§9810 Financial assistance to low-income families, local cooperative associations, and local public or private nonprofit organizations or entities; amount, purposes, etc.

Summary

The Secretary can give money, including loans that last up to 15 years and that never make a family owe more than $3,500 at one time, to low‑income rural families if it looks likely to raise their long‑term income or improve their housing or living. The help can pay to buy or fix land and lower debts, to run or improve family‑sized farms (for example buying feed, seed, fertilizer, animals, or equipment), or to join cooperatives or start small nonfarm businesses that add income. The Secretary can also help local cooperatives and public or private nonprofit groups in poor rural areas pay to start and run cooperative programs for farming, buying, marketing, and processing, and to provide basics like credit and health services. Allowed costs include staff and overhead, planning and development, technical help, and initial capital when the families’ poverty and local conditions make it necessary.