3Objectives of this Act

3 Objectives of this Act

(1) The objectives of this Act, which are to be pursued on both a national basis and a regional basis, are: (a) to foster the development of a more profitable farm sector that is able to operate competitively in a deregulated financial and market environment; and (b) to improve the competitiveness of the farm sector in a sustainable manner. (2) In order to achieve those objectives, this Act is intended: (a) to promote a better financial, technical and management performance from the farm sector; and (b) to provide support, either directly or indirectly, to farmers who have prospects of sustainable long‑term profitability with a view to improving the productivity of their farm units; and (c) in the case of direct support to farmers—to provide that support in a way that ensures that the farmers who are supported become financially independent of that support within a reasonable period; and (d) to provide that support through, but not limited to: (i) grants for the purposes of subsidies for interest payable on, and associated costs of, loans, whether the loans are provided by a State or by another person; and (ii) grants for the purposes of farm training, planning, appraisal, support services and rural adjustment research; and (e) to support farmers who do not have prospects of sustainable long‑term profitability to leave the farm sector; and (f) to enable grants of money to be made to persons other than farmers for purposes relating to rural adjustment; and (g) to enable loans of money (whether secured or unsecured) to be made to farmers or other persons for purposes relating to rural adjustment.