Virginia Law

Article 2. Virginia Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station Division; Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Centers.

A. For the purposes of this article:

"Cooperative extension service" means the function traditionally associated with the term "extension" that traditionally focuses on agriculture, including horticulture and silviculture, agribusiness, home economics, community resource development, and 4-H Clubs.

"Extension" means the joint federal, state, and local program designed to aid the transfer of information and research capabilities of land-grant universities to citizens.

B. There is established within the University a division to be known as the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station Division (the Division), which shall encompass and administer the Virginia Cooperative Extension Service (the Service) and the Agricultural Experiment Station (the Station) with appropriate supporting programs.

C. The Cooperative Extension Service Program within Virginia State University (the Program) is recognized. The Program shall be operated cooperatively by the University and Virginia State University, with agreed-upon areas of program and service emphasis as set forth in the unified plan submitted by the two institutions to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

1994, c. 433, §§ 23-132.1, 23-132.7; 2016, c. 588.

The board shall provide for the administration of the Division through the regular administrative and fiscal officers of the University and shall make appointments to the administrative and research staff on recommendation of the president of the University.

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.2; 2016, c. 588.

A. The Service shall provide the people of the Commonwealth with useful and practical information and knowledge on agriculture, including horticulture and silviculture, agribusiness, home economics, community resource development, 4-H Clubs, and related subjects through instruction and the dissemination of useful and practical information through demonstrations, conferences, courses, workshops, publications, meetings, mass media, and other educational programs. The necessary printing and distribution of information in connection with work of the Service shall be performed in such manner as may be mutually agreed upon by the University, Virginia State University, the Governor or his designee, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and other participating bodies.

B. The Program shall also conduct educational programs and disseminate useful and practical information to the people of the Commonwealth.

C. Personnel of the Service shall inform local governing bodies of the Commonwealth whenever agricultural conditions are present in such localities that would warrant the declaration of a disaster pursuant to Section 301 of P.L. 93-288, 42 U.S.C. § 5141.

D. Personnel of the Service shall provide farmers and local governing bodies with such assistance and information as is available concerning federal and state disaster relief programs.

E. The Station shall conduct research and investigations and establish, publish, and distribute results in such forms as will tend to increase the economy, efficiency, and safety of the various enterprises and activities of interest to the Commonwealth and the nation and promote the conservation and economic utilization of its natural and human resources.

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.3; 2016, c. 588.

A. The University and Virginia State University, in cooperation with the departments and agencies of the federal government, shall exercise great care in the selection of personnel to carry out and supervise the work of the Service. The work shall be conducted under such regulations as may be adopted by the University for the work of the Division and by the University and Virginia State University, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for the work of the Service.

B. The Division and the Program may work with both adults and youth through local units to be known as "departments of extension and continuing education."

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.4; 2016, c. 588.

The Division may receive moneys from the Commonwealth, the federal government, and private sources. All receipts of the Division shall be deposited to the credit of the general fund of the state treasury and appropriated to the University to be used exclusively for the purposes of the Division.

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.5; 2016, c. 588.

A. The General Assembly may appropriate such funds to the Division and the Program as it deems necessary. Any general funds and funds received from any agency or department of the federal government for the purposes of carrying out this article shall be expended by the University through the Division and by Virginia State University through the Program and shall be accounted for in the manner prescribed by applicable law or regulations.

B. Funds appropriated by the General Assembly shall be used by the University and Virginia State University for the purpose of conducting cooperative extension services in the Commonwealth. Such funds may be used to defray all necessary expenses, including salaries, travel expenses, equipment, supplies, or other authorized expenses.

1994, c. 433, §§ 23-132.6, 23-132.7; 2016, c. 588.

Any local governing body of the Commonwealth may appropriate funds, to be supplemented by funds appropriated by the General Assembly to the University for the Division and such other funds as the University may allocate, to support the activities of the Division in such manner as may be agreed upon by the University and the local governing body.

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.8; 2016, c. 588.

For the purpose of continuing a survey of the soils of the Commonwealth that was begun by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Station shall direct and supervise a comprehensive soil survey of the Commonwealth of such a character and along such lines as to obtain an inventory of the soil resources of the Commonwealth and to determine their adaptability to various crops, forestry, and livestock enterprises to promote the utilization of the lands of the Commonwealth in the most practical and economical way. It is contemplated that the Station will make such soil survey in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.9; 2016, c. 588.

The Station may direct and supervise a thorough and comprehensive agricultural survey of the Commonwealth according to the most approved methods in practice to gather facts and information on existing agricultural conditions in the Commonwealth and data upon which to base a study of agricultural economics and a constructive program for the development of agriculture and agricultural resources. The survey shall examine (i) soils and soil fertility and management; (ii) soil erosion and drainage problems affecting soil fertility and productivity; (iii) the adaptation of various soil types, elevations, and seasonable conditions to crops produced or that may suitably be produced; (iv) farm layout and selection; (v) arrangement of fields for the use of labor-saving machinery; (vi) economy and convenience in cultivation and farm operations; (vii) methods of cultivation, production, and handling of crops; (viii) general farm management; (ix) the various crops produced on farms and their yield and gross value compared with the cost of production and courses of low yield; (x) farm labor and its distribution and efficiency; (xi) labor incomes of the various classes of farm labor; (xii) the relation of various farm products to public needs and local and general supply and demand; (xiii) farm incomes and income sources; (xiv) capital investment and return; (xv) distribution of capital investment; (xvi) the character and extent of idle lands and their suitability for cultivation or other agricultural purposes in the various localities and what, if any, profitable use may be made of them through the introduction of livestock or crops adapted to such soils, by individuals or on a community plan, with notations of elevation, topography, temperatures, and seasonal conditions affecting production of fruit, cotton, and other crops; and (xvii) any other information or studies that may seem advisable in determining methods for the betterment of agricultural conditions and the development of the agricultural resources of the Commonwealth.

The Station may and it is contemplated that the Station will work in conjunction with and cooperate with similar agencies of the federal government to make such agricultural survey whenever a suitable and satisfactory arrangement can be made for such cooperation.

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.10; 2016, c. 588.

The Hampton Roads and Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Centers (Centers) are established as a component of the Station and shall be retained as active research and extension centers.

1985, c. 505, § 23-155.01; 2016, c. 588.

The Centers shall conduct basic and applied research in the fields that may bear directly on the interests of commercial growers of vegetable and ornamental crops in the Commonwealth. The Centers shall coordinate their research with related work of the Station to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort. The Centers shall disseminate the results of their research conducted pursuant to this section.

1985, c. 505, § 23-155.02; 2016, c. 588.

A. A board of directors (board) shall serve as an advisory body to the Centers that represents local agricultural interests. The board shall consist of five members appointed by the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Each appointed member shall represent an industry that is relevant to the missions of the Centers.

B. Members of the board shall serve for terms of four years.

C. The members of the board shall name one of its members chairman.

D. Three members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

E. The board shall hold at least one meeting annually at either the Hampton Roads center or the Eastern Shore center and such other meetings as may be necessary at such times and places as the chairman or any three members may designate.

1985, c. 505, § 23-155.03; 2016, c. 588.

An executive director shall be appointed to administer the Centers and carry out the research programs at the Centers. The executive director shall serve at the pleasure of and be answerable to the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences of the University.

1985, c. 505, § 23-155.04; 2016, c. 588.

A. The University shall file such reports on the activities of the Division as may be required by law or requested by the Governor.

B. Virginia State University shall file such reports on the activities of the Program as may be required by law or requested by the Governor.

C. The University and Virginia State University shall file such reports on the unified plan as may be required by law or requested by the Governor.

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.11; 2016, c. 588.

All acts relating to the Service and the Station shall be construed as relating to the Division as established by this article and no such act shall be construed as limiting the provisions of this article.

1994, c. 433, § 23-132.12; 2016, c. 588.