House File 597 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY ZIRKELBACH, FOEGE, KUHN,
THOMAS, and WENDT
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to economic development assistance to facilities
2 involved in aquaculture.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2910HH 81
5 da/pj/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 15E.111, subsection 1, unnumbered
1 2 paragraph 1, Code 2005, is amended to read as follows:
1 3 The department shall establish a value=added agricultural
1 4 products and processes financial assistance program. The
1 5 department shall consult with the Iowa corn growers
1 6 association and the Iowa soybean association as appropriate.
1 7 The purpose of the program is to encourage the increased
1 8 utilization of agricultural commodities produced in this
1 9 state. The program shall assist in efforts to revitalize
1 10 rural regions of this state, by committing resources to
1 11 provide financial assistance to new or existing value=added
1 12 production facilities. In awarding financial assistance, the
1 13 department shall commit resources to assist the following:
1 14 Sec. 2. Section 15E.111, subsection 1, Code 2005, is
1 15 amended by adding the following new paragraph:
1 16 NEW PARAGRAPH. c. Production facilities involved in
1 17 aquaculture, as defined in section 481A.1, if all of the
1 18 following apply to a specific production facility:
1 19 (1) The production facility is a business which is
1 20 associated with a cooperative association as defined in
1 21 section 10B.1 or a limited liability company as defined in
1 22 section 490A.102, and the cooperative association or limited
1 23 liability company is engaged in the processing and marketing
1 24 of agricultural commodities or agricultural products.
1 25 (2) The production facility is located in an indoor,
1 26 controlled environment which is capable of operating during
1 27 all months of the year.
1 28 (3) The production facility complies with production
1 29 standards which are established by the cooperative association
1 30 or the limited liability company.
1 31 Sec. 3. Section 15E.111, subsection 3, Code 2005, is
1 32 amended to read as follows:
1 33 3. a. The Except as provided in paragraph "b", the
1 34 department of economic development shall grant financial
1 35 assistance to a person determined by the department to be
2 1 eligible to receive assistance under this section, upon review
2 2 and evaluation of the person's application by the agricultural
2 3 products advisory council as established in section 15.203.
2 4 The department shall consider the council's evaluation in
2 5 granting or denying assistance. The department shall not
2 6 approve an application for assistance under this section to
2 7 refinance an existing loan. The Except as provided in
2 8 paragraph "b", the department shall not directly award
2 9 financial assistance to support an activity directly related
2 10 to farming as defined in section 9H.1, including the
2 11 establishment or operation of a livestock production
2 12 operation, regardless of whether the activity is related to a
2 13 renewable fuel production facility.
2 14 b. This subsection shall not apply to a production
2 15 facility involved in aquaculture.
2 16 Sec. 4. Section 15E.111, Code 2005, is amended by adding
2 17 the following new subsection:
2 18 NEW SUBSECTION. 3A. The department shall not approve an
2 19 application for assistance under this section to refinance an
2 20 existing loan.
2 21 EXPLANATION
2 22 This bill amends provisions in Code section 15E.111
2 23 establishing a value=added agricultural products and processes
2 24 financial assistance program within the department of economic
2 25 development. The purpose of the program is to encourage the
2 26 increased utilization of agricultural commodities produced in
2 27 this state. The program is supported by a value=added
2 28 agricultural products and processes financial assistance fund.
2 29 The program targets facilities which are involved in the
2 30 development of new innovative products and processes related
2 31 to agriculture and renewable fuel production facilities.
2 32 The bill provides that program funding may also be used to
2 33 assist a facility involved in aquaculture if the facility is a
2 34 business which is associated with a cooperative association or
2 35 limited liability company engaged in the processing and
3 1 marketing of agricultural commodities or agricultural
3 2 products. The facility must be located in an indoor,
3 3 controlled environment which is capable of operating during
3 4 all months of the year. Finally, the production facility must
3 5 comply with production standards which are established by the
3 6 cooperative association or the limited liability company.
3 7 The bill amends provisions in the Code section which
3 8 require participation by the agricultural products advisory
3 9 council and which prohibits financial assistance to be awarded
3 10 to farming operations. The bill provides that those
3 11 provisions do not apply to a production facility involved in
3 12 aquaculture.
3 13 LSB 2910HH 81
3 14 da:rj/pj/5