1-16E-2. Legislative declaration. It is hereby declared that:

(1) The high and increasing cost of agricultural land, improvements, equipment and breeding livestock and the high and increasing cost of current agricultural operating expenses creates an urgent demand for financing which is not available in the amounts needed and at reasonable interest rates in the present market and the inability on the part of persons engaged in agriculture to acquire land, modern agricultural equipment and improvements at reasonable financing costs or to finance working capital needs at reasonable interest rates makes it difficult for such persons to continue their operations at present levels;

(2) Such inability to continue agricultural operations decreases employment and results in unemployment and its attendant problems;

(3) The high costs of financing capital improvements and working capital requirements impose a heavy economic burden on businesses in this state;

(4) The viability of businesses in this state is threatened by the high cost of obtaining funds to meet general capital improvement programs and working capital requirements and the continued existence of business enterprises in and the attraction of new business enterprises to this state is desirable and necessary for the maintenance and expansion of employment opportunities in and the preservation of the economic well-being of this state;

(5) It is accordingly in furtherance of the interests and welfare of all the citizens of South Dakota that a public authority be established with power to issue revenue bonds and to make the proceeds available for loans to finance agricultural enterprises, to finance business enterprises, or to finance the working capital needs of businesses, or any combination of the foregoing, at interest rates lower than would otherwise be obtainable. It is intended that the authority so established be vested with all powers necessary to the accomplishment of these purposes and that this chapter be liberally construed to accomplish such purposes;

(6) The lack of sufficient available credit to farmers and other businesses in this state at rates which are affordable is an immediate threat to the public peace, health and safety of the state. There is an immediate need to preserve the public peace, health and safety of the state by the issuance of bonds to raise sufficient funds to be deposited in financial institutions to permit such institutions to make loans to farmers and other businesses in order (i) to refinance outstanding loans which are or may become in default because of high rates of interest or the inabilities of farmers and other businesses to sustain profitable operations in view of the drastic downturn in agriculturally based economies, (ii) to enable farmers to purchase supplies from business enterprises to permit timely spring planting, (iii) to encourage, promote and develop alternative business and agricultural enterprises to employ workers from displaced farm families, (iv) to maintain and promote a level of economic activity within the state so that the revenues which support the state and its public institutions are not diminished;

(7) The foregoing conditions such as unemployment, displacement of farm families, loss of health and other employment benefits, use of out-dated, unsafe, inefficient or defective agricultural equipment and the like pose an immediate threat to the public peace, health and safety of the state and its people; and

(8) This chapter is also in support of the state government and its existing public institutions because it expands, supplements and implements this state's prior activities and programs which have been undertaken to loan and extend credit to the people of the state for similar purposes.Source: SL 1986, ch 16, § 3; SL 1986, ch 17, § 2.