Title 7, AgricultureRelease 119-110
§2008e Prohibition Under Rural Development Programs
Title 7 › CHAPTER 50 — AGRICULTURAL CREDIT › SUBCHAPTER IV — ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS › § 2008e
Summary
People who get aid from any Department of Agriculture rural development program cannot be required to buy electric service from a particular utility, supplier, or cooperative. The Secretary must make rules to protect this, including regular certifications, audits, and penalties to stop violations. Interim final regulations must be issued no later than 6 months after November 1, 1993.
Full Legal Text
Title 7, §2008e
Agriculture, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Prohibition
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)Ensuring compliance
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)Regulations
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
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110