Delaware 151st General Assembly (2021-2022) Status: In Committee 5 D cosponsors

HB 297 — AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 3 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO THE CREATION OF THE AGRICULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES ACT.

Last action — Re-Assigned to Agriculture Committee in House

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 151st General Assembly (2021-2022). It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there are no live odds of enactment. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

This Act does all of the following: (1) Requires the Department of Agriculture (“Department”) to take certain actions to include socially disadvantaged farmers in the agricultural decision-making process in this State and provide outreach to socially disadvantaged farmers to make them aware of programs to assist them. (2) Establishes an agricultural training program in the Department to encourage and assist a socially disadvantaged farmer, military veteran farmer, or beginning farmer in the ownership or operation of agricultural land in this State. The Department is to collaborate with the Cooperative Extension programs at the Delaware State University and the University of Delaware. (3) Establishes an agricultural land lease program in the Department to identify land owned by this State that is suitable for agricultural use and give priority for leases to socially disadvantaged farmers, military veteran farmers, and beginning farmers. (4) Requires the Department, in collaboration with the Cooperative Extension programs at the Delaware State University and the University of Delaware, to develop a farmer incubator program that provides a military veteran farmer and beginning farmer with the opportunity to receive training on a plot of land at an incubator site operated by the Department, identify the initial and annual costs of and a location for the program, and report the Department’s findings. (5) Requires the Secretary of the Department to issue an annual report on activities required under this Act.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Re-Assigned to Agriculture Committee in House

  2. Assigned to Appropriations Committee in House

  3. Reported Out of Committee (Agriculture) in House with 6 Favorable, 1 On Its Merits

  4. Introduced and Assigned to Agriculture Committee in House

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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2 sponsors · 6 co-sponsors · 54 not signed on

Sponsors (2)

Co-sponsors (6)

Not signed on (54)

54 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

agriculture
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Frequently asked questions

What does HB 297 do?
This Act does all of the following: (1) Requires the Department of Agriculture (“Department”) to take certain actions to include socially disadvantaged farmers in the agricultural decision-making process in this State and provide outreach to socially disadvantaged farmers to make them aware of programs to assist them. (2) Establishes an agricultural training program in the Department to encourage and assist a socially disadvantaged farmer, military veteran farmer, or beginning farmer in the ownership or operation of agricultural land in this State. The Department is to collaborate with the Cooperative Extension programs at the Delaware State University and the University of Delaware. (3) Establishes an agricultural land lease program in the Department to identify land owned by this State that is suitable for agricultural use and give priority for leases to socially disadvantaged farmers, military veteran farmers, and beginning farmers. (4) Requires the Department, in collaboration with the Cooperative Extension programs at the Delaware State University and the University of Delaware, to develop a farmer incubator program that provides a military veteran farmer and beginning farmer with the opportunity to receive training on a plot of land at an incubator site operated by the Department, identify the initial and annual costs of and a location for the program, and report the Department’s findings. (5) Requires the Secretary of the Department to issue an annual report on activities required under this Act.
Who sponsors HB 297?
HB 297 is sponsored by Marie Pinkney (Democratic), Stephanie L. Hansen (Democratic), Kendra Johnson (Democratic), Melissa Minor-Brown (Democratic), Eric Morrison (Democratic), Paul S. Baumbach, Bruce C. Ennis, and Sherry Dorsey Walker.
What is the current status of HB 297?
This bill died with 151st General Assembly (2021-2022). It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 297?
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