{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/3.2-304.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/3.2-304.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/3.2-304.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/3.2-304.html"}],"law_id":69134,"edition_id":1,"section_id":69134,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-304","catch_line":"Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund established; purpose; use of funds","history":"2012, cc. 466, 622; 2020, c. 1220; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 185; 2023, cc. 133, 134.","full_text":"A\n\nThere is hereby created in the state treasury a nonreverting fund to be known as the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (the Fund) to be used by the Governor to attract new and expanding aquaculture, agriculture and forestry processing or value-added facilities using Virginia-grown products. The Fund shall consist of any funds appropriated to it by the general appropriation act and revenue from any other source, public or private. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller, and any funds remaining in the Fund at the end of a biennium shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Interest earned on the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller. The Governor shall report to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Finance and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations as funds are awarded in accordance with this chapter.B\n\nFunds shall be awarded from the Fund by the Governor as grants or loans to political subdivisions. The criteria for making such grants or loans shall include (i) number of jobs expected to be created, (ii) anticipated amount of private capital investment, (iii) additional state tax revenue expected to accrue to the state and affected localities as a result of the capital investment and jobs created, (iv) anticipated amount of Virginia-grown agricultural and forestal products used by the project, (v) projected impact on agricultural and forestal producers, (vi) a return on investment analysis to determine the appropriate size of any grant or loan, and (vii) an analysis of the impact on competing businesses already located in the area.C\n\nFunds may be used for public and private utility extension or capacity development on and off site; public and private installation, extension, or capacity development of high-speed or broadband Internet access, whether on or off site; road, rail, or other transportation access costs beyond the funding capability of existing programs; site acquisition; grading, drainage, paving, and any other activity required to prepare a site for construction; construction or build-out of publicly or privately owned buildings; training; or grants or loans to an industrial development authority, housing and redevelopment authority, or other political subdivision for purposes directly relating to any of the foregoing. However, in no case shall funds from the Fund be used, directly or indirectly, to pay or guarantee the payment for any rental, lease, license, or other contractual right to the use of any property.D\n\nFunds may be used for grants to political subdivisions through the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Planning Grant Program pursuant to § 3.2-310.E\n\nMoneys in the Fund shall not be used for any economic development project in which a business relocates or expands its operations in one or more Virginia localities and simultaneously closes its operations or substantially reduces the number of its employees in another Virginia locality. The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry shall enforce this policy and for any exception thereto shall promptly provide written notice to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations, which notice shall include a justification for any exception to such policy.F\n\nThe Governor shall provide grants and commitments from the Fund in an amount not to exceed the dollar amount contained in the Fund. If the Governor commits funds for years beyond the fiscal years covered under the existing appropriation act, the State Treasurer shall set aside and reserve the funds the Governor has committed, and the funds shall remain in the Fund for those future fiscal years. No grant shall be payable in the years beyond the existing appropriation act unless the funds are currently available in the Fund.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":250157,"text":"There is hereby created in the state treasury a nonreverting fund to be known as the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund (the Fund) to be used by the Governor to attract new and expanding aquaculture, agriculture and forestry processing or value-added facilities using Virginia-grown products. The Fund shall consist of any funds appropriated to it by the general appropriation act and revenue from any other source, public or private. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller, and any funds remaining in the Fund at the end of a biennium shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund. Interest earned on the Fund shall be credited to the Fund. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller. The Governor shall report to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Finance and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations as funds are awarded in accordance with this chapter.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":250158,"text":"Funds shall be awarded from the Fund by the Governor as grants or loans to political subdivisions. The criteria for making such grants or loans shall include (i) number of jobs expected to be created, (ii) anticipated amount of private capital investment, (iii) additional state tax revenue expected to accrue to the state and affected localities as a result of the capital investment and jobs created, (iv) anticipated amount of Virginia-grown agricultural and forestal products used by the project, (v) projected impact on agricultural and forestal producers, (vi) a return on investment analysis to determine the appropriate size of any grant or loan, and (vii) an analysis of the impact on competing businesses already located in the area.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A","next_prefix":"C"},"2":{"id":250159,"text":"Funds may be used for public and private utility extension or capacity development on and off site; public and private installation, extension, or capacity development of high-speed or broadband Internet access, whether on or off site; road, rail, or other transportation access costs beyond the funding capability of existing programs; site acquisition; grading, drainage, paving, and any other activity required to prepare a site for construction; construction or build-out of publicly or privately owned buildings; training; or grants or loans to an industrial development authority, housing and redevelopment authority, or other political subdivision for purposes directly relating to any of the foregoing. However, in no case shall funds from the Fund be used, directly or indirectly, to pay or guarantee the payment for any rental, lease, license, or other contractual right to the use of any property.","type":"section","prefixes":["C"],"prefix":"C","entire_prefix":"C","prefix_anchor":"C","level":1,"prior_prefix":"B","next_prefix":"D"},"3":{"id":250160,"text":"Funds may be used for grants to political subdivisions through the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Planning Grant Program pursuant to § 3.2-310.","type":"section","prefixes":["D"],"prefix":"D","entire_prefix":"D","prefix_anchor":"D","level":1,"prior_prefix":"C","next_prefix":"E"},"4":{"id":250161,"text":"Moneys in the Fund shall not be used for any economic development project in which a business relocates or expands its operations in one or more Virginia localities and simultaneously closes its operations or substantially reduces the number of its employees in another Virginia locality. The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry shall enforce this policy and for any exception thereto shall promptly provide written notice to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations, which notice shall include a justification for any exception to such policy.","type":"section","prefixes":["E"],"prefix":"E","entire_prefix":"E","prefix_anchor":"E","level":1,"prior_prefix":"D","next_prefix":"F"},"5":{"id":250162,"text":"The Governor shall provide grants and commitments from the Fund in an amount not to exceed the dollar amount contained in the Fund. If the Governor commits funds for years beyond the fiscal years covered under the existing appropriation act, the State Treasurer shall set aside and reserve the funds the Governor has committed, and the funds shall remain in the Fund for those future fiscal years. No grant shall be payable in the years beyond the existing appropriation act unless the funds are currently available in the Fund.","type":"section","prefixes":["F"],"prefix":"F","entire_prefix":"F","prefix_anchor":"F","level":1,"prior_prefix":"E"}},"ancestry":[{"id":15111,"edition_id":1,"name":"Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund","identifier":"3.1","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13126,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:52:13","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:52:13","permalink":{"id":194101,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15111,"identifier":"3.1","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1","url":"\/3.2\/I\/3.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13126,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions; Protection and Promotion of Agriculture","identifier":"I","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12793,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:19","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:19","permalink":{"id":193941,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13126,"identifier":"I","token":"3.2\/I","url":"\/3.2\/I\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12793,"edition_id":1,"name":"Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food","identifier":"3.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:53","permalink":{"id":193939,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12793,"identifier":"3.2","token":"3.2","url":"\/3.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":57605,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-303","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/3.2-303\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-303","metadata":false},{"id":69134,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-304","catch_line":"Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund established; purpose; use of funds","url":"\/3.2-304\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-304","metadata":false},{"id":57576,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-305","catch_line":"Guidelines and criteria for awarding grants from Fund","url":"\/3.2-305\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-305","metadata":false},{"id":73703,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-306","catch_line":"Contractual obligations of entities receiving grants or loans from the Fund","url":"\/3.2-306\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-306","metadata":false},{"id":78288,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-307","catch_line":"Copy of proposed contract to be submitted to the Attorney General","url":"\/3.2-307\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-307","metadata":false},{"id":73548,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-308","catch_line":"Disposition of award by locality","url":"\/3.2-308\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-308","metadata":false},{"id":87319,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-309","catch_line":"Report submitted to chairmen of legislative committees","url":"\/3.2-309\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-309","metadata":false},{"id":76767,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-310","catch_line":"Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Planning Grant Program","url":"\/3.2-310\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-310","metadata":false},{"id":58299,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-311","catch_line":"Local Food and Farming Infrastructure Grant Program","url":"\/3.2-311\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-311","metadata":false},{"id":63416,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-312","catch_line":"Blue Catfish Processing, Flash Freezing, and Infrastructure Grant Program","url":"\/3.2-312\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-312","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":57605,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-303","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/3.2-303\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-303","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":57576,"structure_id":15111,"section_number":"3.2-305","catch_line":"Guidelines and criteria for awarding grants from Fund","url":"\/3.2-305\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-305","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/3.2-304\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 2012. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 466<\/a> and 622<\/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. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2020, chapter 1220<\/a>; in 2023, chapters 133<\/a> and 134<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":57605,"section_number":"3.2-303","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/3.2-303\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":194107,"object_type":"law","relational_id":69134,"identifier":"3.2-304","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-304","url":"\/3.2-304\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/3.2-304\/","token":"3.2\/I\/3.1\/3.2-304","dublin_core":{"Title":"Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund established; purpose; use of funds","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 3.2-304","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> There is hereby created in the state treasury a nonreverting fund<\/span> to be known as the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund<\/span> (the Fund<\/span>) to be used by the Governor to attract new and expanding aquaculture, agriculture and forestry processing or value-added facilities using Virginia-grown products. The Fund<\/span> shall consist of any funds<\/span> appropriated to it by the general appropriation act and revenue from any other source, public or private. The Fund<\/span> shall be established on the books of the Comptroller, and any funds<\/span> remaining in the Fund<\/span> at the end of a biennium shall not revert to the general fund<\/span> but shall remain in the Fund<\/span>. Interest earned on the Fund<\/span> shall be credited to the Fund<\/span>. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund<\/span> shall be made by the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller. The Governor shall report to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Finance and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations as funds<\/span> are awarded in accordance with this chapter. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> Funds<\/span> shall be awarded from the Fund<\/span> by the Governor as grants or loans to political subdivisions. The criteria for making such grants or loans shall include (i) number of jobs expected to be created, (ii) anticipated amount of private capital investment, (iii) additional state tax revenue expected to accrue to the state and affected localities as a result of the capital investment and jobs created, (iv) anticipated amount of Virginia-grown agricultural and forestal products<\/span> used by the project, (v) projected impact on agricultural and forestal producers, (vi) a return on investment analysis to determine the appropriate size of any grant or loan, and (vii) an analysis of the impact on competing businesses already located in the area. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

C.<\/span> Funds<\/span> may be used for public and private utility extension or capacity development on and off site; public and private installation, extension, or capacity development of high-speed or broadband Internet access, whether on or off site; road, rail, or other transportation access costs beyond the funding capability of existing programs; site acquisition; grading, drainage, paving, and any other activity required to prepare a site for construction; construction or build-out of publicly or privately owned buildings; training; or grants or loans to an industrial development authority, housing and redevelopment authority, or other political subdivision for purposes directly relating to any of the foregoing. However, in no case shall funds<\/span> from the Fund<\/span> be used, directly or indirectly, to pay or guarantee the payment for any rental, lease, license, or other contractual right to the use of any property. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

D.<\/span> Funds<\/span> may be used for grants to political subdivisions through the Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Planning Grant Program<\/span> pursuant to § 3.2-310<\/a>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

E.<\/span> Moneys in the Fund<\/span> shall not be used for any economic development project in which a business relocates or expands its operations in one or more Virginia localities and simultaneously closes its operations or substantially reduces the number of its employees in another Virginia locality. The Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry shall enforce this policy and for any exception thereto shall promptly provide written notice to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations, which notice shall include a justification for any exception to such policy. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

F.<\/span> The Governor shall provide grants and commitments from the Fund<\/span> in an amount not to exceed the dollar amount contained in the Fund<\/span>. If the Governor commits funds<\/span> for years beyond the fiscal years covered under the existing appropriation act, the State Treasurer shall set aside and reserve the funds<\/span> the Governor has committed, and the funds<\/span> shall remain in the Fund<\/span> for those future fiscal years. No grant shall be payable in the years beyond the existing appropriation act unless the funds<\/span> are currently available in the Fund<\/span>. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nGOVERNOR’S AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY INDUSTRIES DEVELOPMENT FUND\nESTABLISHED; PURPOSE; USE OF FUNDS (\u00a7 3.2-304)\n\nA. There is hereby created in the state treasury a nonreverting fund to be known\nas the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund\n(the Fund) to be used by the Governor to attract new and expanding aquaculture,\nagriculture and forestry processing or value-added facilities using\nVirginia-grown products. The Fund shall consist of any funds appropriated to it\nby the general appropriation act and revenue from any other source, public or\nprivate. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller, and any\nfunds remaining in the Fund at the end of a biennium shall not revert to the\ngeneral fund but shall remain in the Fund. Interest earned on the Fund shall be\ncredited to the Fund. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made\nby the State Treasurer on warrants issued by the Comptroller. The Governor shall\nreport to the Chairmen of the House Committees on Appropriations and Finance and\nthe Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations as funds are awarded in\naccordance with this chapter.\n\nB. Funds shall be awarded from the Fund by the Governor as grants or loans to\npolitical subdivisions. The criteria for making such grants or loans shall\ninclude (i) number of jobs expected to be created, (ii) anticipated amount of\nprivate capital investment, (iii) additional state tax revenue expected to\naccrue to the state and affected localities as a result of the capital\ninvestment and jobs created, (iv) anticipated amount of Virginia-grown\nagricultural and forestal products used by the project, (v) projected impact on\nagricultural and forestal producers, (vi) a return on investment analysis to\ndetermine the appropriate size of any grant or loan, and (vii) an analysis of\nthe impact on competing businesses already located in the area.\n\nC. Funds may be used for public and private utility extension or capacity\ndevelopment on and off site; public and private installation, extension, or\ncapacity development of high-speed or broadband Internet access, whether on or\noff site; road, rail, or other transportation access costs beyond the funding\ncapability of existing programs; site acquisition; grading, drainage, paving,\nand any other activity required to prepare a site for construction; construction\nor build-out of publicly or privately owned buildings; training; or grants or\nloans to an industrial development authority, housing and redevelopment\nauthority, or other political subdivision for purposes directly relating to any\nof the foregoing. However, in no case shall funds from the Fund be used,\ndirectly or indirectly, to pay or guarantee the payment for any rental, lease,\nlicense, or other contractual right to the use of any property.\n\nD. Funds may be used for grants to political subdivisions through the\nAgriculture and Forestry Industries Development Planning Grant Program pursuant\nto § 3.2-310.\n\nE. Moneys in the Fund shall not be used for any economic development project in\nwhich a business relocates or expands its operations in one or more Virginia\nlocalities and simultaneously closes its operations or substantially reduces the\nnumber of its employees in another Virginia locality. The Secretary of\nAgriculture and Forestry shall enforce this policy and for any exception thereto\nshall promptly provide written notice to the Chairmen of the Senate Committee on\nFinance and Appropriations and the House Committee on Appropriations, which\nnotice shall include a justification for any exception to such policy.\n\nF. The Governor shall provide grants and commitments from the Fund in an amount\nnot to exceed the dollar amount contained in the Fund. If the Governor commits\nfunds for years beyond the fiscal years covered under the existing appropriation\nact, the State Treasurer shall set aside and reserve the funds the Governor has\ncommitted, and the funds shall remain in the Fund for those future fiscal years.\nNo grant shall be payable in the years beyond the existing appropriation act\nunless the funds are currently available in the Fund.\n\nHISTORY: 2012, cc. 466, 622; 2020, c. 1220; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 185; 2023, cc.\n133, 134.","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}}