Section 171-14.5 - Auction pre-qualification; agricultural and pasture leases(a) Whenever used in this section, unless otherwise apparent from the context: "Farm" also means "ranch" and "farmer" also means "rancher".
"Individual" means a natural person who is not a part of a partnership, corporation, or joint venture that is a potential bidder under this section.
"Nonindividual farm concern" means a partnership, corporation, or joint venture properly formed under law and that is a potential bidder under this section.
(b) Any other law to the contrary notwithstanding, to be eligible to bid in an auction for agricultural or pasture leases, a potential bidder shall be a bona fide individual farmer or a nonindividual farm concern: (1) Who has spent not less than two years, full-time, in farming operations;(2) Who is an owner-operator of an established farm conducting a substantial farming operation;(3) Who for a substantial period of the individual's adult life resided on a farm and depended on farm income for a livelihood;(4) Who is an individual who has been a farm tenant or farm laborer or other individual, who has for the two years last preceding the auction obtained the major portion of their income from farming operations;(5) Is an individual with a college degree in agriculture;(6) Is an individual who by reason of ability, experience, and training as a vocational trainee is likely to successfully operate a farm;(7) Who has qualified for and received a commitment for a loan under the Bankhead-Jones Farm Tenant Act as amended, or as may hereafter be amended, for the acquisition of a farm;(8) Who is an individual who is displaced from employment in an agricultural production enterprise;(9) Who is a member of the Hawaii Young Farmer Association or a Future Farmer of America graduate with two years of training with farming projects;(10) Who possesses the qualifications under the new farmer program pursuant to section 155-1; or(11) Who possesses other qualifications as the board of land and natural resources may prescribe pursuant to section 171-6 and this section.Amended by L 2024, c 178,§ 7, eff. 7/2/2024.L 1982, c 131, §1; am L 2000, c 51, §14