North Dakota Century Code Title 6. Banks and Banking § 6-09-15.5. Bank loans to beginning farmers--Revolving loan fund--Requirements

1. A revolving loan fund must be maintained in the Bank of North Dakota for the purpose of making or participating in loans to North Dakota beginning farmers for the purchase of agricultural real estate, equipment, and livestock. All moneys transferred into the fund, interest upon moneys in the fund, and payments to the fund of principal and interest on loans made from the fund are appropriated for the purpose of providing loans and to supplement the interest rate on loans to beginning farmers made by the Bank of North Dakota under subdivision c of subsection 1 of section 6-09-15 and in accordance with this section.

2. The revolving loan fund and loans made from the fund must be administered and supervised by the Bank of North Dakota. The Bank may deduct a service fee for administering the fund from interest payments received on loans. An application for a loan from the fund must be made to the Bank and, upon approval, a loan must be made from the fund in accordance with this section.

3. A loan made from the fund may not exceed eighty percent of the appraised value of the agricultural collateral, with the actual percentage to be determined by the Bank. The Bank may do all things and acts and may establish additional terms and conditions necessary to make a loan under this section. A loan made from the fund must have a first security interest.

4. A loan made from the fund must have either a fixed rate at one percent below the Bank's then current base for ten years or the interest rate fixed at one percent below the Bank's then current base rate for the first five years with a maximum rate of six percent per year and variable at one percent below the Bank's then current base rate for the second five years and during the second five years, the variable rate must be adjusted annually on the anniversary date. The rate during the remaining term of the loan floats at the Bank's base rate as in effect from time to time.

5. The maximum term of a real estate loan is thirty years. The maximum term of a farm equipment or livestock loan is seven years.

6. The fund must be audited annually pursuant to section 6-09-29, and the cost of the audit and any other actual costs incurred by the Bank on behalf of the fund, must be paid for by the fund.

7. The Bank shall adopt policies to implement this section.

8. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Bank may transfer any unobligated funds between funds that have been appropriated by the legislative assembly for interest buydown in the beginning farmers loan fund and the agriculture partnership in assisting community expansion fund.

9. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Bank may transfer any unobligated funds to the value-added agriculture equity loan program for the purpose of interest buydown on a loan made for investment in a feedlot or dairy operation. Fund transfers under this subsection may not exceed one million dollars during a biennium.