| Bernard_Oriel | Date: Monday, 30 Apr 2012, 7:22 AM | Message # 1 |
 Colonel general
Group: Users
Messages: 803
Status: Offline
| Gentlebeings,
Allow me to provide an alternative, well thought out, version of Senator Abram's Act. I would propose that this act be passed swiftly before the recess and acts to form a more equitable and not region-centric form of aid to farmers in need.
The Agricultural Protection Act
An Act for the Protection of Agriculture for the future, where undesirable circumstances render it untennable in the short term.
1. A fund will be established based on the tax contributions raised from Agricultural goods, this shall be a 0.5% levy on all transactions of agricultural goods not involving individuals.
2. This fund shall be named the "Agricultural Protection Fund" and will be held in trust by the Commerce Committee and distributed and assessed by Sector Governor's Offices.
3. Farmers, Farmers Collectives or Farming Corporations may apply to the Agricultural Protection Fund via a holonet site (to be established at the expense of the Agricultural Protection Fund.
4. They shall be eligible for "standard support" in the form of loans if they are likely to make a loss due to factors beyond sentient control if all of the following criteria are met and they are likely to return to profit within the next year.
A. Makes their business untennable in the next year (will result in the sale of the business).
B. Will cause the cessation of farming in the next year.
C. The farm is not a in "irrecoverably severe decline".
5. Standard support will consist of a loan which will cover the gap between the anticipated loss and breaking even, breaking even shall be assessed after all deductions have taken place (including the neccessaries of life for the farmer, his labourers and their immediate families).
A. This loan should not be above the value of the largest crop in the previous ten years, nor the value of the farm and it's assets.
B. This loan will be on a "cost" basis, that is to say, no interest above inflation will be charged, administrative fees of up to 50 credits per application may be levied by the Sector Government involved to defray costs (at their discretion).
C. This loan will be recovered via annual payments for the next twenty years.
6. Emergency support in the form of Grants shall be granted to Farmers, Farmers Collectives or Farming Corporations by the Agricultural Protection Fund if:
A. There is a "state of emergency" declared by the Planetary Government over the region they live in due to "natural disasters" which are "beyond sentient control".
B. The farmer has taken all reasonable means to protect their crops and farm from the disaster. e.g. If there is a bushfire they shall be expected to help firefighting efforts if called upon, or aid building flood defenses in the event of flooding.
7. Emergency support will be granted at a level which achieves the following goals for the duration of the emergency and up to one year afterwards.
A. Assuring the welfare and welbeing of the farmer(s) and his labourers.
This shall include the following:
(i) The basics of life for farmers and their labourers.
- (ia) Food and Water at a reasonable level (3000 calories and 5 litres of water a day)
- (ib) Shelter sufficient to assure a reasonable quality of life including essential furnishings.
- (ic) Healthcare which maintains the individuals involved in a condition that allows them to work efficiently.
- (id) Simple, clean clothing.
- (ie) Transportation to and from their place of agriculture, and for goods to market.
- (if) Basic communication (a basic communuicator such as that issued by the Senator Ordan Benevolent Emigration Fund to it's trustees per household).
B. Assuring the protection of crops, people, animals, assets and machinery.
- (ia) Such funds as may be required to evacuate any of the above enumerated.
- (ib) Such such funds as may be required to protect the above from the disaster (sand bags or barriers for floor protection etc)
C. Replacement of crops, agricultural implements and machinery.
- (ia) Such funds as may be required to replace destroyed or irrecoverably damaged machinery or agricultural implements.
- (ib) Replacement seeds or animals to re-grow the next years crop.
- (ic) Funds to return the land to sustainable farming conditions, or if this is felt to be untennable (assessed by Planetary Government) then the purchase of a comparable farm on that world (or if the world is rendered unsuitable, another world in the Sector to be decided by the Sector Governor, this may include colonizing new worlds).
D. Interim pecuniary aid:
- (ia) Pecuniary aid to pay salaries.
- (ib) Funds to cover debt payments for that year and one following year.
- (ic) A discretionary sum for other necessaries (up to the value of 10,000 credits per farmer) to be given at the discretion of the Sector Governor.
8. The Commerce Committee has the right to review, reverse decisions or grant discretionary grants and loans from the fund.
Definitions:
A "Factor beyond sentient control" is causation
(i) which involves no sentient agency
(ii) which is not realistically possible to guard against
(iii) which is due directly and exclusively to natural causes and
(iv) which could not have been prevented by any amount of foresight, plans, and care.
"irrecoverably severe decline" is a state of decline which equates to a farm never having the realistic ability to return to profit.
(i) If the farm has been consistently in loss for the last ten years (unless this is due to a temporary climatic condition which is anticipated to change within the five years - requires the certification of an Imperial Governor or Sector Governor's Office).
(ii) If the farm has failed to break even or profit for six or more of the previous ten years.
(iii) Where the debts of the farm are considerably (1.5x) the value of the assets of the farm, or where debts are more than twelve months in arrears or where the farmer, corporation etc is bankrupt.
(iv) Where the farm is not an "established profitable venture" - that is to say, where the farm has been started within the last decade and has not been profitable for four or more of those years. This prevents ventures which are simply misguided from being vested with funding.
A Natural Disaster is
(i) A natural disaster is the effect of a world's natural hazards in a manner which is unusual or unexpected and beyond sentient control, for example flood, tornado, hurricane, volcanic eruption, earthquake, meteor strike, invasion, or landslide.
(ii) If a disaster has proven causation from another being, government or corporation that is presently extant, then they shall not be eligible for emergency support but may naturally litigate using the normal civil proceedure. Sector Governors may waive this in exceptional circumstances.
Bernard Oriel
Senator for the Planet of Vjun
1st Earl Malreaux (Second Creation)
Vjun Delegation to the Imperial Senate
Message edited by Bernard_Oriel - Monday, 30 Apr 2012, 7:22 AM |
| |
| |
| Sate_Pestage | Date: Monday, 30 Apr 2012, 7:55 PM | Message # 2 |
 Lieutenant general
Group: Moderators
Messages: 639
Status: Offline
| As this bill is rather... involved, perhaps the Senator will agree to withdraw it for the time being and re-introduce it at the start of the next session of the Senate, when time will permit a more thorough consideration?
Sate Pestage
Grand Vizier of the Empire
Assistant to Emperor Palpatine
Chair of the Imperial Senate
|
| |
| |
| Bernard_Oriel | Date: Wednesday, 02 May 2012, 1:52 AM | Message # 3 |
|
Colonel general
Group: Users
Messages: 803
Status: Offline
| As the Chair wishes. I will withdraw this motion until the opening of the next session.
Bernard Oriel
Senator for the Planet of Vjun
1st Earl Malreaux (Second Creation)
Vjun Delegation to the Imperial Senate
|
| |
| |
| Sate_Pestage | Date: Friday, 04 May 2012, 9:04 AM | Message # 4 |
|
Lieutenant general
Group: Moderators
Messages: 639
Status: Offline
| So ordered, the measure is withdrawn.
Sate Pestage
Grand Vizier of the Empire
Assistant to Emperor Palpatine
Chair of the Imperial Senate
|
| |
| |
