2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 78 - Agricultural Economic Corridor of the Central Region of Puerto Rico Act (§§ 3071 — 3076) › § 3074 - Agricultural and Livestock Business Development Administration

Once the Department of Agriculture has drafted the proposed Strategic Plan for the promotion of an agricultural economy with the central region, as set forth in § 3073 of this title, it shall be the duty of the Agricultural and Livestock Business Development Administration to execute such Plan.
The Administration, by virtue of the provisions of this chapter, shall have the following functions:
(a) To implement the objectives set forth in this chapter;
(b) to develop venues and instruments to attract investment in agricultural projects;
(c) to plan, in coordination with the municipalities and the Department of Agriculture, the development of infrastructure projects that make the agricultural development of the region viable;
(d) to develop programs for training personnel to work in the farming and livestock industry of the Corridor;
(e) to develop financing and credit extension venues together with the Economic Development Bank, the Industrial Development Company, and the Investment and Cooperative Development Fund, in order to aid the financing of agricultural projects in Puerto Rico;
(f) to evaluate and endorse agricultural projects, as well as to assist project proponents in obtaining permits as required under the laws and regulations in effect in Puerto Rico;
(g) to prepare promotion and marketing programs for the region;
(h) the Corporation may receive contributions from both the private and public sectors, insofar as such contributions do not involve a conflict of interests with project proponents, suppliers, or any other entity with an interest in Corridor projects;
(i) to submit, not later than June 30 of each year, a report signed by its Executive Director to the Governor of Puerto Rico and the Legislative Assembly, through the Offices of the Secretary and the Clerk, on its efforts and progress;
(j) to establish task forces as necessary to accomplish the purposes of this chapter;
(k) the Corporation shall be empowered to solicit, receive, and match funds from any private or public Commonwealth, municipal, or federal entity, and
(l) to exercise any other powers as necessary or convenient for the discharge of the functions conferred under this chapter.
In order to carry out the purposes of this chapter, the Administration may request and use any resources available in public agencies and instrumentalities within the bounds of reasonability and to the extent that human and financial resources allow, such as the use of information, offices, personnel, technicians, equipment, supplies, and other facilities. Such agencies and instrumentalities are hereby authorized to make these resources available to the Administration.
Likewise, in the discharge of its functions, the Administration may entrust any department, agency, or instrumentality, or any other entity or political subdivision of the Government of Puerto Rico to perform any study, research, or work necessary to carry out its functions.
The Departments of Agriculture and Economic Development and Commerce, as well as the Industrial Development Company, the Economic Development Bank, the Infrastructure Financing Authority, the Planning Board, the Puerto Rico Statistics Institute, and the Cooperative Investment and Development Fund shall furnish the Administration, without it being construed as a limitation, any technical and expert assistance in agricultural, technological, economic, fiscal, permit, statistical, and infrastructural matters.
Furthermore, and consistent with the provisions of this chapter, the Industrial Development Company, the Economic Development Bank, and the Investment and Cooperative Development Fund shall make their lending and/or credit extension policies more flexible so as to make the investment in agricultural projects for the region viable.
The Administration shall be empowered to adopt such bylaws for its operations as it may deem pertinent to effectively comply with the provisions of this chapter.
History —Mar. 23, 2010, No. 32, § 5, eff. July 1, 2010; Aug. 16, 2012, No. 177, § 2.