GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1999

S	1 

SENATE BILL 1515

Short Title:  Ag Advancement Consortium Funds.	(Public)

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Sponsors: Senators Albertson; Carpenter, Cooper, Hartsell, Hoyle, Kerr, Metcalf, Odom, Perdue, Phillips, Plyler, Purcell, Rand, Robinson, Shaw of Cumberland, and Warren.

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Referred to:  Appropriations/Base Budget.

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May 30, 2000

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS TO A RESERVE ACCOUNT IN THE RURAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CENTER, INC., FOR USE IN COORDINATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE AGRICULTURAL ADVANCEMENT CONSORTIUM, AS RECOMMENDED BY THE NORTH CAROLINA RURAL PROSPERITY TASK FORCE.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Rural Economic Development Center, Inc., the sum of two hundred fifty thousand dollars ($250,000) for fiscal year 2000-2001.  The Rural Economic Development Center, Inc., shall hold these funds in a restricted reserve account to be used only for the purpose of coordinating the development of the Agricultural Advancement Consortium as proposed by the North Carolina Rural Prosperity Task Force in their February 21, 2000, report to the Governor.  The Agricultural Advancement Consortium shall bring together a coalition of experts and interested parties, including agricultural nonprofit organizations, farm commodity membership organizations, university faculty, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, and others to research trends in agriculture, promote rural economic development through profitable farming and other agricultural activities, such as value-added enterprises and marketing cooperatives, and provide technical assistance to local and regional agribusiness projects.
Section 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2000.