Bill Text: MA S375 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced
Bill Title: Protect the viability of farms in the Commonwealth
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-04-12 - Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means [S375 Detail]
Download: Massachusetts-2009-S375-Introduced.html
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
Mr. Brewer
_______________
To the
Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act protecting the viability of farms in the Commonwealth.
_______________
PETITION OF:
|
Name: |
District/Address: |
|
Mr. Brewer |
Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin |
|
Michael R. Knapik |
Second Hampden and Hampshire |
|
Todd M. Smola |
1st Hampden |
|
Jennifer M. Callahan |
18th Worcester |
|
Bruce E. Tarr |
First Essex and Middlesex |
|
Thomas M. McGee |
Third Essex and Middlesex |
|
Anne M. Gobi |
5th Worcester |
|
Robert L. Rice, Jr. |
2nd Worcester |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS
SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. S00476 OF 2007-2008.]
The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts
_______________
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
_______________
An Act protecting the viability of farms in the Commonwealth.
Be
it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. MassDevelopment is hereby authorized and directed to establish, subject to appropriation, a loan program, to be administered in consultation with the commissioner of the department of agricultural resources, to provide loans on favorable terms and conditions to farmers and groups of farmers for the following purposes: marketing of agricultural products grown in Massachusetts; development of agricultural producer cooperatives; development or improvement of innovative agricultural enterprises, including but not limited to enterprises producing value-added or organically produced agricultural products; execution of business plans approved by the commissioner of the department of agricultural resources pursuant to the Farm Viability Enhancement Program or similar programs; compliance with environmental laws or regulations; and agricultural activities undertaken by qualified beginning farmers. In establishing the loan program authorized under this section, MassDevelopment shall utilize, to the extent practicable and appropriate to making available loans on favorable terms and conditions for the purposes described in this section, arrangements with private lending institutions involving linked deposits, loan guarantees, sharing of administrative costs, and other means deemed appropriate by MassDevelopment.
