立法倡导和更新2022

Farm Credit is known for building relationships with its customers, but it goes further than that. 农业信贷制度是国会在105年前建立的, and the directors and employees of Farm Credit understand the importance of sharing the Farm Credit story with those key members. Relationships are built by visiting and meeting with representatives in Washington, D.C. 以及体育彩票外围平台领土内的各州, making trips to locations they are visiting and participating in events where we can share our story.

日历翻到2022年, 弗吉尼亚州和西弗吉尼亚州的州议会回到了州议会大厦, ready to roll up their sleeves and meet in person again after a year of virtual sessions due to COVID-19. 在维吉尼亚州, 第74任联邦总督, 格伦·扬金宣誓就职, 他的新内阁和各机构负责人也已选出并宣誓就职! 农业信贷兴奋地向农业部长表示祝贺 & Forestry Matt Lohr and Commissioner of Agriculture Joe Guthrie on their appointments. Secretary Lohr served as the first Director of the Farm Credit 知识中心 and has a deep passion and background in advocating for agriculture in 维吉尼亚州 and beyond! 

州立法会议通常持续45- 60天, and members of the state House and Senate will consider thousands of proposed bills during that short amount of time! Both 维吉尼亚州 and 西维吉尼亚州 legislatures are considered part-time citizen legislatures, meaning that legislators serve in their elected positions in addition to managing their businesses, 职业生涯, 以及会议之外的家庭. These elected men and women, and their staff, work long, hard hours during the legislative sessions.

Committee meetings to hear bills start at 7:00 am and sometimes go on until the last Committee or floor session finishes close to midnight. 成千上万的游客, 包括农业信贷委员会成员和雇员, head to the state capitols to advocate on behalf of their interests and educate lawmakers on the positive and negative impacts of legislation on their livelihoods.  Farm Credit works proactively with other agriculture organizations and advocates for policies that will support the viability of agriculture, 林业, 体育彩票外围平台的农村社区.

So, what can citizens in each state expect as a result of the 2022 legislative sessions? Below are some highlights of legislation that passed and will become effective as of July 1 (unless otherwise noted). 

维吉尼亚州

• Dairy Support- Updated program to support dairy farmers through the Dairy Margin Coverage Premium Assistance Program by extending the application deadline and adding options for environmental compliance. 你可以在这里了解更多关于如何参与的信息: http://www.vdacs.Virginia.gov/pdf/smc-dpmc.pdf
• Forest Sustainability Fund- Allows localities that have forest land use value assessment and taxation to apply for funding to offset the revenues the locality lost due to the forest use value program.
• Expand meat processing- Directed the Department of Agriculture to create a strategic plan for increasing meat processing capacity in the Commonwealth.
• Solar Installation Impacts- Sets in motion the process to evaluate the proper placement or mitigation of solar installations on prime ag soils or forest land, 平衡现有太阳能项目, 地主的权利, 还有水质问题.
• Farm Use Vehicle Tags- Requires an owner of a farm use exemption vehicle to obtain a permanent farm use placard from the Department of Motor Vehicles, 并提供车辆及其使用情况的有限信息.

西维吉尼亚州

• Ag Zoning Protections- expanded protections against local government zoning of agricultural operations, by preventing county governments from limiting the use of natural resources by the owner of a tract of land for any size of a farm or agricultural operation.
• Food Banks- added resources through the Department of Agriculture to encourage farmers to donate excess product to food banks.
• Soil Conservation Districts- Revised definitions and modified the election process for Soil Conservation District supervisors. Removed the “active farmer with 5 years’ experience or retired farmer” as a requirement to be elected to this position.
• 2022 Farm Bill- Updated Department of Agriculture operations and allowed Department of Agriculture to promulgate rules.
• Veterinary 体育彩票正规app下载- Allows veterinarians to practice telemedicine in 西维吉尼亚州 and established requirements to form a veterinarian-client/patient relationship.

你可能听说过的州预算呢? 维吉尼亚州’s legislature is still meeting in a special legislative session to debate and finalize the 2-year budget for the state, 须于6月30日前由总督填写及签署的表格. 西弗吉尼亚州批准了4美元的州预算.60亿美元，12美元.900万美元专门用于农业部，110万美元.两百万捐给土壤保持署.

The work of the legislatures and advocates doesn’t finish just because the General Assembly sessions are adjourned. Numerous workgroups and commissions will meet throughout the year to continue to evaluate legislative and administrative proposals, 并在明年1月立法周期再次开始之前发回报告! 和, 2023年不要忘记这一点, both states will have elections with new House and Senate districts as a result of the 2020 Census redistricting! 政治真的是永无止境的，不是吗!

你想更多地参与倡导活动吗? 了解如何有效地倡导农业, 访问农业信贷知识中心在AgHub上的宣传部分. You can also sign up to join Farm Credit’s grassroots advocacy system by visiting http://farmcredit.com/takeaction! 体育彩票外围平台需要许多声音联合起来，共同倡导农业, 林业, 体育彩票外围平台的农村社区, 和农业信贷!

作者

Katie Frazier，首席营销官 & 对外事务干事

弗吉尼亚农业信贷