,,ii  #aahth ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 #ecch  ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of     
,,the ,,united ,,states  ,november #ah1 
#bjbd,mr4 ,welch introduced the         
following bill2 which was read twice and
 referred to the ,committee on          
,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry 
,a ,,bill  ,to amend the ,consolidated  
,farm and ,rural ,development ,act to   
modify the experience requirement for   
direct farm ownership loans1 eliminate  
the #aj-year limitation on direct farm  
ownership loans1 allow direct loans to  
be used for refinancing indebtedness1   
increase the lifetime limitation on debt
 forgiveness per borrower1 and provide  
flexibility with respect to loan fund   
set asides for beginning farmers and    
ranchers1 and for other purposes4  #a4  
,short title ,this ,act may be cited as 
the ,debt ,relief and ,farm ,credit     
,access ,act4  #b4 ,persons eligible for
 direct farm ownership loans ,section   
#cjb7;b7 of the ,consolidated ,farm and 
,rural ,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  

#aibb7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking
 paragraph 7#a7 and inserting the       
following3  7#a7 ,in general ,the       
,secretary may make a direct loan under 
this subtitle only to a farmer or       
rancher who has at least #a year of     
experience substantially participating  
in the management and business          
operations of a farm or ranch1 as       
determined by the ,secretary4  2 and    
7#b7 by striking paragraphs 7#c7 and    
7#d7 and inserting the following3  7#c7 
,waiver authority ,in the case of a     
qualified beginning farmer or rancher1  
the ,secretary may waive the #a-year    
requirement described in paragraph 7#a7 
if the qualified beginning farmer or    
rancher-- 7,a7 has an established       
relationship with an individual who has 
experience in farming or ranching1 or   
with a local farm or ranch operator or  
organization1 approved by the           
,secretary1 that is committed to        
mentoring the qualified beginning farmer
 or rancher2 or  7,b7 has other         

acceptable education or experience for  
an appropriate period of time1 as       
determined by the ,secretary4  4  #c4   
,improvements to certain provisions of  
the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural      
,development ,act  7a7 ,allowed purposes
 of direct loans ,section #cjc7;a77#a7  
of the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural   
,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4         
#aibc7;a77#a77 is amended by striking   
subparagraph 7,e7 and inserting the     
following3  7,e7 refinancing the        
indebtedness of the farmer or rancher1  
if the farmer or rancher-- 7i7 has used 
a direct loan under this subtitle to    
refinance indebtedness not more than #d 
times previously2 and  7ii7 is          
refinancing a debt obtained from a      
creditor other than the ,secretary4  4  
7b7 ,effect of preferred lender         
certification ,section #cci7;d77#d77;,b7
 of the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural  
,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4         
#aihi7;d77#d77;,b77 is amended-- 7#a7 by
 striking institutions to and inserting 

the following3 institutions-- 7i7 to  2 
and  7#b7 in clause 7i7 7as so          
designated7-- 7,a7 by striking          
subsection relating and inserting       
subsection1 relating2  7,b7 by striking 
worthiness1 the and inserting worthiness
 or the2 and  7,c7 by striking          
collection and liquidation of loans1 and
 to and inserting the following3 or     
collection of loans2 and 7ii7 to  4  7c7
 ,lifetime limitation on debt           
forgiveness per borrower ,section       
#cec7o7 of the ,consolidated ,farm and  
,rural ,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4  
#bjja7o77 is amended by striking        
#cjj1jjj and inserting #fjj1jjj4  #d4   
,loan fund set-asides for beginning     
farmers and ranchers ,section           
#cdf7;b77#b7 of the ,consolidated ,farm 
and ,rural ,development ,act 7#g        
,u4,s4,c4 #aiid7;b77#b77 is amended--   
7#a7 in subparagraph 7,a7-- 7,a7 in     
clause 7i77,,ii71 by inserting 1 to the 
extent practicable after ,april #a of   
the fiscal year2 and  7,b7 in clause    

7iii71 by inserting 1 to the extent     
practicable after ,september #a of the  
fiscal year2 and  7#b7 in subparagraph  
7,b77iii71 by inserting 1 to the extent 
practicable after ,april #a of the      
fiscal year4