PRINTER'S NO. 2303
No. 1868 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY CALTAGIRONE, DeWEESE, CAPPABIANCA, BELARDI,
BELFANTI, BISHOP, BROWNE, M. COHEN, COY, DALEY, DeLUCA,
EVANS, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GRUCELA, HALUSKA, HORSEY,
LAUGHLIN, LEDERER, LESCOVITZ, LUCYK, MANDERINO, McCALL,
MELIO, OLIVER, PETRARCA, PETRONE, RAMOS, READSHAW, SANTONI,
SCRIMENTI, SERAFINI, SHANER, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STEELMAN,
TANGRETTI, TIGUE, TRAVAGLIO, VAN HORNE, WALKO, WOJNAROSKI,
YOUNGBLOOD, BATTISTO AND HARHAI, SEPTEMBER 28, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
SEPTEMBER 28, 1999
AN ACT
1 Authorizing the Department of Agriculture to make loans to
2 farmers for agricultural crops lost due to drought
3 conditions; and making an appropriation.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Drought
8 Relief Loan Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Agricultural crop." Any of the following agricultural
14 products grown in a field:
15 (1) Corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, hay, potatoes and
1 dry beans.
2 (2) Fruits, including apples, peaches, grapes, cherries
3 and berries.
4 (3) Vegetables, including tomatoes, snap beans, cabbage,
5 carrots, beets, onions and mushrooms.
6 "Department." The Department of Agriculture of the
7 Commonwealth.
8 "Drought disaster county." A county in which the Governor
9 has proclaimed or declared a drought and water shortage
10 emergency pursuant to 35 Pa.C.S. Part V (relating to emergency
11 management services).
12 "Farmer." A person who is a resident of this Commonwealth,
13 who is engaged in the commercial production of an agricultural
14 crop and who owns and occupies the real property on which the
15 agricultural crop is produced.
16 Section 3. Loans.
17 (a) Authorization.--The department may make loans up to
18 $500,000 each to farmers whose agricultural crops are situate in
19 drought disaster counties and who suffer a loss to their
20 agricultural crops due to drought conditions.
21 (b) Application.--In order to receive a loan under this act,
22 a farmer must submit an application to the department and such
23 other documentation as is satisfactory to the department to
24 verify the amount of the loss.
25 (c) Amount of loan.--A loan under this act shall not exceed
26 the amount of the agricultural crop lost due to drought
27 conditions.
28 Section 4. Regulation.
29 The department shall promulgate rules and regulations for the
30 implementation of this act.
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1 Section 5. Appropriation.
2 The sum of $200,000,000, or as much thereof as may be
3 necessary, is hereby appropriated to the Department of
4 Agriculture for the fiscal year July 1, 1999, to June 30, 2000,
5 to provide loans under this act.
6 Section 6. Effective date.
7 This act shall take effect immediately.
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