LAND AUTHORITY.


LEGAL AUTHORITY

Act. No. 26 of April 12, 1941, as amended, known as the Puerto Rico Lands Act, created the Puerto Rico Land Authority. Reorganization Plan No. 1 of May 4, 1994, as amended, abscribed the Land Authority to the Department of Agriculture.

MISSION

Acquire, conserve and preserve land of high agricultural value, assist in the training of new farmers and facilitate the use of land for the greater public good.

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE

  • Budget and Finance
  • Environmental Affairs
  • General Services
  • Government Board
  • Human Resources and Labor Relations
  • Internal Audit Office
  • Legal Affairs
  • Office of the Executive Director
  • Office of the Deputy Director
  • Property Management
  • Technology and Information

PROGRAMS

Land Acquisition

Program Description

Focused on agricultural and economic development and on the acquisition of land through purchase, assignment, transfer, exchange, bequest, gift or eminent domain.

Customers

The general public

Conservation of Land and Infrastructure

Program Description

Provides lands to farmers and manages the maintenance program to ensure the sustainable protection of infrastructure work.

Statistical Data 2011 2012 2013

 

Cleaning of farming irrigation canals 750 750 750
Machinery repair for the land and infrastructure conservation program. 290 290 300
Operation of water extracting pumps in the municipalities of Loiza and Rio Grande 115 115 125
Services to farmers with land in flood prone areas (including cleaning, maintenance of canals, irrigation, specialized machinery and water pumping) 60 65 70

Statistical data is information provided by the Agency during fiscal year 2012-2013 budget process.

Customers The general public

General Management and Administration

Program Description

Provides services and technical advice for the Authority's operational activities through the offices of Executive Director, Internal Audit, Finance, Legal and Industrial Relations, Human Resources, General Services and Information Systems.

Statistical Data 2011 2012 2013

 

Court appearance 230 379 213
Legal opinions 143 63 101
Licenses transactions 660 675 680
Motions to court 1,386 911 1,001
Payroll preparation 145 151 160
Pre-intervention records and documents 1,760 1,785 1,800
Reports to the Comptroller's Office 18 12 12
Special and regular interventions 12 12 18
Training 33 45 50

Statistical data is information provided by the Agency during fiscal year 2012-2013 budget process.

Customers

Internal employees

Land Procedures for Agricultural Use

Program Description

Performs all transactions related to purchase orders, sales and leasing of land. Prepare Drawings and land surveys and provides infrastructure services at lands ready for lease. Offers construction services, remodeling, preservation and maintenance of irrigation channels. Controls leasing of machinery and heavy equipment inventories. Helps defaulting farmers through the Finance and Legal Offices.

Statistical Data 2011 2012 2013

 

Cost per acre ( in thousands) 73 89 116
Income per total land acres under lease ( in thousands) 4,659 5,538 7,200
New acres of land under lease 3,751 3,950 3,500
Total acres under lease 63,585 62,000 62,000

Statistical data is information provided by the Agency during fiscal year 2012-2013 budget process.

Customers

Farmers


FISCAL YEAR 2012-2013 ADOPTED BUDGET

The adopted consolidated budget for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 amount to $13,780,000. This amount includes $13,630,000 from Revenues from Internal Sources and $150,000 from Special Appropriations of the General Fund.

Operating expenses reflect an increase of $1,711,000 when compared to funds assigned in fiscal year 2011-2012. The Authority expects a rise in revenues from the lease of equipment, facilities and machinery, the sales and disposition of equipment, the sales of surplus from mills and the sales of materials. Special Appropriations includes funding for the acquisition of the Echavarría Sulsoa House in Cayey to be transfer to the Cultural Center Miguel Meléndez Muñoz.

This increase will allow the authority to start developing a Puerto Rico Mitigation Bank and start selling credits. The goal of the Bank is to provide private companies and the Government of Puerto Rico alternatives for the development of public, social and economics projects with the US Corp of Engineers, for example: wetlands, mangroves and other ecosystems.

This reosurces will also be used to continue the conservation and preservation of agricultural land for agricultural production, to diversify the productive sectors and encourage agricultural activity.


SUMMARY OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES

Consolidated Budget  (thousands $) 2010 2011 2012 2013

 

Program  
Operational Expenses Actual Actual Budget Adopted
Conservation of land and infrastructure 2,092 2,313 2,011 2,585
Family Farm Development 1,282 488 0 0
General Management and Administration 6,526 6,255 6,654 6,404
Land acquisition 976 1,013 1,057 1,101
Land Procedures for Agricultural Use 2,521 2,432 2,347 3,690
Subtotal, Operational Expenses 13,397 12,501 12,069 13,780
 
Capital Improvements
Land acquisition 2,224 0 0 0
Subtotal, Capital Improvements 2,224 0 0 0
Total, Program 15,621 12,501 12,069 13,780
 
Funding Sources  
Operational Expenses  
Joint Resolution - General Fund 659 57 0 0
Special Appropriations - General Fund 0 0 0 150
Local Stabilization Fund 554 431 0 0
Revenues from Internal Sources 12,115 12,013 12,069 13,630
State Special Funds 69 0 0 0
Subtotal, Operational Expenses 13,397 12,501 12,069 13,780
 
Capital Improvements  
Revenues from Internal Sources 2,224 0 0 0
Subtotal, Capital Improvements 2,224 0 0 0
Total, Funding Sources 15,621 12,501 12,069 13,780
 
Expense Category  
Operational Expenses  
Payroll and Related Expenses 8,217 7,784 7,618 7,800
Rent and Utilities 1,159 1,164 901 892
Purchased Services 387 352 633 927
Transportation Expenses 175 207 227 251
Professional Services 933 466 1,046 2,461
Other Expenses 2,320 2,331 1,420 1,052
Non Distributed Allocations 0 0 0 150
Equipment Purchases 1 0 0 0
Office Supplies and other Materials 205 197 224 247
Subtotal, Operational Expenses 13,397 12,501 12,069 13,780
 
Capital Improvements  
Capital Improvements Program 2,224 0 0 0
Subtotal, Capital Improvements 2,224 0 0 0
Total, Expense Category 15,621 12,501 12,069 13,780