Va. Code Ann. tit. 3.2, ch. 22

in effect

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2200 Definitions

As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: "Country buyer" means any person who buys small grains from a producer. "Exporter" means any person offering small grains for export sale. "Handler" means any person who purchases small grains from a producer and any producer who transports and sells his own small grains out of state. Handler also means any processor, dealer, shipper, country buyer, exporter, or any other business entity that purchases small grains from a producer. Handler shall also mean any person buying, accepting for shipment, or otherwise acquiring property in small grains from a producer, and shall include a mortgagee, pledgee, lienor, or other person having a claim against the producer when the actual or constructive possession of such small grains is taken as part payment or in satisfaction of such mortgage, pledge, lien, or claim. "Processor" means any person who changes the physical form or characteristic of small grains in preparation for sale. "Producer" means any person who has grown and sold small grains in the Commonwealth in the preceding three years. "Seedsman" means any person who offers small grains seeds for sale. "Small grains" means barley, oats, rye, or wheat. 1991, c. 587, §§ 3.1-684.41, 3.1-684.53; 1992, c. 776; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2201 Small Grains Board; composition and appointment of members

The Small Grains Board, established by the passage of a referendum held pursuant to Chapter 587 of the 1991 Acts of Assembly, is continued within the Department. The Small Grains Board shall be composed of 11 members appointed by the Governor from nominations by the Virginia Grain Producers Association or other organizations representing small grain producers, the appointments to be subject to confirmation by the General Assembly. The Virginia Grain Producers Association and any other organization submitting nominations shall nominate at least two producers from each production area of small grains. The Governor shall appoint at least one producer from each production area and the membership of the Small Grains Board shall be composed of a majority of producers. The Governor shall appoint one member, if available, from each of the following classifications: seedsman, processor, country buyer, and exporter. Nominations shall be submitted at least 90 days before the expiration of the member's term for which the nomination is being provided. If the Virginia Grain Producers Association or any other organization submitting nominations fail to provide the nominations at least 90 days before the expiration date pursuant to this section, the Governor may appoint other nominees that meet the foregoing criteria. 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.52; 2008, c. 860 ; 2011, cc. 691 , 714 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2202 Small Grains Board membership terms

The terms for appointments to the Small Grains Board shall be for three years. The Governor shall fill any vacancy occurring before the expiration of any term for the unexpired term. If possible, such vacancies shall be filled from the production area or classification from which the vacancy occurred as described in § 3.2-2210 . 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.52; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2203 Small Grains Board officers and compensation

A. The Small Grains Board shall elect a chairman and such other officers as deemed appropriate. B. Members of the Small Grains Board shall not receive compensation for attendance at meetings of the Small Grains Board, but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.52; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2204 Powers and duties of Small Grains Board

A. The Small Grains Board shall have charge of the management and expenditure of the Virginia Small Grains Fund established in the state treasury. B. The Small Grains Board may expend funds to provide for programs of market development, education, publicity, research, and the promotion of the sale and use of small grains; to manage the funds so as to accumulate a reserve for contingencies; to establish an office and employ such technical, professional, and other assistants as may be required; and to contract for market development, publicity, research, advertising, and other promotional services. C. The Small Grains Board may establish an executive committee and charge it with such powers, duties, and functions as deemed proper. D. The Small Grains Board shall not enter into an agreement with the Federal Commodity Credit Corporation to collect the specified assessment on all small grains pledged as collateral for a commodity credit corporation price support loan or purchase by the Federal Commodity Credit Corporation under its loan or purchase programs. E. The chairman of the Small Grains Board shall make a report at the annual meeting of the Virginia Grain Producers Association including a statement of the total receipts and disbursements for the year. He shall file a copy of the report with the Commissioner and the members of the Small Grains Board. 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.52; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2205 Referenda

The Board, upon petition by a group of small grains producers representing at least 10 percent of the number of producers, as determined by the Commissioner, may provide for a referendum on the continuation of the assessment. The Board shall not act on such a petition for conducting such a referendum until at least five years have passed since the last referendum. If the Governor determines that a simple majority is not in favor of the assessment, the Board shall hold no new referendum for at least one year after the Governor has declared his findings, but at the expiration of one year and upon petition by 10 percent of the Commonwealth's small grains producers that voted in the most recent referendum, the Board may provide for a referendum. The cost of conducting any referendum under this section shall be paid from funds paid into the Virginia Small Grains Fund as defined in § 3.2-2211 . The Board shall adopt regulations governing the conduct of referenda pursuant to § 3.2-112 . 1991, c. 587, §§ 3.1-684.45, 3.1-684.50; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2206 Management of referenda; Commissioner's duties; notice

A. The Commissioner shall arrange for and manage any referendum conducted pursuant to this chapter, and shall, under regulations adopted by the Board, arrange for the use of polling places if necessary. B. The Commissioner shall, 60 days before the date upon which a referendum is to be held, mail notice to the clerk of the circuit court in each locality where small grains are produced. The clerk of the circuit court shall post the notice and regulations on the front door or public bulletin board of the courthouse and certify the posting to the Commissioner. The Commissioner shall, at least 60 days prior to the holding of any referendum under this chapter, give general notice of the referendum in a newspaper of general circulation in Richmond, Virginia, and send a notice of the referendum to a newspaper of general circulation for each area where small grains are produced. The notice shall contain the date, hours, polling place, and method of voting in such referendum, the amount of assessment to be collected, the means by which such assessment shall be collected, the general purposes for which the assessments will be used, and the regulations adopted by the Board pursuant to § 3.2-112 . C. The Commissioner shall prepare and distribute in advance of the referendum all necessary ballots, certificates, and supplies required for the referendum. D. The Commissioner shall, within 10 days after the referendum, canvass and publicly declare the results thereof and certify the same to the Governor and the Board. 1991, c. 587, §§ 3.1-684.43, 3.1-684.46, 3.1-684.47; 1992, c. 776; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2207 Question to be printed on ballots

The question to be printed on the ballots used in any referendum held pursuant to this chapter shall be as follows: "Do you favor additional market development, education, publicity, research, and the promotion of the sale and use of small grains and continuation of the levy of an assessment of one-half of one percent of the selling price per bushel in accordance with the provisions of the Small Grains Board law? _____ Yes _____ No." 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.51; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2208 Persons eligible to vote

Each producer who sold small grains in two of the past three years next preceding the date of the referendum held pursuant to this chapter shall be eligible to vote in the referendum, provided that he shall certify sale and point of sale on forms approved by the Board. Any person meeting such requirements shall be eligible to vote in the referendum, but no person shall be required to be a qualified voter in other respects. Any person who is not an individual shall vote by its authorized representative. 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.44; 1992, c. 776; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2209 Referenda results; action of Governor

If the Governor finds any referendum in order and that at least a simple majority of those voting are in opposition to the continuation of the assessment on small grains, he shall so proclaim and upon such proclamation the assessment on small grains will be discontinued. If the Governor finds that at least a simple majority of those voting are in favor of the continuation of the assessment on small grains, the Governor shall not so proclaim. 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.48; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2210 Production areas designated

The following production areas are designated for the purposes of this chapter: Area I: the Counties of Accomack and Northampton; City of Virginia Beach; Area II: the Counties of Stafford, King George, Westmoreland, Northumberland, Richmond, and Lancaster; Area III: the Counties of Spotsylvania, Caroline, Essex, Middlesex, Mathews, Gloucester, King and Queen, King William, and Orange; Area IV: the Counties of Louisa, Fluvanna, Goochland, Hanover, Henrico, New Kent, Charles City, James City, York, Powhatan, Cumberland, Buckingham, Appomattox, Amelia, Chesterfield, Prince George, Dinwiddie, and Nottoway; Area V: the Cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk; the Counties of Isle of Wight, Southampton, Surry, and Sussex; Area VI: the Counties of Greensville, Brunswick, Mecklenburg, Halifax, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Prince Edward, Campbell, and Pittsylvania; and Area VII: the Counties of Albemarle, Alleghany, Amherst, Arlington, Augusta, Bath, Bedford, Bland, Botetourt, Buchanan, Carroll, Clarke, Craig, Culpeper, Dickenson, Fairfax, Fauquier, Floyd, Franklin, Frederick, Giles, Grayson, Greene, Henry, Highland, Lee, Loudoun, Madison, Montgomery, Nelson, Page, Patrick, Prince William, Pulaski, Rappahannock, Roanoke, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Russell, Scott, Shenandoah, Smyth, Tazewell, Warren, Washington, Wise, and Wythe. 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.52; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2211 Virginia Small Grains Fund established

There is hereby created in the state treasury a special nonreverting fund to be known as the Virginia Small Grains Fund, hereafter referred to as "the Fund." The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller. All moneys levied and collected under the provisions of this chapter 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 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 set forth in this chapter. Expenditures and disbursements from the Fund shall be made by the Small Grains Board on warrants issued by the Comptroller upon written request signed by the duly authorized officer of the Small Grains Board. In carrying out the purposes of this chapter, the Small Grains Board may cooperate with other state, regional, national, and international agricultural organizations in market development, education, publicity, research, and the promotion of the sale and use of small grains. The proceeds from such activities shall be promptly paid into the Virginia Small Grains Fund. The Auditor of Public Accounts shall audit all the accounts of the Small Grains Board as provided for in § 30-133 . Money from the Fund shall not be diverted or expended for any purpose other than those set forth in this chapter unless authorized by a specific Act of Assembly. 1991, c. 587, §§ 3.1-684.56, 3.1-684.57; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2212 Collection and disposition of assessment by handler; reports

A. Every handler shall deduct from payments made to the producer for small grains the amount of the assessment levied thereon and shall remit such assessment to the Tax Commissioner pursuant to this chapter. B. A report to the Tax Commissioner shall be on forms prescribed and furnished by the Tax Commissioner; shall be a statement of the gross volume of small grains handled by the handler; and shall be filed with the Tax Commissioner covering small grains handled during the preceding period, as set forth by the Tax Commissioner. The Tax Commissioner shall set forth the filing date or dates for reports and assessments and the period to be covered after consultation with the Virginia Small Grains Association and the Small Grains Board. The assessment levied on small grains shall be due and payable by the handler on the same day as the report is due. The assessment shall be paid to the Tax Commissioner and be promptly paid into the state treasury to the credit of the Virginia Small Grains Fund. The Tax Commissioner shall not assess a fee in the collection of the fee assessment. The Tax Commissioner shall provide annually during the first calendar quarter of each year a listing of all handlers who paid an assessment during the previous calendar year. C. Any assessment that is not paid when due shall be collected pursuant to § 3.2-1102 . 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.53; 1992, c. 776; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2213 Records to be kept by handlers

Every handler shall keep a complete record of the small grains handled by him for a period of not less than three years from the time the small grains were handled. Such records shall be open to the inspection of the Tax Commissioner, and shall be established and maintained as required by the Tax Commissioner. 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.54; 2008, c. 860 .

Va. Code Ann. § 3.2-2214 Falsification of records; misdemeanor

It is a Class 1 misdemeanor: 1. For any handler knowingly to report falsely to the Tax Commissioner the quantity of small grains handled by him during any period. 2. For any handler to falsify the records of the small grains handled by him. 3. For any handler to fail to preserve the records of the small grains handled for a period of three years from the time such small grains were handled. 1991, c. 587, § 3.1-684.58; 2008, c. 860 .

Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/title3.2/chapter22/Fetched: 10/16/2026