
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 7USC5103]

 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
         CHAPTER 82--STATE AGRICULTURAL LOAN MEDIATION PROGRAMS
 
Sec. 5103. Participation of Federal agencies


(a) Duties of Secretary of Agriculture

                           (1) In general

        The Secretary, with respect to each program or agency under the 
    jurisdiction of the Secretary--
            (A) shall prescribe rules requiring each such program or 
        agency to participate in good faith in any State mediation 
        program certified under section 5101 of this title;
            (B) shall participate in mediation programs certified under 
        section 5101 of this title; and
            (C) shall--
                (i) cooperate in good faith with requests for 
            information or analysis of information made in the course of 
            mediation under any mediation program certified under 
            section 5101 of this title; and
                (ii) if applicable, present and explore debt 
            restructuring proposals advanced in the course of such 
            mediation.

                     (2) Nonbinding on Secretary

        The Secretary shall not be bound by any determination made in a 
    program described in section 5101 of this title if the Secretary has 
    not agreed to such determination.

(b) Duties of Farm Credit Administration

    The Farm Credit Administration shall prescribe rules requiring the 
institutions of the Farm Credit System--
        (1) to cooperate in good faith with requests for information or 
    analysis of information made in the course of mediation under any 
    mediation program described in section 5101 of this title; and
        (2) to present and explore debt restructuring proposals advanced 
    in the course of such mediation.

(Pub. L. 100-233, title V, Sec. 503, Jan. 6, 1988, 101 Stat. 1663; Pub. 
L. 100-399, title V, Sec. 502, Aug. 17, 1988, 102 Stat. 1005; Pub. L. 
103-354, title II, Sec. 282(b), Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3234.)


                               Amendments

    1994--Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 103-354, Sec. 282(b)(2), in 
introductory provisions inserted ``or agency'' after ``each program'' 
and struck out ``that makes, guarantees, or insures agricultural loans'' 
after ``of the Secretary''.
    Subsec. (a)(1)(A). Pub. L. 103-354, Sec. 282(b)(1), (3), inserted 
``or agency'' after ``such program'', struck out ``agricultural loan'' 
after ``any State'', and inserted ``certified under section 5101 of this 
title'' after ``mediation program''.
    Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 103-354, Sec. 282(b)(1), (4), struck out 
``, effective beginning on January 6, 1988,'' after ``shall'', and 
``agricultural loan'' after ``participate in'', and inserted ``certified 
under section 5101 of this title'' after ``mediation programs''.
    Subsec. (a)(1)(C)(i). Pub. L. 103-354, Sec. 282(b)(1), (5)(A), 
struck out ``agricultural loan'' before ``mediation program'' and 
substituted ``certified under'' for ``described in''.
    Subsec. (a)(1)(C)(ii). Pub. L. 103-354, Sec. 282(b)(5)(B), inserted 
``if applicable,'' before ``present''.
    Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 103-354, Sec. 282(b)(1), struck out 
``agricultural loan'' before ``mediation program''.
    1988--Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 100-399, Sec. 502(a), inserted 
``effective beginning'' before ``on''.
    Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 100-399, Sec. 502(b), substituted ``section 
5101 of this title'' for ``paragraph (1)''.


                    Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 100-399 effective as if enacted immediately 
after enactment of Pub. L. 100-233, which was approved Jan. 6, 1988, see 
section 1001(a) of Pub. L. 100-399, set out as a note under section 2002 
of Title 12, Banks and Banking.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 5101 of this title.
