§ 830-50 — Specialized Livestock Guarantee Program

(a) The Authority is authorized to issue State Guarantees to lenders for loans to finance or refinance debts for specialized livestock operations that are or will be located in Illinois. For purposes of this Section, a "specialized livestock operation" includes, but is not limited to, dairy, beef, and swine enterprises. For purposes of this Section, a specialized livestock operation also includes livestock operations using anaerobic digestors to generate electricity. (b) Lenders shall apply for the State Guarantees on forms provided by the Authority and certify that the application and any other documents submitted are true and correct. The lender or borrower, or both in combination, shall pay an administrative fee as determined by the Authority. The applicant shall be responsible for paying any fee or charge involved in recording mortgages, releases, financing statements, insurance for secondary market issues, and any other similar fee or charge that the Authority may require. The application shall, at a minimum, contain the farmer's name, address, present credit and financial information, including cash flow statements, financial statements, balance sheets, and any other information pertinent to the application, and the collateral to be used to secure the State Guarantee. In addition, the borrower must certify to the Authority that, at the time the State Guarantee is provided, the borrower will not be delinquent in the repayment of any debt. The lender must agree to charge a fixed or adjustable interest rate that the Authority determines to be below the market rate of interest generally available to the borrower. If both the lender and applicant agree, the interest rate on the State guaranteed loan can be converted to a fixed interest rate at any time during the term of the loan. (c) State Guarantees provided under this Section (i) shall not exceed $1,000,000 per applicant, (ii) shall be no longer than 15 years in duration, and (iii) shall be subject to an annual review and renewal by the lender and the Authority. An applicant may use this program more than once, provided that the aggregate principal amount of State Guarantees under this Section to that applicant does not exceed $1,000,000. A State Guarantee shall not be revoked by the Authority without a 90-day notice, in writing, to all parties. (d) The Authority shall provide or renew a State Guarantee to a lender if: (i) The lender pays a fee equal to 25 basis points on the loan to the Authority on an annual basis. (ii) The application provides collateral acceptable to the Authority that is at least equal to the State Guarantee. (iii) The lender assumes all responsibility and costs for pursuing legal action on collecting any loan that is delinquent or in default. (iv) The lender is at risk for the first 15% of the outstanding principal of the note for which the State Guarantee is provided. (e) The Illinois Agricultural Loan Guarantee Fund and the Illinois Farmer and Agribusiness Loan Guarantee Fund may be used to secure State Guarantees issued under this Section as provided in Section 830-30 and Section 830-35, respectively. (f) Notwithstanding the provisions of this Section 830-50 with respect to the specialized livestock operations and lenders who may obtain State Guarantees, the Authority may promulgate rules establishing the eligibility of specialized livestock operations and lenders to participate in the State Guarantee program and the terms, standards, and procedures that will apply, when the Authority finds that emergency conditions in Illinois agriculture have created the need for State Guarantees pursuant to terms, standards, and procedures other than those specified in this Section.

Legislative History

(Source: P.A. 95-697, eff. 11-6-07; 96-897, eff. 5-24-10.)