Each production credit association, under standards prescribed by the board of directors of the Farm Credit Bank of the district, may make, guarantee, or participate with other lenders in short- and intermediate-term loans and other similar financial assistance to—

(1) bona fide farmers and ranchers and the producers or harvesters of aquatic products, for agricultural or aquatic purposes and other requirements of such borrowers, including financing for basic processing and marketing directly related to the operations of the borrower and those of other eligible farmers, ranchers, and producers or harvesters of aquatic products, except that the operations of the borrower shall supply some portion of the total processing or marketing for which financing is extended, except that the aggregate of the financing provided by any association for basic processing and marketing directly related to the operations of farmers, ranchers, and producers or harvesters of aquatic products, if the operations of the applicant supply less than 20 percent of the total processing or marketing for which financing is extended, shall not exceed 15 percent of the total of all outstanding loans of all associations in the district at the end of its preceding fiscal year;

(2) rural residents for housing financing in rural areas, under regulations of the Farm Credit Administration; and

(3) persons furnishing to farmers and ranchers farm-related services directly related to their on-farm operating needs.

Rural housing financed under this part shall be for single-family, moderate-priced dwellings and the appurtenances of such not inconsistent with the general quality and standards of housing existing in, or planned or recommended for, the rural area where it is located.

The aggregate of such housing loans in an association to persons other than farmers or ranchers shall not exceed 15 percent of the outstanding loans at the end of its preceding fiscal year except on prior approval by the Farm Credit Bank of the district. The aggregate of such housing loans in any farm credit district shall not exceed 15 percent of the outstanding loans of all associations in the district at the end of the preceding fiscal year.

For rural housing purposes under this section the term “rural areas” shall not be defined to include any city or village having a population in excess of 2,500 inhabitants.

Each association may own and lease, or lease with option to purchase, to stockholders of the association equipment needed in the operations of the stockholder.

Loans authorized in subsection (a) of this section shall bear such rate or rates of interest as are determined under standards prescribed by the board of the bank subject to the provisions of section 2205 of this title, and shall be made upon such terms, conditions, and upon such security, if any, as shall be authorized in such standards.

In setting rates and charges, it shall be the objective to provide the types of credit needed by eligible borrowers, at the lowest reasonable cost on a sound business basis, taking into account the cost of money to the association, necessary reserves and expenses of the association, and services provided to borrowers and members.

The loan documents may provide for the interest rate or rates to vary from time to time during the repayment period of the loan in accordance with the rate or rates currently being charged by the association.

Such standards may require prior approval of the bank on certain classes of loans, and may authorize a continuing commitment to a borrower of a line of credit.

Notwithstanding any territorial limitation in the charter of a production credit association located in a district in which there are only two such associations, the Farm Credit Administration Board, on request of such association, may permit such association to provide credit and technical assistance to any borrower who is denied credit by the other production credit association in the district if the Board determines that such other production credit association in the district is unduly restrictive in the application of credit standards.

If the Farm Credit Administration Board approves the extension of credit and technical assistance under paragraph (1), the association shall approve or deny the application for credit within 90 days after receipt of the application from the borrower.

(Pub. L. 92–181, title II, §2.4, as added Pub. L. 100–233, title IV, §401, Jan. 6, 1988, 101 Stat. 1632; amended Pub. L. 100–399, title IV, §401(p), (q), Aug. 17, 1988, 102 Stat. 997; Pub. L. 101–624, title XVIII, §1832(b), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3832.)

A prior section 2075, Pub. L. 92–181, title II, §2.4, Dec. 10, 1971, 85 Stat. 594; Pub. L. 95–443, Oct. 10, 1978, 92 Stat. 1066; Pub. L. 96–592, title II, §204, Dec. 24, 1980, 94 Stat. 3441; Pub. L. 99–509, title I, §1033(b), Oct. 21, 1986, 100 Stat. 1877, related to terms, prior to the general amendment of this subchapter by Pub. L. 100–233, §401.

**1990**—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 101–624 substituted “some portion of the total processing or marketing for which financing is extended, except that the aggregate of the financing provided by any association for basic processing and marketing directly related to the operations of farmers, ranchers, and producers or harvesters of aquatic products, if the operations of the applicant supply less than 20 percent of the total processing or marketing for which financing is extended, shall not exceed 15 percent of the total of all outstanding loans of all associations in the district at the end of its preceding fiscal year” for “at least 20 percent, or such larger percent as is required by the supervising bank under regulations of the Farm Credit Administration, of the total processing or marketing for which financing is extended”.

**1988**—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 100–399, §401(p), substituted “this part” for “this subchapter” and substituted “or planned” for “planned”.

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–399, §401(q), added subsec. (d).

Amendment by Pub. L. 100–399 effective immediately after amendment made by section 401 of Pub. L. 100–233, which was effective 6 months after Jan. 6, 1988, see section 1001(b) of Pub. L. 100–399, set out as a note under section 2002 of this title.