The Secretary shall enter into contracts to provide educational training to all borrowers of farmer program direct loans made under this chapter in financial and farm management concepts associated with commercial farming.
The Secretary may contract with State or private providers of farm management and credit counseling services (including a community college, the extension service of a State, a State department of agriculture, or a nonprofit organization) to carry out this section.
The Secretary may consult with the chief executive officer of a State concerning the identity of the contracting organization and the process for contracting.
Subject to paragraph (2), to be eligible to obtain a direct loan under this chapter, a borrower must obtain management assistance under this section, appropriate to the management ability of the borrower (as determined by the appropriate county committee during the determination of eligibility for the loan).
The need of a borrower who satisfies the criteria set out in section 1922(a)(2) or 1941(a)(2) of this title for management assistance under this section shall not be cause for denial of eligibility of the borrower for a direct loan under this chapter.
The Secretary shall issue regulations establishing guidelines and curriculum for the borrower training program established under this section.
A borrower shall pay for training received under this section, and may use funds from operating loans made under subchapter II of this chapter to pay for the training.
The Secretary may waive the requirements of this section for an individual borrower if the Secretary determines that the borrower demonstrates adequate knowledge in areas described in this section.
The Secretary shall establish criteria providing for the application of paragraph (1) consistently in all counties nationwide.
(Pub. L. 87–128, title III, §359, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XVIII, §1818(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3829; amended Pub. L. 105–277, div. A, §101(a) [title VIII, §805(3)], Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681, 2681–39; Pub. L. 107–171, title V, §§5316, 5501(c), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 348, 351.)
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