BILL NUMBER: AB 2574 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chávez
FEBRUARY 19, 2016
An act to add Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1168) to Part 3.5
of Division 2 of the Labor Code, relating to veterans.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2574, as introduced, Chávez. Veteran farmers and ranchers.
Existing law establishes the Labor and Workforce Development
Agency and provides that the agency consists of, among other
entities, the California Workforce Investment Board, the Employment
Development Department, and the Employment Training Panel. Existing
law establishes within state government a Department of Veterans
Affairs. Existing law provides for a variety of state benefits to
veterans, including those relating to educational assistance and farm
and home purchases, as specified.
This bill would require the Labor and Workforce Development
Agency, in partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, to
consult with other state agencies, including, but not limited to, the
Employment Development Department, to mutually explore, in
consultation with the United States Department of Agriculture, the
potential availability of existing state employment training,
outreach, and business development resources and other public or
private sector resources, as specified, for purposes of identifying
and leveraging federal veteran farmer or rancher as defined,
assistance programs and resources as contained in a certain federal
law. The bill would also set forth related findings and declarations
of the Legislature.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 1168) is added to
Part 3.5 of Division 2 of the Labor Code, to read:
CHAPTER 9. VETERAN FARMERS OR RANCHERS
1168. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The United States Census Bureau data for 2015 estimates an
approximate global population totaling 7.25 billion people, requiring
increased capacity to provide an adequate food supply while global
resources for producing food are dwindling.
(b) The average age of farmers across the United States is on the
rise. In 1978 16.4 percent of principal farm operators were over 65
years of age and by 2012 it increased to 33 percent of principal farm
operators being over 65 years of age.
(c) An 8-percent national decrease in the number of farmers and
ranchers is expected to occur between the years 2008 and 2018.
(d) The current social and educational infrastructure is
inadequate to serve the needs of farmers and ranchers in California
and elsewhere.
(e) According to the 2012 United States Department of Agriculture
(USDA) Census of Agriculture, 22 percent of all farmers were
beginning farmers in 2012, with minority and historically
underrepresented communities constituting part of the continued
growth among new and beginning farmers and ranchers.
(f) There is expanding recognition of new populations considering
enterprises in farming and ranching that require a repositioning of
classrooms and targeted educational resources outreach.
(g) According to the USDA, the sales value generated by California
agriculture increased by 4.6 percent between the 2012 and 2013 crop
years. The state's 77,900 farms and ranches received forty-six
billion four hundred million dollars ($46,400,000,000) for their
outputs, ranking California as the nation's largest in cash receipts,
with the next leading states being Iowa and Nebraska.
(h) In response to the need to identify new population segments
entering farming and farm-related fields, the federal 2014 United
States farm bill, known as the federal Agricultural Act of 2014
(Public Law 113-79), contained various landmark incentives to assist
America's veterans returning from military service to acquire skills
needed to start and manage a farm and successfully enter the business
of farming and ranching. Incentives include, but are not limited to,
education and training, technical assistance, and eligibility for
USDA Microloans offering a simplified application process and
favorable interest rates.
(i) More than six million veterans reside in rural America and two
million veterans are residents of California.
1168.1. It is the intent of the Legislature that this chapter
accomplish both of the following:
(a) Recognizes the opportunities provided to California's two
million veterans made available through landmark federal funding and
technical support for veteran farmers and ranchers through the
federal Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79).
(b) Acknowledges further opportunities offered through state and
federal partnership to enhance the benefits to California's veterans
resulting from the provisions of the Agricultural Act of 2014.
1168.2. For purposes of this chapter, "veteran farmer or rancher"
means a farmer or rancher who meets both of the following:
(a) Has not operated a farm or ranch or has not operated a farm or
ranch for more than 10 years.
(b) Has served in the Armed Forces of the United States including
the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard of the United
States, Reserves, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard.
1168.3. (a) The Labor and Workforce Development Agency shall, in
partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs, consult with
other state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Employment
Development Department, the Employment Training Panel, the California
Workforce Development Board, and the State Board of Food and
Agriculture, to mutually explore, in consultation with the United
States Department of Agriculture, the potential availability of
existing state employment training, outreach, and business
development resources for purposes of identifying and leveraging
federal veteran farmer assistance programs and resources as contained
in the federal Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113-79).
(b) Resources identified shall be designed to assist the state's
eligible organizations serving veterans or veteran applicants
applying and qualifying for federal funding through the federal
Agricultural Act of 2014.
(c) Other public or private sector resources offering guaranteed
loans or other support for new veteran farmers or ranchers to assist
in meeting their needs, including, but not limited to, farm
ownership, operating loans, loans for land acquisition and
improvement, and farm storage facilities, may also be identified, as
appropriate, to support eligible organizations serving veterans or
veteran applicants applying and qualifying for federal funding
through the federal Agricultural Act of 2014.