348.010. Purposes.
Purposes.
348.010. 1. It is hereby found and declared that:
(1) The high and increasing cost of agricultural land,improvements, and equipment creates an urgent demand forfinancing which is not available in the amounts needed and atreasonable interest rates in the present market, and theinability on the part of persons engaged in agriculture toacquire modern agricultural property at reasonable financingcosts makes it difficult for such persons to continue theiroperations at present levels; and
(2) Such inability to continue agricultural operationsdecreases employment and results in unemployment and itsattendant problems; and
(3) That environmental damage, resulting from air, water,and other pollution and from public water supply, solid wastedisposal, noise and other environmental problems, seriouslyendangers the public health and welfare; and
(4) That the high cost of financing capital improvements andthe need to comply with environmental quality standards impose aheavy economic burden on small business in this state; and
(5) That it is desirable to provide small business withadditional and alternative methods of financing the costs ofacquisition and installation of the devices, equipment, andfacilities required to comply with the quality standards whichhave been established to reduce, control, and prevent pollutionand related problems; and
(6) That the viability of small business is threatened bythe high cost of obtaining funds to meet general capitalimprovement programs and that the continued existence of smallbusiness enterprise in this state is desirable and necessary forthe maintenance and expansion of employment opportunities in andthe preservation of the economic well-being of this state; and
(7) It is necessary, desirable, and in the best interest ofthe citizens of this state that provision be made for theestablishment of a public corporation to promote the developmentof agriculture and small business and to reduce, control, andprevent environmental damage in this state by making available topersons engaged in agriculture in this state and to smallbusinesses located in this state, at interest rates lower thanwould be otherwise obtainable, funds for use in agricultureoperations or for use in the reduction, control, and preventionof environmental damage or, in the case of small business, foruse in general capital improvement programs, and to vest suchcorporation with all powers that may be necessary to enable it toaccomplish such purposes; and
(8) It is the intent of the general assembly that suchpublic corporation shall give special consideration to smallbusiness, as defined in sections 348.005 to 348.180, inauthorizing the issuance of bonds for the financing ofagricultural property or pollution control facilities in order toassist small business in assuming the economic burdens imposed bythe required financing of such agricultural property or pollutioncontrol facilities.
2. Sections 348.005 to 348.180 shall be liberally construedto accomplish the intentions expressed in this section.
(L. 1981 H.B. 681 § 2)