[Federal Register Volume 67, Number 202 (Friday, October 18, 2002)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 64320-64321]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 02-26470]


 ========================================================================
 Proposed Rules
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains notices to the public of 
 the proposed issuance of rules and regulations. The purpose of these 
 notices is to give interested persons an opportunity to participate in 
 the rule making prior to the adoption of the final rules.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 67, No. 202 / Friday, October 18, 2002 / 
Proposed Rules  

[[Page 64320]]



FARM CREDIT ADMINISTRATION

12 CFR Part 614


Programs for the Needs of Young, Beginning and Small Farmers and 
Ranchers

AGENCY: Farm Credit Administration (FCA or agency).

ACTION: Notice of public meeting.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Farm Credit Administration (FCA or agency) announces a 
forthcoming public meeting to consider whether regulatory changes are 
needed to enhance the Farm Credit System's (System) service to young, 
beginning, and small farmers, ranchers, and producers or harvesters of 
aquatic products (YBS farmers and ranchers).

DATES: The public meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 13, 2002, 
in Kansas City, Missouri. Anyone wishing to present testimony in person 
may notify us by November 6, 2002, or register to speak on the day of 
the meeting. Requests to provide testimony in person will be honored in 
order of receipt. Parties who register to speak on the day of the 
meeting may be invited to provide their testimony if time permits. If 
more people wish to testify than time permits, we will accept written 
statements for the record for 30 calendar days following the date of 
the public meeting. Requests for sign language interpretation or other 
auxiliary aids should be received by FCA's Office of Congressional and 
Public Affairs at (703) 883-4056, (TTY (703) 883-4056) by November 6, 
2002.

ADDRESSES: The FCA will hold the public meeting at the Hyatt Regency 
Crown Center, 2345 McGee Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 64108 (816) 
421-1234 on November 13, 2002, at 10 a.m. local time. You may submit 
requests to appear and present testimony for the public meeting by 
electronic mail to [email protected] or through the Pending Regulations 
section of our Web site at www.fca.gov. You may also submit your 
request in writing to Thomas G. McKenzie, Director, Regulation and 
Policy Division, Office of Policy and Analysis, Farm Credit 
Administration, 1501 Farm Credit Drive, McLean, VA 22102-5090, or by 
facsimile transmission to (703) 734-5784.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Samuel R. Coleman, CFA, Senior Policy Analyst, Office of Policy and 
Analysis, Farm Credit Administration, McLean, VA 22102-5090, (703) 883-
4498, TTY (703) 883-4434, or
Wendy R. Laguarda, Senior Counsel, Office of General Counsel, Farm 
Credit Administration, McLean, VA 22102-5090, (703) 883-4020, TTY (703) 
883-2020.

I. Background

    This public meeting is another step in the agency's efforts to 
obtain public input, which will help us ensure that the System 
accommodates the current and evolving needs of YBS farmers and ranchers 
for credit and related services. The FCA published an Advance Notice of 
Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) in the Federal Register on September 23, 
2002 (67 FR 59479). Although anyone in the general public can comment 
on the ANPRM, generally we expect to hear from System institutions, 
System related entities or individuals, and the banking community in 
written comments responding to the questions in our ANPRM. The public 
meeting will be held to help us ensure that we hear the end-users' 
perspectives, that is, farmers and ranchers. The public meeting will 
give these individuals an opportunity to express their views face-to-
face with the agency on ways the System can enhance its lending to and 
programs for YBS farmers and ranchers.

II. Objective

    The objective of the FCA's focus on providing greater access to 
credit and related services to YBS farmers and ranchers is to generate 
ideas on ways to:
    1. Develop clear, meaningful, and results-oriented guidelines for 
System YBS policies and programs;
    2. Effectively measure the System's YBS performance to ensure that 
the System is fulfilling its YBS statutory mission; and
    3. Provide adequate reporting and disclosure to the public on the 
System's compliance with its statutory YBS mission.
    As noted above, the public meeting is an opportunity for the agency 
to get the perspectives of farmers and ranchers on how to accomplish 
this objective.

III. Questions

    The agency posed numerous questions in its ANPRM on YBS farmers and 
ranchers credit and related services (67 FR 59479, Sept. 23, 2002). We 
encourage you to respond to all ANPRM questions in writing as 
instructed in the ANPRM. However, in the public meeting, we ask 
commenters to provide their perspectives on whether:
    1. FCA should require System YBS programs to include special credit 
treatment for YBS farmer and rancher loans (including guarantees, 
concessionary underwriting standards, loan fees, interest rates, and 
differential loan covenants);
    2. The System currently offers appropriate related services, such 
as farm business consulting, recordkeeping, insurance, and tax planning 
and preparation services to YBS farmers and ranchers;
    3. Certain types of marketing and outreach activities best help 
promote YBS programs;
    4. Certain types of System partnerships, alliances, or other joint 
efforts best help promote YBS programs; and
    5. Non-System lenders offer programs or services to YBS farmers and 
ranchers that the System could offer as well.
    Please limit verbal testimony at the meeting to 10 minutes per 
person and allow 5 minutes for follow-up questions. At the public 
meeting, we will also accept for the record written comments on 
questions and issues raised in the ANPRM or any other comments that 
attendees may have on the subject of YBS farmers and ranchers.

IV. Request To Present Testimony

    Anyone wishing to present testimony in person may notify us by 
November 6, 2002, or register to speak on the day of the meeting. A 
request to speak should provide the name, address, and telephone number 
of the person wishing to testify and the general nature of the 
testimony. Requests to provide testimony in person will be honored in 
order of receipt.
    Parties who register to speak on the day of the meeting may be 
invited to provide their testimony if time permits. If more people wish 
to testify than time

[[Page 64321]]

permits, we will accept written statements for the record for 30 
calendar days following the date of the public meeting.
    You may also wish to submit written statements or detailed 
summaries of the text of your testimony. Written comments that you wish 
to submit to supplement your testimony should be presented to us by the 
close of the public meeting.
    Written copies of the testimony along with a recorded transcript of 
the proceedings will be included in our official public record. A 
transcript of the public meeting and any written statements submitted 
to the agency will be available for public inspection at the FCA's 
Office of Policy and Analysis in McLean, Virginia.

V. Special Accommodations

    The meeting is physically accessible to people with disabilities. 
Requests for sign language interpretation or other auxiliary aids 
should be received by FCA's Office of Congressional and Public Affairs 
at (703) 883-4056, (TTY (703) 883-4056) by November 6, 2002.

    Dated: October 11, 2002.
Jeanette C. Brinkley,
Acting Secretary, Farm Credit Administration Board.
[FR Doc. 02-26470 Filed 10-17-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6705-01-P