PRIA, Government Policy, Made Personal

Summary

Banks and associations in the Farm Credit System must have bylaws, written by their boards and approved by a majority of stockholders, that explain how the institution is capitalized and how its stock works. The bylaws must set stock classes, how stock is issued, transferred, retired, and how dividends and patronage refunds are paid. They must let the institution meet the regulator’s minimum capital rules. Voting stock can only be held by eligible borrowers (farmers, ranchers, producers or harvesters of aquatic products, certain cooperatives, and relevant System banks). When a borrower who can hold voting stock takes a loan, they must buy voting stock or participation certificates equal to at least $1,000 or 2 percent of the loan, whichever is less. Any voting stock must convert to nonvoting within 2 years after the loan is fully repaid. Bylaws may allow nonborrowers to hold nonvoting stock, require pre-existing voting-stock holders to exchange some stock for new voting stock, allow stock retirement if capital standards are met, and allow transfers. The regulator (Farm Credit Administration) can decide what counts as permanent capital and can order compliance. For loans designated for sale on or after Feb 10, 1996, bylaws can waive the stock-purchase rule; if such a loan isn’t sold within 180 days the purchase rule becomes effective unless the loan is later sold and the stock retired. Rules limit reducing permanent capital by refunds, dividends, or retirements if doing so would drop capital below the minimum, with narrow tax-related exceptions. Permanent capital — current-year retained earnings; allocated and unallocated earnings; surplus minus loss allowances; most stock (except retire-at-holder or protected stock); and other items the regulator approves. Stock — voting and nonvoting shares, including preferred stock, guaranty-fund contributions, participation certificates, allocated equities, and other equity forms.

Title 12, §2154a

Banks and Banking, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Definitions

As used in this section: (1) Permanent capital

(2)Stock

The term “stock” means voting and nonvoting stock (including preferred stock), equivalent contributions to a guaranty fund, participation certificates, allocated equities, and other forms and types of equities.

(b)Adoption of bylaws

Subject to approval by shareholders under subsection (c)(2), each bank and association shall adopt bylaws, developed by its board of directors, that provide for the capitalization of the institution in accordance with subsection (c)(1).

(c)Requirements of bylaws

(1)In general

Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the bylaws adopted under subsection (b)—

(A)shall provide for such classes, par value, and amounts of the stock of the institution, the manner in which such stock shall be issued, transferred, and retired, and the payment of dividends and patronage refunds, as determined appropriate by the Board of Directors, subject to this section;

(B)may provide for the charging of loan origination fees as determined appropriate by the Board of Directors;

(C)shall enable the institution to meet the capital adequacy standards established under the regulations issued under section 2154(a) of this title;

(D)shall provide for the issuance of voting stock, which may only be held by—

(i)borrowers who are farmers, ranchers, or producers or harvesters of aquatic products, and cooperative associations eligible to borrow from System institutions under this chapter;

(ii)persons and entities eligible to borrow from the banks for cooperatives, as described in section 2124(c)(ii) of this title;

(iii)in the case of a Central Bank for Cooperatives, other banks for cooperatives; and

(iv)in the case of banks other than banks for cooperatives, System associations;

(E)shall require that—

(i)as a condition of borrowing from or through the institution, any borrower who is entitled to hold voting stock or participation certificates shall, at the time a loan is made, acquire voting stock or participation certificates in an amount not less than $1,000 or 2 percent of the amount of the loan, whichever is less; and

(ii)within 2 years after the loan of a borrower is repaid in full, any voting stock held by the borrower be converted to nonvoting stock;

(F)may provide that persons who are not borrowers from the institution may hold nonvoting stock of the institution;

(G)shall require that any holder of voting stock issued before the adoption of bylaws under this section exchange a portion of such stock for new voting stock;

(H)do not need to provide for maximum or minimum standards of borrower stock ownership based on a percentage of the loan of the borrower, except as otherwise provided in this section;

(I)shall permit the retirement of stock at the discretion of the institution if the institution meets the capital adequacy standards established under section 2154(a) of this title; and

(J)shall permit stock to be transferable.

(2)Effective date

The bylaws adopted by the board of directors of a System institution under subsection (b) shall take effect only on approval of a majority of the stockholders of such institution present and voting, or voting by written proxy, at a duly authorized stockholders’ meeting.

(d)Reduction of capital

(1)General rule

Except as provided in paragraph (2), the board of directors of a System institution may not reduce the permanent capital of the institution through the payment of patronage refunds or dividends, or the retirement of stock if, after or due to such action, the permanent capital of the institution would thereafter fail to meet the minimum capital adequacy standards established under section 2154(a) of this title.

(2)Exceptions

Paragraph (1) shall not apply to the payment of noncash patronage refunds by any institution exempt from Federal income tax if the entire refund paid qualifies as permanent capital. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), any System institution subject to Federal income tax may pay patronage refunds partially in cash as long as the cash portion of the refund is the minimum amount required to qualify the refund as a deductible patronage distribution for Federal income tax purposes and the remaining portion of the refund paid qualifies as permanent capital.

(e)Compliance

The Farm Credit Administration may issue a directive that requires compliance with subsection (d), to the board of directors of any System institution that fails to comply therewith.

(f)Loans designated for sale or sold into secondary market

(1)In general

Subject to paragraph (2) and notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the bylaws adopted by a bank or association under subsection (b) may provide—

(A)in the case of a loan made on or after February 10, 1996, that is designated, at the time the loan is made, for sale into a secondary market, that no voting stock or participation certificate purchase requirement shall apply to the borrower for the loan; and

(B)in the case of a loan made before February 10, 1996, that is sold into a secondary market, that all outstanding voting stock or participation certificates held by the borrower with respect to the loan shall, subject to subsection (d)(1), be retired.

(2)Applicability

Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in the case of a loan sold to a secondary market under subchapter VIII, paragraph (1) shall apply regardless of whether the bank or association retains a subordinated participation interest in a loan or pool of loans or contributes to a cash reserve.

(3)Exception

(A)In general

Subject to subparagraph (B) and notwithstanding any other provision of this section, if a loan designated for sale under paragraph (1)(A) is not sold into a secondary market during the 180-day period that begins on the date of the designation, the voting stock or participation certificate purchase requirement that would otherwise apply to the loan in the absence of a bylaw provision described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be effective.

(B)Retirement

The bylaws adopted by a bank or association under subsection (b) may provide that if a loan described in subparagraph (A) is sold into a secondary market after the end of the 180-day period described in the subparagraph, all outstanding voting stock or participation certificates held by the borrower with respect to the loan shall, subject to subsection (d)(1), be retired.

(g)Construction

This section shall not be construed to affect the provisions of this chapter that confer on System institutions a lien on borrower stock or other equities and the privilege to retire or cancel such stock or other equities for application against the indebtedness on a defaulted or restructured loan.

(h)Controlling authority

To the extent that any provision of this section is inconsistent with any other provision of this chapter (other than section 2162 of this title), the provision of this section shall control.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 made identical

Amendments

to this section. The

Amendments

by Pub. L. 110–234 were repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (c)(1)(D)(ii) to (iv). Pub. L. 110–246, § 5403(b), added cl. (ii) and redesignated former cls. (ii) and (iii) as (iii) and (iv), respectively. 1996—Subsecs. (f) to (h). Pub. L. 104–105 added subsec. (f) and redesignated former subsecs. (f) and (g) as (g) and (h), respectively. 1992—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 102–552 amended par. (1) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (1) read as follows: “The term ‘permanent capital’ means current year retained earnings, allocated and unallocated earnings, all surplus (less allowances for losses), and stock issued by a System institution, except stock that— “(A) may be retired by the holder thereof on repayment of the holder’s loan, or otherwise at the option or request of the holder; or “(B) is protected under section 2162 of this title or is otherwise not at risk.” 1988—Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 100–399, § 301(b), substituted “section 2162 of this title” for “section 4.9B”. Subsec. (c)(1)(D)(i). Pub. L. 100–399, § 301(c)(1), substituted “producers or” for “producers, or”. Subsec. (c)(1)(G). Pub. L. 100–399, § 301(c)(2), substituted “voting stock issued” for “stock issued”. Subsec. (c)(1)(H). Pub. L. 100–399, § 301(d), inserted “, except as otherwise provided in this section” after “the borrower”. Subsec. (c)(1)(I). Pub. L. 100–399, § 301(e), struck out “standards issued under” after “established under”. Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 100–399, § 301(f), struck out “and in section 2162 of this title” after “paragraph (2)” and “or allocated equities” after “retirement of stock”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2008 AmendmentAmendment of this section and repeal of Pub. L. 110–234 by Pub. L. 110–246 effective May 22, 2008, the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–234, see section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 8701 of Title 7, Agriculture.

Effective Date

of 1988 AmendmentAmendment 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 this title.

§2154a Capitalization of System Institutions

Summary

Title 12, §2154a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Amendments

Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Effective Date

Effective Date

Citations & Metadata