PRINTER'S NO. 2302
No. 1867 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY CALTAGIRONE, DeWEESE, CAPPABIANCA, BELARDI,
BELFANTI, BENNINGHOFF, BISHOP, BROWNE, M. COHEN, COY, DALEY,
DeLUCA, EVANS, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GORDNER, GRUCELA,
HALUSKA, HASAY, 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, WILLIAMS, 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 issue grants to
2 farmers for agricultural crops lost due to drought
3 conditions.
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 Disaster Grant 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:
1 (1) Corn, wheat, oats, rye, barley, hay, potatoes and
2 dry beans.
3 (2) Fruits, including apples, peaches, grapes, cherries
4 and berries.
5 (3) Vegetables, including tomatoes, snap beans, cabbage,
6 carrots, beets, onions and mushrooms.
7 "Department." The Department of Agriculture of the
8 Commonwealth.
9 "Drought disaster county." A county in which the Governor
10 has proclaimed or declared a drought and water shortage
11 emergency pursuant to 35 Pa.C.S. Part V (relating to emergency
12 management services).
13 "Farmer." A person who is a resident of this Commonwealth,
14 who is engaged in the commercial production of an agricultural
15 crop and who owns and occupies the real property on which the
16 agricultural crop is produced.
17 Section 3. Grants.
18 (a) Authorization.--The department may authorize grants to
19 farmers whose agricultural crops are situate in drought disaster
20 counties and who suffer a loss to their agricultural crops due
21 to drought conditions.
22 (b) Application.--In order to receive a grant under this
23 act, a farmer must submit an application to the department and
24 such other documentation as is satisfactory to the department
25 for the verification of agricultural crop loss.
26 (c) Amount of grant.--A grant under this act shall not
27 exceed the cost of the planting for the amount of the
28 agricultural crop lost due to drought conditions.
29 (d) Funding.--The department shall use any available funds
30 for the issuance of grants under this act.
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1 Section 4. Regulation.
2 The department shall promulgate rules and regulations for the
3 implementation of this act.
4 Section 5. Effective date.
5 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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