PRINTER'S NO. 1364
No. 1151 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY COY, DALEY, CREIGHTON, DeWEESE, GEORGE, GRUCELA,
HARHAI, HERMAN, LaGROTTA, LAUGHLIN, McCALL, McILHATTAN,
PALLONE, REICHLEY, SHANER, SOLOBAY, SURRA AND TANGRETTI,
APRIL 14, 2003
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
APRIL 14, 2003
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 26, 1992 (P.L.322, No.64), entitled "An
2 act providing for Commonwealth support for the Agriculture
3 Education Loan Forgiveness Program for Pennsylvania residents
4 who graduate from institutions of higher education and who
5 apply their degrees in agriculture to family farms within
6 this Commonwealth," amending the title; adding the definition
7 of "agriculture-related industry"; and further providing for
8 the definitions of "family farm," "family farm corporation,"
9 "immediate family member" and "qualified applicant" and for
10 the Agriculture Education Loan Forgiveness Program.
11 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
12 hereby enacts as follows:
13 Section 1. The title of the act of June 26, 1992 (P.L.322,
14 No.64), known as the Agriculture Education Loan Forgiveness Act,
15 is amended to read:
16 AN ACT
17 Providing for Commonwealth support for the Agriculture Education
18 Loan Forgiveness Program for Pennsylvania residents who
19 graduate from institutions of higher education and who apply
20 their degrees in agriculture to [family farms] agriculture-
1 related industries within this Commonwealth.
2 Section 2. The definitions of "family farm," "family farm
3 corporation," "immediate family member" and "qualified
4 applicant" in section 2 of the act are amended and the section
5 is amended by adding a definition to read:
6 Section 2. Definitions.
7 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
8 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
9 context clearly indicates otherwise:
10 * * *
11 "Agriculture-related industry." An industry, including, but
12 not limited to a farm, that produces agricultural products for
13 commercial purposes. The Department of Agriculture shall
14 annually determine and publish a list of agriculture-related
15 industries in the Pennsylvania Bulletin.
16 ["Family farm." The real property of a farm owned by members
17 of an immediate family or by a family farm corporation used for
18 the production, for commercial purposes, of agricultural
19 products.
20 "Family farm corporation." A corporation of which at least
21 75% of its assets are devoted to the business of agriculture and
22 at least 75% of each class of stock of the corporation is
23 continuously owned by members of the immediate family.
24 "Immediate family member." A spouse, child, stepchild,
25 parent, stepparent, grandparent, brother, stepbrother, sister,
26 stepsister or like relative-in-law of an owner of real
27 property.]
28 * * *
29 "Qualified applicant." A resident of this Commonwealth who
30 meets all of the following criteria:
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1 (1) Holds a degree in a field related to the production
2 of agricultural products or in the field of veterinary
3 medicine, from an institution of higher education located
4 within this Commonwealth, approved by the agency for
5 participation under this act.
6 (2) Is engaged in [the first year of] full-time
7 employment or work [on a family farm] in an agriculture-
8 related industry or in the practice of veterinary medicine, a
9 portion of which activity must be for the protection and
10 enhancement of agricultural animal health and productivity,
11 on or after July 1, 1991.
12 (3) Has borrowed through the agency-administered
13 Guaranteed Student Loan Programs.
14 * * *
15 Section 3. Section 3 of the act is amended to read:
16 Section 3. Agriculture Education Loan Forgiveness Program.
17 (a) Eligibility.--Qualified applicants who are selected for
18 the Agriculture Education Loan Forgiveness Program, in
19 accordance with this act, shall be eligible for payment by the
20 agency of a portion of the debt incurred by the applicant
21 through the agency-administered Guaranteed Student Loan Programs
22 for the education necessary to receive a degree in an
23 agriculturally related field. For each year that the applicant
24 is employed full time [on a family farm] in an agriculture-
25 related industry or works full time [on a family farm] in an
26 agriculture-related industry, a portion of which must be located
27 within this Commonwealth, or is engaged in the mixed practice of
28 veterinary medicine within this Commonwealth, a portion of which
29 activity must be for the protection and enhancement of
30 agricultural animal health and productivity, and who has
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1 obtained U.S.D.A. certification, the agency shall forgive a
2 proportional part of the applicant's loan. [No more than $2,000
3 shall be forgiven in any year, and no more than $10,000 shall be
4 forgiven for any applicant. Payments shall be made in accordance
5 with the procedures established by the agency.]
6 (b) Amounts.--The following provisions shall apply to the
7 amount of loan forgiveness:
8 (1) For applicants who do not hold a graduate degree in
9 a field related to the production of agriculture products, no
10 more than $2,500 shall be forgiven in any year, and no more
11 than $12,500 shall be forgiven for any applicant.
12 (2) For applicants who hold a graduate degree in a field
13 related to the production of agriculture products, no more
14 than $3,750 shall be forgiven in any year, and no more than
15 $18,750 shall be forgiven for any applicant.
16 (3) For applicants who hold a degree in the field of
17 veterinary medicine, no more than $5,000 shall be forgiven in
18 any year, and no more than $25,000 shall be forgiven for any
19 applicant.
20 Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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