A.  As part of the authority‘s participation in cooperative endeavors, the authority may:

(1)  Loan funds to any person to be expended to acquire, construct, furnish, equip, make necessary improvements to, or purchase land for any agricultural plant which will be occupied by that person, under rules and regulations adopted by the authority.  The loan shall not exceed seventy-five percent of the value of the property offered as security pursuant to a first mortgage.  The minimum execution requirement by the borrower of a note is to be secured by a first mortgage on the property being acquired or constructed and payable to the authority within the time and under the terms and conditions together with additional endorsements as may be required by the authority.

(2)  Loan to any person funds for operating capital, market development, and product inventories under rules and regulations adopted by the authority.  The loan shall not exceed seventy-five percent of the value of the property offered as security pursuant to a first mortgage.  The minimum execution requirement by the borrower of a note or notes is to be secured by a first mortgage on property, including product inventories and accounts receivable from the sale of inventories, under the terms and conditions as may be required by the authority.

(3)  Guarantee funds, on an interim or long-term basis, for an amount to be expended to acquire, construct, furnish, equip, make necessary improvements to, or purchase land for, any agricultural plant for any loan made by any lending institution to any person approved by the authority, provided that whenever the authority guarantees the payment of the loan, the authority shall make and enter into a guarantee agreement with the lending institution and the borrower setting forth the terms and conditions under which the authority is obligated and the extent to which repayment of the loan is guaranteed and secured.  Each loan guaranteed by the authority shall be secured by a first mortgage on property.  Whenever the authority enters into a loan guarantee agreement, the authority may impose and collect an origination fee not to exceed one percent of the amount of the loan guaranteed.

(4)  Guarantee funds, on an interim or long-term basis, to any person for operating capital, market development, and product inventories, under rules and regulations adopted by the authority.  The minimum execution requirement by the borrower of a note or notes is to be secured by a first mortgage on property, including product inventories and accounts receivable from the sale of inventories, under the terms and conditions as may be required by the authority.

(5)  Renegotiate, refinance, or foreclose on any mortgage or commence any action to protect or enforce any right or benefit conferred by any law, mortgage, contract, or other agreement and bid for and purchase such property at any foreclosure or at any other sale or otherwise to acquire or take possession of the property.  In such event, the authority may complete, administer, pay the principal of and interest on any obligation incurred in connection with the property, and dispose of and otherwise deal with such property in such manner as may be desirable or necessary to protect the interest of the authority.

B.  The aggregate of loans and loan guarantees made by the authority under this Section shall not exceed twenty million dollars at any one time.

C.  The authority shall:

(1)  Give priority to persons who utilize Louisiana agricultural products to the maximum extent possible.

(2)  Fix the rate of interest to be charged on every loan at a rate not less than the base federal reserve discount rate.

(3)  Keep records showing from whom any money is received and for what purpose and to whom any money is paid and for what purpose.

(4)  Keep vouchers and receipts for all money disbursed.

D.  The authority shall not loan or guarantee any loan:

(1)  For any applicant who fails to submit all information required by this Section or by rules and regulations of the authority.

(2)  If the amount loaned would result in the property offered as security being burdened with indebtedness in excess of seventy-five percent of the appraised value of the property.

(3)  For any person with any pending or outstanding charge or liability relating to failure or inability to pay promissory notes or other evidence of indebtedness.

(4)  For any person who has presently pending, at the federal, state, or local level, any proceeding concerning the denial or revocation of a necessary license or permit.

(5)  If the proceeds of the loan are to be, or may be, used for consolidation of existing, previous financial obligations.

(6)  To a person in excess of fifty percent of the total funds for loans or guarantees under this Section.

E.  The authority shall not:

(1)  Subordinate its interest, if such subordination shall result in any risk to the authority’s security position.

(2)  Enter into any cooperative endeavor, unless the cooperative endeavor involves the creation of a significant number of new jobs in relation to the amount of participation by the authority.

F.  When requested by the authority, the commissioner may contract with consulting engineers, architects, attorneys, accountants, construction experts, financial experts, and such other persons as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this Section.  Contracts entered into under this Section shall be subject to the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 38:2310 et seq.

G.  The authority shall transmit, at the end of each fiscal year, reports to the House and Senate committees on agriculture, forestry, aquaculture, and rural development, the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance.  The reports shall set forth the cooperative endeavors approved and rejected, the terms, conditions, and status of each loan guarantee entered into in the fiscal year covered by the report, and the status of all loans and guarantees entered into in previous fiscal years.

H.  Repealed by Acts 2012, No. 834, §13, eff. July 1, 2012.

Acts 2009, No. 510, §1, eff. July 10, 2009; Acts 2012, No. 834, §13, eff. July 1, 2012.