North Carolina 2025-2026 Regular Session

North Carolina Senate Bill S313 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1		GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
2	2		SESSION 2025
3		-	S 1
4		-	SENATE BILL 313
	3	+	S D
	4	+	SENATE BILL DRS15129-MHa-71
	5	+
5	6
6	7
7	8		Short Title: Supporting Small Farmers for NC's Future Act. (Public)
8	9		Sponsors: Senators Smith and Everitt (Primary Sponsors).
9		-	Referred to: ~~Rules and Operations of the Senate~~
10		-	~~March 18, 2025~~
11		-	~~S313 -v-1~~
	10	+	Referred to:
	11	+
	12	+	DRS15129 -MHa-71
12	13		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
13	14		AN ACT TO SUPPORT SMALL FARMERS IN NORTH CAROLINA BY PROVIDING 2
14	15		GRANT FUNDING TO ENSURE THE FUTURE VIABILITY OF NORTH CAROLINA 'S 3
15	16		FAMILY FARMS. 4
16	17		The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
17	18		SECTION 1. Findings and Purpose. – The General Assembly finds that decades of 6
18	19		barriers to entry, rising land prices, and economic consolidation have led to the loss of millions 7
19	20		of acres of land farmed by small farmers. The General Assembly further finds that financial 8
20	21		assistance through targeted grants can help address disparities and contribute to the long-term 9
21	22		success of small farmers. The purpose of this act is to support the viability and sustainability of 10
22	23		small farmers in North Carolina by providing financial assistance to support these farmers. 11
23	24		SECTION 2. Chapter 106 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new 12
24	25		Article to read: 13
25	26		"Article 61B. 14
26	27		"Small Farmers Support Grant Program. 15
27	28		"§ 106-748. Definitions. 16
28	29		The following definitions apply in this Article: 17
29	30		(1) Commissioner. – The Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. 18
30	31		(2) Department. – The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer 19
31	32		Services. 20
32	33		(3) Eligible individual. – A resident of this State who meets all of the following 21
33	34		criteria: 22
34	35		a. Is at least 21 years of age. 23
35	36		b. Is a small farmer. 24
36	37		c. Had an annual income from farming operations for the preceding 25
37	38		taxable year of at least one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more. 26
38	39		(4) Small farmer. – A farmer with a gross cash farm income of one million dollars 27
39	40		($1,000,000) or less, as determined in a manner as the Department may 28
40	41		specify. 29
41	42		"§ 106-749. Small Farmers Support Grant Program established. 30
42	43		(a) Program Established. – The Small Farmers Support Grant Program (Program) is 31
43	44		established within the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to support current small farmers 32
44	45		and to encourage the continued financial viability of those farmers in the field of agriculture. The 33
45	46		Small Farmer Grant Fund (Fund) is established as a special revenue fund. The Fund shall consist 34
46	47		of gifts, grants, and donations from non-State entities and General Fund appropriations for the 35
47		-	support of the Program established by this Article. The Fund shall be used for the provision of 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
48		-	Page 2 Senate Bill 313-First Edition
	48	+	support of the Program established by this Article. The Fund shall be used for the provision of 36
	49	+	FILED SENATE
	50	+	Mar 17, 2025
	51	+	S.B. 313
	52	+	PRINCIPAL CLERK General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
	53	+	Page 2 DRS15129-MHa-71
49	54		grants to eligible individuals for essential inputs, equipment, and operational improvements to 1
50	55		their farming operations. 2
51	56		(b) Grants. – Grants from the Fund are subject to the following procedures and 3
52	57		restrictions: 4
53	58		(1) An eligible individual seeking a grant shall submit an application on a form 5
54	59		and in a manner approved by the Commissioner. 6
55	60		(2) The Commissioner may establish priorities for grants among all eligible 7
56	61		individuals based on criteria that include farm size, income levels, and 8
57	62		economic hardship, including lack of access to capital and operational 9
58	63		support. 10
59	64		(3) The Commissioner may establish tiered maximum grant amounts based on 11
60	65		financial hardship, demonstrated need, and other criteria the Department feels 12
61	66		will maximize the ability of the Program to increase the long-term viability 13
62	67		and sustainability of small farmers. 14
63	68		(4) The Commissioner may retain up to one percent (1%) of funds appropriated 15
64	69		to the Fund for administrative costs related to administering the Program. 16
65	70		(c) The Department shall establish an advisory committee to monitor the Program's 17
66	71		effectiveness and make recommendations for improvements. 18
67	72		(d) The Department shall adopt rules to carry out the provisions of this Article." 19
68	73		SECTION 3. Funding. – The sum of fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) in 20
69	74		recurring funds for the 2025-2026 fiscal year is appropriated from the General Fund to the 21
70	75		Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the Small Farmer Grant Fund established 22
71	76		in G.S. 106-749, as enacted by Section 2 of this act, to be used for the Small Farmers Support 23
72	77		Grant Program. 24
73	78		SECTION 4. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 25