Title 7 — AgricultureRelease 119-73not60

§2008e Prohibition Under Rural Development Programs

Title 7 › Chapter 50— AGRICULTURAL CREDIT › Subchapter IV— ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › § 2008e

Last updated Apr 3, 2026|Official source

Summary

If you get help from rural development programs run by agencies like the Rural Development Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Rural Electrification Administration, or other USDA offices, you cannot be forced to take electric service from any particular utility, supplier, or cooperative. The Secretary must write rules to stop this. The rules must include checks like regular certifications and audits and penalties for people who break or try to break the rule. The Secretary had to issue interim final rules within 6 months after November 1, 1993.

Full Legal Text

Title 7, §2008e

Agriculture — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Assistance under any rural development program administered by the Rural Development Administration, the Farmers Home Administration, the Rural Electrification Administration, or any other agency of the Department of Agriculture shall not be conditioned on any requirement that the recipient of such assistance accept or receive electric service from any particular utility, supplier, or cooperative.

(b)The Secretary shall establish, by regulation, adequate safeguards to ensure that assistance under such rural development programs is not subject to such a condition. Such safeguards shall include periodic certifications and audits, and appropriate measures and sanctions against any person violating, or attempting to violate, the prohibition in subsection (a).

(c)Not later than 6 months after November 1, 1993, the Secretary shall issue interim final regulations to ensure compliance with subsection (a).

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

7 U.S.C. § 2008e

Title 7 — Agriculture

Last Updated

Apr 3, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60