Vermont § 374a - Creation of the Vermont Agricultural Credit Program

§ 374a. Creation of the Vermont Agricultural Credit Program

• (a) There is created the Vermont Agricultural Credit Program, which will provide an alternative
  source of sound and constructive credit to farmers and forest products businesses
  who are not having their credit needs fully met by conventional agricultural credit
  sources at reasonable rates and terms; or, in the alternative, the granting of the
  loan shall serve as a substantial inducement for the establishment or expansion of
  an eligible project within the State. The Program is intended to meet, either in whole
  or in part, the credit needs of eligible agricultural facilities and farm operations
  in fulfillment of one or more of the purposes listed in this subsection by making
  direct loans and participating in loans made by other agricultural credit providers: (1) to encourage diversification, cooperative farming, and the development of innovative
  techniques for farming and forest products businesses; (2) to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy consumption in agricultural facilities,
  including the construction of water pollution control facilities which implement best
  management practices for farm waste abatement pursuant to 6 V.S.A. chapter 215; (3) to encourage innovative and diversified processing, marketing, and distribution of
  Vermont agricultural products; (4) to assist beginning farmers to start new farms and new agricultural facilities to
  commence or strengthen their operations; (5) to assist or financially strengthen existing farms; and (6) to refinance loans incurred by eligible borrowers for any of the purposes enumerated
  in subdivisions (1) through (5) of this subsection. (b) No borrower shall be approved for a loan from the corporation that would result in
  the aggregate principal balances outstanding of all loans to that borrower exceeding
  the then-current maximum Farm Service Agency loan guarantee limits, or $5,000,000.00,
  whichever is greater. (Added 1999, No. 25, § 1; amended 2003, No. 67, § 5, eff. June 16, 2003; 2005, No. 137 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2013, No. 199 (Adj. Sess.), § 6; 2015, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § A.6, eff. June 2, 2016; 2023, No. 141 (Adj. Sess.), § 17, eff. July 1, 2024.)