Borrower Rights

What to Do If You Believe Your Rights Have Been Violated

Should You Contact FCA?

As an FCS borrower, you have the following rights:

To know the current effective rate of interest on your loan by the date it closes
To be informed that you are required to purchase at-risk stock in your FCS institution
To receive copies of all the documents you have signed by the time the loan closes
To be informed promptly as to whether your loan application has been accepted, reduced, or denied
To be informed of your right to request restructuring for your loan if you cannot meet current payments
To have first refusal when your FCS institution decides to sell any agricultural property it has acquired from you

Please note that these rights do not extend to agricultural cooperatives that borrow from an FCS institution.

What to Do If You Believe Your Rights Have Been Violated
If you believe your rights have been violated, you should inform the institution and make a good faith effort to resolve the problem.

If this fails, you may wish to seek legal counsel. Some states have loan mediation programs certified by the Secretary of Agriculture. If you initiate mediation through one of these programs, your institution is required to cooperate with requests for information and to consider debt restructuring proposals.

Should You Contact FCA?
FCA does not have the authority to interfere in the management or business decisions of an FCS institution unless Federal law or regulations have been violated or unless the decisions affect the safety and soundness of the institution. We do not mediate disputes between borrowers and FCS institutions.

However, if you feel an institution has broken a statute or regulation or has made a decision compromising the safety and soundness of the institution, please contact FCA and provide the following information in writing:

Name(s) of the borrower(s)
Loan number(s)
Name and address of the lending institution servicing the loan
The specific allegation of statutory or regulatory violation, including dates
Other supporting documentation

Send your correspondence to

Director
Office of Congressional and Public Affairs
Farm Credit Administration
1501 Farm Credit Drive
McLean, VA 22102-5090