Sec. 58.021. PURPOSES OF AUTHORITY. (a) In order to promote the expansion, development, and diversification of production, processing, marketing, and export of Texas agricultural products and to promote the development of rural businesses, the authority shall design and implement programs to provide financial assistance to eligible agricultural businesses, including programs:

(1) to make or acquire loans to eligible agricultural businesses;

(2) to make or acquire loans to lenders to enable those lenders to make loans to eligible agricultural businesses;

(3) to insure, coinsure, and reinsure, in whole or in part, loans to eligible agricultural businesses;

(4) to guarantee, in whole or in part, loans to eligible agricultural businesses; and

(5) to administer or participate in programs established by another person to provide financial assistance to eligible agricultural businesses.

(b) The authority's programs shall be designed and implemented to provide financial assistance to enable eligible agricultural businesses to finance or refinance costs incurred in connection with the development, increase, improvement, or expansion of production, processing, marketing, or export of Texas agricultural products and for the development of rural agriculture-related businesses, including but not limited to the costs of:

(1) acquisition of and improvements to land or interests in land;

(2) acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of buildings, improvements, and structures;

(3) site preparations;

(4) architectural, engineering, legal, and related services;

(5) acquisition, installation, rehabilitation, operation, and maintenance of machinery, equipment, furnishings, and facilities;

(6) acquisition, processing, or distribution of inventory;

(7) research and development;

(8) financing fees and charges;

(9) interest during acquisition or construction;

(10) necessary reserve fund;

(11) acquisition of licenses, permits, and approvals from any governmental entity;

(12) pre-export and export expenses; and

(13) insect eradication and suppression programs.

(c) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the maximum aggregate amount of loans made to or guaranteed, insured, coinsured, or reinsured under this subchapter for a single eligible agricultural business by the authority from funds provided by the authority is $2 million. The authority may make, guarantee, insure, coinsure, or reinsure a loan for a single eligible agricultural business that results in an aggregate amount exceeding $2 million, but not exceeding $5 million, if the action is approved by a two-thirds vote of the board members present. The authority may make, guarantee, participate in, insure, coinsure, or reinsure loans to the entity designated to carry out boll weevil eradication in accordance with Section 74.1011 in an amount approved by the board to enable that entity to execute Subchapter D, Chapter 74. The authority may issue an obligation on behalf of, or make, guarantee, participate in, insure, coinsure, or reinsure loans to, a state agency or an institution of higher education for the purpose of the development, improvement, or expansion of an agricultural product or an agriculture-related business in an amount approved by the board. The authority may make, guarantee, participate in, insure, coinsure, or reinsure loans to an eligible agricultural business from the proceeds of revenue bonds issued in accordance with Section 58.033 in an amount approved by the board.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the authority may also design and implement programs to:

(1) further rural economic development; and

(2) reduce the amount of interest paid on loans approved by the authority.

Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., 2nd C.S., ch. 32, art. 2, Sec. 1, eff. Oct. 20, 1987. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 538, Sec. 2, eff. Aug. 30, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 419, Sec. 5.17, 10.09(11), eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 1014, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1459, Sec. 11, eff. June 19, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 26, Sec. 7, eff. May 2, 2001.