A. There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Wine Promotion Fund, hereafter referred to as “the 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, grants of private or government funds designated for specified activities authorized pursuant to this chapter, fees for services rendered pursuant to this chapter, payments for products, equipment, or material or other goods supplied. 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 chapter. 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 duly authorized officer of the Wine Board.
B. The Wine Board shall meet and evaluate proposals from applicants for funding from the Fund. The Wine Board’s final recommendations shall be made by recorded vote. Not less than one-third of the funding allocated by the Wine Board annually, excluding revenue-producing activities engaged in pursuant to § 3.2-3006, shall be expended for projects that advance viticulture and enological research concerning the growing of grapes and the production of wine in Virginia.
C. The Auditor of Public Accounts shall audit all accounts as provided in § 30-133.