Farm Act signed into law

One of North Carolina’s No. 1 farming industries and its relationship to the state agriculture commissioner has some tweaks in the North Carolina Farm Act of 2024.

The Senate bill was signed into law by Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper on Wednesday, one of three signatures he affixed. Cooper also tried his hand with the veto stamp for the 99th time of his tenure on two pieces of legislation, one pertaining to speed limit of off-road vehicles and another related to tenants who rent.

The vetoes are the 23rd and 24th of this two-year session, and all previous 22 tried to be overturned have been successful by the Republican majorities in the General Assembly. Cooper vetoed 28 bills in the 2017-18 session, 25 in 2019-20, and 22 in 2021-22. Lawmakers are a perfect 45-for-45 on overrides when Republicans are at least three-fifths majority in each chamber, the minimum votes needed as set by state statute.

The agriculture commissioner previously consulted with representatives of the sweet potato industry and the Marketing Division of his Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to impose and collect royalty or license fee per hundredweight for use of trademark. That’s been stricken in favor of consulting with the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission.

The working relationship of the commission and the commissioner is also tweaked in other places.

Agriculture, and agribusiness, is the No. 1 industry in the state at $111.1 billion annually.

North Carolina is No. 1 nationally each in all tobacco, flue-cured tobacco, sweet potatoes, and poultry and eggs. It is No. 2 in Christmas tree sales, production turkeys, and food-size trout sold. It is No. 3 in cucumbers and hogs, No. 4 in peanuts and broilers (chicken), and No. 5 in cotton.

Other bills signed into law involve a wide-ranging bill inclusive of insurance and pensions ; legislation involving the lien hearing and other Department of Motor Vehicle changes ; and two cooperative innovative high schools in Wake County.

In issuing a veto for Titles for Off-Road Veh./Low Speed Veh. Insp. , Cooper said in a statement, "This new law would allow certain off-road vehicles to operate on four-lane highways at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour. These vehicles lack many of the safety features found in traditional vehicles which creates an increased risk of serious injury or death for people on our highways."

In issuing a veto for tenancy in Com./E-Notary/SmallClaims Changes , Cooper’s statement said, "This bill would make it harder for low-income families, the elderly and people with disabilities to find affordable rental housing by preventing local governments from protecting against rent discrimination based on lawful income. It also creates legal ambiguity regarding when eviction orders become effective and the potential for increased legal expenses for renters in disputes with landlords."