3 Pa. Stat. § 2113

Current through Pa Acts 2024-53, 2024-56 through 2024-111
Section 2113 - Eligibility for grants and limitations
(a) Applicant eligibility criteria.-- To be eligible for a grant under this act, an applicant must demonstrate:
(1) That he is a resident of this Commonwealth, that its principal operating or managing members or shareholders, in the case of either a family farm partnership or a family farm corporation, are Commonwealth residents or show sufficient evidence that he or they intend to become a resident or residents or that they are a nonprofit educational institution operating within this Commonwealth.
(2) That the applicant will use the grant for eligible purposes, as defined in this act.
(3) That the farmland or farm enterprise for which the grant is acquired is located in this Commonwealth.
(b) Grant eligibility criteria.-- Applications for grants under this act shall be reviewed and ranked using the following criteria:
(1) The ability of the applicant to meet and satisfy all outstanding debt service incurred as it becomes due and payable.
(2) The relevant criminal and credit history and ratings of the applicant as determined from credit reporting services and other sources.
(3) The payment to date of all tax obligations due and owing by the applicant to the Commonwealth or any political subdivisions thereof.
(4) The manner in which grant proceeds will be utilized in this Commonwealth.
(5) The amount of the grant.
(6) The environmental benefit.
(7) Farm profitability.
(8) The applicability of the techniques or technology to other farm enterprises.
(9) The effectiveness of the project as a demonstration, where applicable.
(10) The intent to use practices that would improve soil fertility, lower the cost of production, cause the optimum and environmentally compatible use of off-farm inputs, such as chemical or synthetic fertilizers, insecticides and herbicides, or otherwise promote sustainable agriculture. Practices that promote sustainable agriculture could include, but not be limited to, practices that involve using on-farm labor and resources, such as animal and plant manure to enrich soil, planting a diverse array of crops, rotating crops, planting cover crops to defend against insects and weeds and using mechanical tillage to control weeds and relying on natural systems, such as biological controls and natural predators.
(c) Grant limitations.-- Grants may not exceed $25,000 except as provided in this subsection. An additional amount of up to $25,000 may be granted if the grantee matches that additional amount dollar for dollar so that an individual grant may not exceed $50,000 in one calendar year.

3 P.S. § 2113

1994, Dec. 12, P.L. 891, No. 129, § 13, effective in 60 days.