I 

115TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 4513 

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act to alter and 

expand eligibility for farm ownership loans by modifying the 3-year 

experience requirement. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 1, 2017 

Mrs. BUSTOS (for herself and Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania) introduced the 

following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 

Act to alter and expand eligibility for farm ownership 

loans by modifying the 3-year experience requirement. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Farmers of Tomorrow 

5 Act’’. 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
2 

•HR 4513 IH

1 SEC. 2. MODIFICATION OF THE 3-YEAR EXPERIENCE RE2 QUIREMENT FOR PURPOSES OF ELIGIBILITY 

3 FOR FARM OWNERSHIP LOANS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 302(b) of the Consoli5 dated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 

6 1922(b)) is amended— 

7 (1) in paragraph (1)— 

8 (A) by striking ‘‘(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘(5)’’; 

9 and 

10 (B) by inserting ‘‘(not exceeding 2 years)’’ 

11 after ‘‘period of time’’; and 

12 (2) by redesignating paragraphs (2) and (3) as 

13 paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively, and inserting 

14 after paragraph (1) the following: 

15 ‘‘(2) OTHER ACCEPTABLE EXPERIENCE.—In 

16 determining whether a farmer or rancher has other 

17 acceptable experience under paragraph (1), the Sec18 retary may count any of the following: 

19 ‘‘(A) at least 16 hours of post-secondary 

20 education in a field related to agriculture; 

21 ‘‘(B) successful completion of a farm man22 agement curriculum offered by the Cooperative 

23 Extension Service, a community college, an 

24 adult vocational agriculture program, a non25 profit organization, or a land grant university; 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
3 

•HR 4513 IH

1 ‘‘(C) at least 1 year of direct substantive 

2 management experience in a business; 

3 ‘‘(D) an honorable discharge from the 

4 armed forces of the United States; 

5 ‘‘(E) successful repayment of a youth loan 

6 made under section 311(b); 

7 ‘‘(F) at least 1 year as hired farm labor 

8 with substantial management responsibilities; 

9 ‘‘(G) successful completion of a farm 

10 mentorship, apprenticeship, or internship pro11 gram with an emphasis on management re12 quirements and day-to-day farm management 

13 decisions; 

14 ‘‘(H) an established relationship with an 

15 individual participating as a counselor in a 

16 Service Corps of Retired Executives program 

17 authorized under section 8(b)(1)(B) of the 

18 Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)), 

19 or with a local farm or ranch operator or orga20 nization, approved by the Secretary, that is 

21 committed to mentoring the farmer or rancher; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(I) successful completion of a military 

24 leadership course. 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS
4 

•HR 4513 IH

1 ‘‘(3) DEEMING RULE.—For purposes of para2 graph (1), a farmer or rancher is deemed to have 

3 participated in the business operations of a farm or 

4 ranch for not less than 3 years or have other accept5 able experience for a period of time, as determined 

6 by the Secretary, if the farmer or rancher meets the 

7 requirements of subparagraphs (F), (H), and (I) of 

8 paragraph (2).’’. 

9 (b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 

10 310D(a)(2) of such Act (7 U.S.C. 1934(a)(2)) is amended 

11 by striking ‘‘paragraphs (2) through (4) of section 302’’ 

12 and inserting ‘‘subparagraphs (A) through (D) of section 

13 302(a)(1)’’. 

Æ 


dlhill on DSK3GLQ082PROD with BILLS