[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 178 (Thursday, September 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 54520]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-18333]


 ========================================================================
 Notices
                                                 Federal Register
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
 This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules 
 or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings 
 and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings, 
 delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency 
 statements of organization and functions are examples of documents 
 appearing in this section.
 
 ========================================================================
 

  Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 178 / Thursday, September 15, 2005 / 
Notices  

[[Page 54520]]



DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Farm Service Agency


Addition of Eligible States for Beginning Farmer and Rancher Land 
Contract Guarantee Pilot Program

AGENCY: Farm Service Agency, USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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

SUMMARY: This notice announces that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is 
adding California, Minnesota, and Nebraska as eligible states to its 
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Land Contract Guarantee Pilot Program. 
Expanding the Pilot Program is intended to facilitate land transfers to 
a greater number of beginning farmers and ranchers.

DATES: FSA will accept applications from the additional states 
beginning on September 15, 2005.

ADDRESSES: General information may be obtained from the FSA Web site at 
http://www.fsa.usda.gov or the USDA, FSA office listed in your local 
telephone directory.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Trent Rogers, Senior Loan Officer, 
USDA, FSA, Farm Loan Programs Loan Making Division, STOP 0522, 1400 
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-0522; telephone (202) 
720-1657; Facsimile (202) 720-6797; e-mail: [email protected]. 
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for 
communication (Braille, large print, audio tape, etc.) should contact 
the USDA Target Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 4, 2003, FSA published a notice 
in the Federal Register announcing that funds were available for the 
Beginning Farmer and Rancher Land Contract Guarantee Pilot Program (68 
FR 52557-52562). The notice provided the policies and procedures under 
which the program would be administered, including application 
requirements, evaluation criteria, servicing requirements, and policies 
for payment of the guarantee in case of default.
    The pilot program is mandated by Section 310 F of the Consolidated 
Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1936). That section provides 
that if the Secretary determines that the risk of such a program is 
comparable with the risk presented in the case of guarantees to 
commercial lenders, then:

    ``* * * the Secretary shall carry out a pilot program in not 
fewer than 5 States, as determined by the Secretary, to guarantee up 
to 5 loans per State in each of fiscal years 2003 through 2007 made 
by a private seller of a farm or ranch to a qualified beginning 
farmer or rancher on a contract land sale basis, if the loan meets 
applicable underwriting criteria and a commercial lending 
institution agrees to serve as escrow agent.''

    The pilot program was originally made available in Indiana, Iowa, 
North Dakota, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. By this notice FSA 
announces that the program is expanded to California, Minnesota, and 
Nebraska. All requirements of the current pilot program were provided 
in the notice of September 4, 2003, and remain in effect, except the 
definition of ``Pilot State,'' is revised to add California, Minnesota 
and Nebraska. The policies, procedures, and forms used in 
administration of the program are available at http://www.fsa.usda.gov 
and are contained in FSA handbooks which may be obtained from the 
information contact listed above or any local FSA office. The 
additional information collection burden requirements of this program 
were approved by the Office of Management and Budget and assigned OMB 
Control No. 0560-0228.

    Signed in Washington, DC on September 8, 2005.
James R. Little,
Administrator, Farm Service Agency.
[FR Doc. 05-18333 Filed 9-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-05-P