If an officer, employee, or committee of an agency makes an adverse decision, the agency shall hold, at the request of the participant, an informal hearing on the decision.
With respect to programs carried out through the Consolidated Farm Service Agency (or other office, agency, or administrative unit of the Department assigned to carry out the programs authorized for the Consolidated Farm Service Agency under section 6932 of this title), the Secretary shall maintain the informal appeals process applicable to such programs, as in effect on October 13, 1994.
If a mediation program is available under title V of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 (7 U.S.C. 5101 et seq.) as a part of the informal hearing process, the participant shall—
(1) be offered the right to choose such mediation; and
(2) to the maximum extent practicable, be allowed to use both informal agency review and mediation to resolve disputes under that title.
(Pub. L. 103–354, title II, §275, Oct. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 3230; Pub. L. 110–234, title XII, §12032, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1391; Pub. L. 110–246, §4(a), title XII, §12032, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 2153.)
Sections: Previous 6972 6981 6982 6991 6992 6993 6994 6995 6996 6997 6998 6999 7000 7001 7002 Next
Last modified: October 26, 2015