PA Governor Signs Bill Requiring Biennial Inspection of Agricultural Conservation Easements

The Governor of Pennsylvania signed House Bill 84 into law as Act No. 19 on June 24, 2013.  This bill amends the Agricultural Area Security Law.  These amendments require county governing bodies to inspect all agricultural conservation easements to ensure compliance with the terms of the easement.  The amendments contained within this bill will take effect immediately.

Act No. 19 requires county agricultural land preservation boards conduct biennial inspections of all agricultural conservation easements for compliance with the deed of the easement.  The first inspection must occur within one year of the easement sale.  The bill further requires that land owners be notified of a pending inspection and the inspection time and date must be agreed upon beforehand by the county and landowner.  Following the inspection, reports of the findings must be provided, within 10 days of the inspection, to the landowner.  Violations found during the inspection must be reported to the land owner via certified mail.  Furthermore, the county board and the State Agricultural Land Preservation Board may inspect the land, without prior notice, if there is reasonable belief that a violation of the deed has taken place.

For the full text of the bill, please see the PA General Assembly’s website. 

 

For more information, please visit the Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center Agriculture Area Security Law Resource Center.

Written By Gaby Gilbeau – Research Assistant

The Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center

June 25, 2013

Action on Several Bills by the PA General Assembly

There was action on several bills by the Pennsylvania General Assembly this week, including:

·         SB 1003 which will amend Title 3 (Agriculture) or the PA Consolidated Statutes, providing exemptions for those establishments which produce, process, package or sell honey, maple syrup or pasteurized cider from registration of food establishments.

o   This bill had been referred to the Agriculture and Rural Affairs committee on June 6, 2013 and was reported by the committee, without change, and underwent first consideration on June 17, 2013.

·         HB 84 which would further provide for the purchase of agricultural conservation easements and abrogating regulations, requiring county governing bodies to inspect all agricultural conservation easements to ensure compliance with the terms of the easement.

o   This bill was passed by both houses of the General Assembly (Senate – 1/22/13; House 6/17/13) and was signed by the House on 6/18/13.

·         HB 164 which will amend Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the PA Consolidated Statutes, criminalizing the possession of animal fighting paraphernalia and further defines what constitutes “animal fighting paraphernalia.”

o   This bill passed in the House on June 17, 2013 and will now move to the Senate.

 

Written By Gaby Gilbeau – Research Assistant

The Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center

June 18, 2013