USVI Public Records

Document text

FLOOR 01/23/2023-SPECIAL ORDERED BILL NO. 35-0003 Thirty-Fifth Legislature of the Virgin Islands January 23, 2023 An Act appropriating funds for the adoption of various portions of the Virgin Islands Agricultural Plan, submitted by the Agricultural Plan Task Force on December 29, 2021, as the official Agricultural Plan for the Territory PROPOSED BY: Senators Donna A. Frett-Gregory, Javan E. James, Sr. Samuel Carriόn, Alma Francis Heyliger, Dwayne M. DeGraff Angel L. Bolques, Jr., Milton E. Potter, Novelle E. Francis, Jr., Marvin A. Blyden, Carla J. Joseph, Diane T. Capehart, Ray Fonseca, and Franklin D. Johnson WHEREAS, the Virgin Islands Agricultural Plan, submitted by the Agricultural Plan 1 Task Force on December 29, 2021, can be amended by the Local Food and Farm Advisory 2 Committee and all amendments shall be submitted to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands for 3 consideration and approval; 4 WHEREAS, should the Legislature not act within 120 days upon receipt of the 5 amendments to the Virgin Islands Agricultural Plan, the amendments to the plan shall be 6 considered adopted. 7 WHEREAS, the Legislature of the Virgin Islands can make any changes to the plan 8 through the legislative process. Now, Therefore, 9 Be it Enacted by the Legislature of the Virgin Islands: 10 SECTION 1. Title 7 Virgin Islands Code, sections 301 —309 are repealed and reenacted 11 in title 17 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 33, section 474 as follows: 12 (a) The Agriculture Business Center is hereby established within the Small Business 13 Development Center (SBDC). The Agriculture Business Center shall provide resources for a 14 2 broad spectrum of farmers, ranging from small farm businesses to larger or commercial 1 farmers. The Center shall bring together the resources for assisting farmers with both the actual 2 practices and skills that will facilitate improved farm productivity, as well as resources for 3 assisting farmers with the “business” of farming including but not limited to bookkeeping, 4 technical skills, grant writing, other training needs and certifications, and assistance with the 5 establishment of farming cooperatives. 6 (b) There is appropriated in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, the sum of 7 $250, 000 from General Fund pursuant to Act No. 8617 (Bill No. 34-0302), AGENCY/MISC 8 ITEM OMB Implementation of Agriculture Plan, to carry out the purposes of subsection (a) of 9 this section. 10 SECTION 2. The sum of $250,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund, pursuant 11 to Act No. 8617 (Bill No. 34-0302), AGENCY/MISC ITEM OMB Implementation of 12 Agriculture Plan, in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, to the University of the Virgin 13 Islands Office of Sponsored Programs for obtaining major federal grants to address water, 14 irrigation or, infrastructure and other agriculture needs for the Virgin Islands. The Legislature 15 of the Virgin Islands shall fund the University of the Virgin Islands Office of Sponsored 16 Programs annually. 17 SECTION 3. The sum of $120,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund, pursuant 18 to Act No. 8617 (Bill No. 34-0302), AGENCY/MISC ITEM OMB Implementation of 19 Agriculture Plan in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, to the University of the Virgin 20 Islands for a grant writer for the Local Food and Farm Advisory Committee. 21 SECTION 4. The sum of $13,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund, pursuant 22 to Act No. 8617 (Bill No. 34-0302), AGENCY/MISC ITEM OMB Implementation of 23 Agriculture Plan, in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, to the University of the Virgin 24 Islands for the establishment of the Local Food and Farm Fund for farmers to be distributed 25 pursuant to the recommendations and guidelines established by the Local Food and Farm 26 3 Advisory Committee. From time to time, the Legislature of the Virgin Islands will appropriate 1 monies for the Local Food and Farm Fund. 2 SECTION 5. The sum of $350,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund, pursuant 3 to Act No. 8617 (Bill No. 34-0302), AGENCY/MISC ITEM OMB Implementation of 4 Agriculture Plan, in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, to the Virgin Islands 5 Department of Agriculture to hire critical positions to include the Local Food and Farm 6 Coordinator pursuant to Mandate #1 and Mandate #3 of the Agriculture Plan. One Hundred 7 and Eighty (180) days after enactment, the Virgin Islands Department of Agriculture shall 8 submit to the Legislature of the Virgin Islands a breakdown of the positions created to include 9 titles and salaries. The Local Food and Farm Coordinator shall be an employee of the Virgin 10 Islands Department of Agriculture but report directly to the Local Food and Farm Advisory 11 Committee. 12 SECTION 6. The sum of $500,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund, pursuant 13 to Act No. 8617 (Bill No. 34-0302), AGENCY/MISC ITEM OMB Implementation of 14 Agriculture Plan, in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, to the Virgin Islands Economic 15 Development Authority to establish a Public-Private Investment Fund and a Farmer’s Grant 16 Matching Fund in coordination with the Local Food and Farm Advisory Committee. 17 Public-Private Investment Fund — To fund major initiatives from farmers which have 18 the potential to significantly increase production including, but not limited to, hydroponics, 19 aquaponics, technology enhancements, agritourism, or other investments that enhance the 20 farming industry. 21 Farmer’s Grant Matching Fund – To fund the match required for farmers applying for 22 grants from the federal government or other non-governmental entities. 23 SECTION 7. The sum of $500,000.00 is appropriated from the Education Initiative 24 Fund, in the fiscal ending September 30, 2023, to the V.I. Department of Education to develop 25 a curriculum and training program to secure a sustainable local food production system, to 26 include pre-k through high school as outlined in Mandate #7 of the Agricultural Plan and to 27 4 develop a pilot program. The Virgin Islands Department of Education shall work with the Local 1 Food and Farm Advisory Committee to develop the programs. 2 SECTION 8. The sum of $250,000.00 is appropriated from the General Fund, pursuant 3 to Act No. 8617 (Bill No. 34-0302), AGENCY/MISC ITEM OMB Implementation of 4 Agriculture Plan, in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, to the University of the Virgin 5 Islands for the operations of the Local Food and Farm Advisory Committee to include the 6 operations of the Local Food and Farm Advisory Committee Operations, the Food Symbol 7 Development and Marketing, Data Collection and Analysis, and to create a short-term and 8 long-term plan to address critical water and infrastructure needs in conjunction with the V.I. 9 Department of Agriculture. 10 SECTION 9. Act No. 8646 (Bill No. 34-0334), Section 1 is amended by striking 11 “$1,176,670.49” and inserting “$1,564,971.49” and by inserting “and the class action legal fees 12 associated herewith” after “increase”. 13 BILL SUMMARY 14 This bill appropriates the funds necessary for the adoption of various portions of the 15 Virgin Islands Agricultural Plan. 16 Section 1 establishes the Agriculture Business Center within the Small Business 17 Development Center (SBDC). 18 Section 2 appropriates $250,000 to the University of the Virgin Islands’ Office of 19 Sponsored Programs for obtaining major federal grants to address water, irrigation, 20 infrastructure and other agriculture needs for the Virgin Islands. 21 Section 3 appropriates $120,000 to the University of the Virgin Islands for a Grant 22 Writer for the Local Food and Farm Advisory Committee. 23 Section 4 appropriates $13,000.00 to the University of the Virgin Islands for the 24 establishment of the Local Food and Farm Fund for farmers to be distributed pursuant to the 25 recommendations and guidelines established by the Local Food and Farm Advisory 26 Committee. 27 5 Section 5 appropriates $350,000 to the Department of Agriculture to hire critical 1 positions to include the Local Food and Farm Coordinator pursuant to mandates 1 and 3 of the 2 Agriculture Plan. 3 Section 6 appropriates $500,000 to the Economic Development Authority to establish a 4 Public Private Investment Fund and a Farmer’s Grant Matching Fund in coordination with the 5 Local Food and Farm Advisory Committee. 6 Section 7 appropriates $500,000 to the Department of Education to develop a curriculum 7 and training program to secure a sustainable local food production system, to include pre-k 8 through high school as outlined in mandate 7 of the Agricultural Plan and to develop a pilot 9 program. 10 Section 8 appropriates $250,000 to the University of the Virgin Islands for the operations 11 of the Local Food and Farm Advisory Committee to include the operations of the Local Food 12 and Farm Advisory Committee Operations, the Food Symbol Development and Marketing, 13 Data Collection and Analysis, and to create a short-term and long-term plan to address critical 14 water and infrastructure needs in conjunction with the V.I. Department of Agriculture. 15 Section 9 appropriates fund to cover legal fees associated with the class action suit filed 16 by specific employees of the University of the Virgin Islands. 17 BR23-0002/January 9, 2023 18