Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/WVCODE/code.cfm?chap=19&art=12A
Timestamp: 2019-04-22 07:10:59+00:00

Document:
§19-12A-1. Legislative findings and declarations.
§19-12A-1a. Farm management commission abolished; property transferred; powers and duties of commissioner of agriculture.
§19-12A-3. Farm management commission continued; composition; chairman; quorum; meetings; vacancies.
§19-12A-4. Transfer of institutional farms, farm equipment, farm facilities, inventories and agricultural products to commission; utility continuance; provisions for uninterrupted operation; transfer of funds.
§19-12A-5. Powers, duties and responsibilities of commission.
§19-12A-6. Appointment of farm management director; qualifications; powers and duties.
§19-12A-7. Farm division lines to be established; appeal to commission; remedy.
§19-12A-8. Effect of management plan on employees.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that in order to ensure economic and efficient land use, increase and improve agricultural production and provide food for residents of state operated institutions, state-owned farms should be transferred to the state farm management commission as is provided by this article. The Legislature also finds and declares that the operation of all institutional farms under one management system with a single integrated farm plan is the most efficient method of providing the food needs of residents of state operated institutions and will promote the health and welfare of all citizens of this state.
(a) The farm management commission previously established by this article is hereby abolished. The real and personal property held by the commission, including all institutional farms and all easements, mineral rights, appurtenances, farm equipment, agricultural products, inventories and farm facilities, operating revenue funds for those operations, and all employees of the farm management commission, are hereby transferred to the Department of Agriculture. The Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture shall have all those powers, duties and responsibilities previously vested in the farm management commission and the farm management director pursuant to this article.
(b) Not later than January 1, 1995, the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture shall report to the Legislature on the optimum use or disposition of each institutional farm transferred pursuant to this section. The commissioner shall set forth the objectives of the agency with respect to the land, the criteria by which the agency has determined the optimum use or disposition of the property, and determinations as to whether the land shall be used in the production of food products, the production or development of natural resources, held for recreational or other specified uses, or sold, or leased in whole or in part. With respect to each institutional farm, the commissioner shall report on which properties are subject to reversionary clauses or other restrictions in deeds of conveyance which may affect permitted uses, or proposed sales or leases. With respect to each institutional farm, the commissioner shall report on projected revenues and expenses from operations. Planned activities and uses with respect to the land shall be detailed for at least five years specifically and at least ten years generally and shall include a cost benefit analysis of options or alternatives for action. In the case of land managed for production of timber, the commissioner shall report on projections for timber harvesting on a sustained-yield basis, income estimates, and the years in which income will be generated. The report shall detail planned actions to protect the land from erosion, fire, plant and animal pests, noxious insects, noxious weeds and plant and animal diseases. In the case of land subject to rights granted by existing contracts, leases, licenses or easements, the report shall include a determination as to whether the interest granted should be continued or withdrawn. In the case of land managed under land management plans adopted prior to the effective date of this section, land management plans shall be reviewed and amended as may be necessary. When appropriate, the commissioner shall consult with the secretaries of the various departments of state government and shall request from the secretaries suggestions for land use and resource development on the land. In the case of land recommended for sale, lease, or transfer, the report shall include the review and approval of the director of the West Virginia Development Office of the proposed use and alternate suggestions for use of any institutional farm which may be in the public interest. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subsection to the contrary, title to the Weston State Hospital Institutional Farm, located at Weston, Lewis County, is hereby transferred from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Health and Human Resources, including all buildings thereon: Provided, That the Department of Agriculture shall retain all oil, gas and mineral rights, interests and title underlying the surface of the real property being transferred to the Department of Health and Human Resources under this subsection.
The Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Resources is authorized to sell, lease, donate or otherwise transfer the Weston State Hospital Institutional Farm, as well as the grounds of the former Weston State Hospital including the improvements and appurtenances belonging thereto: Provided, That notice of the sale of the real estate at auction shall include the right of the state to reject any and all bids: Provided, however, That the deed conveying title to the real estate shall contain a reservation in it providing that the communications tower, located on the real estate and owned and maintained by the county commission of Lewis County, shall remain the property of the Lewis county commission and shall remain on the real estate free of any cost or rent and the county commission of Lewis County shall have an easement for ingress and egress and for the maintenance of the tower in perpetuity unless agreed otherwise in writing by the county commission of Lewis County.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the duties imposed on the Department of Health and Human Resources and the Division of Corrections to purchase food products pursuant to section five of this article and to make interdepartmental transfers pursuant to section six of this article: Provided, That purchases shall be made from and transfers made to the Department of Agriculture.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to invalidate any action or contractual obligation of the farm management commission prior to the effective date of this section.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, in any case where the farm management commission has determined by motion adopted prior to the effective date of this article that an institutional farm or part thereof should be transferred or disposed of, or authorized any formal agreement for this purpose, whether or not any documents related to the agreement have been reduced to writing or executed, the commissioner shall execute all documents and take all necessary actions to implement the transfer or disposition of the property.
(f) For any land transferred to the public land corporation for sale, exchange or transfer pursuant to section five of this article, the farm property shall be offered for sale in both small parcels of land and as whole farms and shall be sold in the form which brings the highest price for the total property. For purposes of this subsection, "small parcels" means parcels of no more than five acres.
"Agricultural products" means livestock and livestock products, poultry and poultry products, fruits and fruit products, vegetables and vegetable products, grains and hays and the products derived therefrom, tobacco, syrups, honey, and other products derived from the business of farming; including such other products as may be manufactured, derived, or prepared from agricultural products, raw or processed, which are used as food for man or animals.
"Commission" means the farm management commission as established by this article.
"Farm equipment" means any equipment used for agricultural production, owned by an institution and transferred to the commission as provided in this article.
"Farm facility" means any processing plant, milking parlor, farm equipment storage building, barn, silo, grain storage building, swinery or any other building owned by an institution, used in its farming operations and transferred to the commission as provided in this article.
"Institution" means any facility operated by the department of mental health or the state commissioner of public institutions for care, treatment, confinement or rehabilitation of residents.
"Institutional farm" means any land owned by the department of mental health or the state commissioner of public institutions which was formerly operated as a farm, is now being operated as a farm or could be converted to agricultural production, and is transferred to the commission as provided in this article.
The farm management commission heretofore created is hereby continued and shall be composed of three members who are the commissioner of agriculture, who shall be chairman, the secretary of the Department of Administration and the dean of the West Virginia University college of agriculture and forestry. No business may be transacted by the commission in the absence of a quorum which consists of two members including the chairman. The farm management commission shall hold meetings at least once every two months and on call of the chairman.
If a vacancy occurs on the commission, the farm management director, as provided in this article, shall act as a member of the commission until the vacancy is filled.
If a vacancy occurs in the office of the commissioner of agriculture, the members of the commission and the farm management director shall select, from among them, a chairman to serve until a commissioner of agriculture is appointed or elected and qualified.
Pursuant to the provisions of section four, article ten, chapter four of this code, the farm management commission shall continue to exist until July 1, 1994, to allow for the completion of an audit by the joint committee on government operations.
(6) The Roney's Point Branch Hospital institutional farm located at Triadelphia, Ohio County, which shall include not less than one hundred thirty acres.
(10) The West Virginia Industrial Home for Girls institutional farm, located at Industrial, Harrison County, which shall include not less than twenty acres.
(c) In the event a water supply system, a sewage disposal system or any other utility or service facility involved in the operation of an institution is hereby transferred to the commission, an easement is hereby granted to the institution affected to enable the institution to continue, uninterrupted, the water supply system, the sewage disposal system or the utility or service facility so transferred.
If an institutional farm is dependent upon a water supply system, a sewage disposal system or any other utility or service facility located on the property of an institution, an easement is hereby granted to the commission to enable the commission to continue, uninterrupted, the water supply system, the sewage disposal system or the utility or service facility involved.
In all cases where an institution and a farm under the control of the commission are jointly dependent on the same water supply system, sewage disposal system, utility or service facility, the cost shall be prorated on the basis of the amount used by the institution and the institutional farm.
(d) In order to provide for the uninterrupted operation of institutional farms, the commission shall, before June 25, 1976, meet and establish a farm management plan. Before June 25, 1976, the commission shall employ a farm management director and establish an employee system. The commission and the farm management director shall meet and confer with the commissioner of public institutions and the director of the department of mental health prior to July 1, 1976, to facilitate the orderly transfer of the institutional farms. The state commissioner of public institutions and the director of the department of mental health shall cooperate fully with the commission to ensure that farming operations are not discontinued prior to their transfer to the commission.
(e) After June 30 but no later than July 15, 1976, all funds remaining in all institutional farms' special revenue accounts shall be transferred to the general revenue account of the state and all institutional farms' special revenue accounts shall be abolished.
(a) On or before July 1, 1990, the commission shall meet and confer with respect to the development of a management plan to determine the optimum use or disposition of all institutional farms, at which time the Farm Management Director shall provide the commission with a complete inventory of all institutional farms, and such information relating to easements, mineral rights, appurtenances, farm equipment, agricultural products, livestock, inventories, and farm facilities as may be necessary to develop such management plan. The commission shall complete and provide to the Governor a management plan, which plan shall set forth the objectives of the commission with respect to institutional farms, the criteria by which the commission shall determine the optimum use or disposition of such property, and determinations as to whether each institutional farm shall be used in production, sold, or leased, in whole or in part. Prior to the adoption of any plan, the commission shall consult with the secretaries of the various departments of state government and shall request from such secretaries suggestions for land use and resource development on farm commission lands. On or before December 1, 1990, such management plan shall be presented to the Legislature, by providing a copy to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Delegates. The commission may confer with any other agency or individual in implementing and adjusting its management plan. The management plan established pursuant to this subsection may be amended, from time to time, as may be necessary.
(b) The commission shall manage its institutional farms, equipment, and other property in order to most efficiently produce food products for state institutions and shall implement the intent of the Legislature as set forth by this article. From the total amount of food, milk and other commodities produced on institutional farms, the commission shall sell, at prevailing wholesale prices, and each of the institutions under the control of the Bureau of Public Health shall purchase, a proportionate amount of these products based on the dietary needs of each institution.
(c) If requested by the Commissioner of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the commission may authorize the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation to operate a farm or other enterprise using inmates as labor on those lands. The Commissioner of Corrections and Rehabilitation is responsible for the selection, direction, and supervision of the inmates and shall assign the work to be performed by inmates.
(4) Exercise all other powers and duties necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article.
(e) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (d) of this section, no timberland may be leased, sold, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of unless the Division of Forestry of the Department of Commerce, Labor and Environmental Resources certifies that there is no commercially salable timber on the timberland, an inventory is provided, an appraisal of the timber is provided, and the sale, lease, exchange, or other disposition is accomplished by the sealed bid auction procedure provided above in subdivisions (1) or (2), as applicable.
(f) The commission shall promulgate, pursuant to §29-1-1 et seq. of this code, rules and regulations relating to the powers and duties of the commission as enumerated in this section.
The commission shall appoint a farm management director who, in addition to qualifications established by the commission, shall have owned, operated or managed a farm for at least five years within ten years immediately prior to being appointed. The farm management director is the chief executive officer of the commission and is responsible for conducting the operations of the farms. The director shall prepare an annual report of the farming operations, including a listing of all receipts and expenditures and shall present it to the commission and the Legislature at the end of each fiscal year.
(1) Prepare the annual budget request for the operation of the institutional farms and submit it to the commission for approval and submission to the secretary of the Department of Administration.
(2) Receive and approve all requisitions for farm supplies and equipment.
(3) Supervise the operation of all canneries and determine what foods are to be canned.
(4) Recruit and approve assistant farm managers to supervise each institutional farm.
(5) Implement all orders of the commission.
(6) Supervise all other employees of the commission.
(7) Transfer farm supplies, farm equipment, farm facilities, food stuffs and produce from one institutional farm to another to promote efficiency and improve farm management.
With the approval of the commission, the farm management director may rent or lease additional land for farm use.
By September 30, each year, each institution under the control of the division of health and the Division of Corrections shall present to the farm management director a purchase order for its food requirements during the next fiscal year as determined by the institution. If, during the year, an institution finds that it needs other or additional food, milk, or commodities not included in its purchase order for the year, the institutional superintendent may forward a supplemental request to the farm management director, which order may be filled depending on availability. If institutional farms produce more food, milk and other commodities than can be sold to the institutions, the farm management director may sell the surplus to other state agencies willing to purchase. If any surplus remains after sales to other state agencies, the director may sell the surplus on the open market, or at the discretion of the director, turn over any surplus food products to appropriate public, nonprofit agencies upon application.
On July 1, 1990, the division of health and the Division of Corrections shall each transfer, by interdepartmental transfer, the sum of $200,000 to the farm management commission to be credited toward their purchase of food products from the commission. Such credits shall be treated as advance payments for food products purchased by these divisions pursuant to this section and such divisions shall not be required to make actual payments for food products until such credits have been completely expended.
(a) All funds collected by the commission pursuant to this article, whether from the sale of food, the disposition of assets other than land, the lease of land or minerals or any other source, shall be paid into a special revenue account to be used for the purposes of this article: Provided, That when the aggregate of said funds so collected and deposited in the special revenue account in any fiscal year total$2,000,000, the commission shall deposit half of any excess funds collected into the special revenue account, and half into the General Revenue Fund of the state.
The farm management director shall, immediately after being appointed, employ a surveyor to establish the division line between the farms being transferred to the commission and the property remaining under the control and authority of the department of mental health and the state commissioner of public institutions. In establishing the division line, the director of the department of mental health, the state commissioner of public institutions and the farm management director shall cooperate fully to ensure that property, essential to institutions, is not transferred to the commission. In the event of a disagreement over the placement of a division line, the disposition of farm equipment or the disposition of farm facilities, the farm management director and all agencies involved shall, within sixty days, appear before the commission for a hearing on the matter. The commission shall decide the matter to the best interest of the agencies involved, including the best interest of the residents of any institution affected. Any person or agency aggrieved by the decision of the commission may appeal the decision to the circuit court in the county in which the institution is located. After the division lines have been finally established, all property transferred to the commission shall be deeded by the department of mental health and the commissioner of public institutions to the commission unless reversionary interests prevent such deed transfer in which case the land shall be assigned or leased, for nominal charge, to the commission.
Nothing contained in section five of this article shall be construed to abridge the rights of farm employees of the commission within the classified service of the state to the procedures and protections of sections ten and ten-a, article six, chapter twenty-nine of this code, subject to the limitations set forth in subsection (d), section two, article two, chapter five-f of this code.
Acts, 1991 Reg. Sess., Ch. 86.

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