Texas Agriculture Code - AGRIC § 58.023. Programs Rules

(a) The board shall adopt rules to establish criteria for determining which eligible agricultural businesses may participate in programs that may be established by the board. The board's rules must state that the policy of the authority is to provide programs for providing financial assistance to eligible agricultural businesses that the board considers to present a reasonable risk and have a sufficient likelihood of repayment. In establishing criteria for participation, the board shall give priority to eligible agricultural businesses that include producers of Texas agricultural products in the ownership of the businesses. The board shall adopt collateral or security requirements to ensure the full repayment of that financial assistance and the solvency of any program implemented under this chapter. The board shall approve any and all extensions of that financial assistance under this chapter, provided that the board may delegate this approval authority to the administrator or the commissioner.

(b) The board shall also adopt rules to establish criteria for lenders that may participate in the programs that may be established by the board.

(c) Eligible agricultural businesses or lenders participating in the authority's programs shall pay the costs of applying for, participating in, and administering and servicing the program, in amounts the board considers reasonable and necessary. The board shall charge an administrative fee for guaranteeing a loan under Subchapter E  1 that may not be less than one percent of the amount of the guaranteed loan. Any costs not paid by the eligible agricultural businesses or lenders shall be paid from the funds of the authority, including those funds established from bond proceeds.

(d) The board by rule shall adopt an agreement to be used between a lender and an approved applicant under which the authority makes a payment from the Texas agricultural fund for the purpose of providing a reduced interest rate on a loan guaranteed to a borrower. The agreement must require the borrower to use the proceeds of the loan for the purposes of the program under which the payment is made. The board shall adopt rules to implement this subsection.