain in the Fund and be credited to it. Any moneys remaining\nin the Fund, including interest thereon, at the end of each fiscal year shall\nnot revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Moneys in the Fund\nshall be used solely for the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this\narticle. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State\nTreasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by\nthe State Forester.\n\nHISTORY: 2024, cc. 10, 146.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}