HONOLULU _ State lawmakers are considering a slew of incentives to help preserve Hawaii's quickly disappearing agricultural land and to keep the farm industry viable.

The package includes tax credits, a loan guarantee and a provision allowing onsite housing for farm employees.

Senator Jill Tokuda is chairwoman of the Committee on Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs.

She hopes the package will be enough to ensure land can stay in agriculture and farmers will be able to sustain their businesses.

The benefits would go to properties designated ``important agricultural lands.' The designation prevents residential development on the land. It also makes redesignating the land for nonagricultural use extremely difficult.