General definitions. The following definitions are applicable to the terms used in this subpart:

Agency. The Federal agency within the USDA with responsibility assigned by the Secretary of Agriculture to administer IRP. At the time of publication of this rule, that Agency was the Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS).

Agency IRP loan funds. Cash proceeds of a loan obtained from the Agency through IRP, including the portion of an IRP revolving fund directly provided by the Agency IRP loan.

Agricultural production or agriculture production. The cultivation, production, growing, raising, feeding, housing, breeding, hatching, or managing of crops, plants, animals, or birds, either for fiber, food for human consumption, or livestock feed.

Conflict of interest. A situation in which a person or entity has competing personal, professional, or financial interests that make it difficult for the person or business to act impartially. Regarding use of both grant and matching funds, Federal procurement standards prohibit transactions that involve a real or apparent conflict of interest for owners, employees, officers, agents, their immediate family members, partners, or an organization which is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, having a financial or other interest in or tangible personal benefit from the outcome of the project; or that restrict open and free competition for unrestrained trade. Specifically, project funds may not be used for services or goods going to, or coming from, a person or entity with a real or apparent conflict of interest, including, but not limited to, owner(s) and their immediate family members.

Initial Agency IRP loan. The first IRP loan made by the Agency to an intermediary.

Intermediary. The entity requesting or receiving Agency IRP loan funds for establishing a revolving fund and relending to ultimate recipients.

IRP revolving fund. A group of assets, obtained through or related to an Agency IRP loan and recorded by the intermediary in a bookkeeping account or set of accounts and accounted for, along with related liabilities, revenues, and expenses, as an entity or enterprise separate from the intermediary's other assets and financial activities.

Principals of intermediary. Members, officers, directors, and other individuals or entities directly involved in the operation and management (including setting policy) of an intermediary.

Processing office or officer. The processing office for an IRP application is the office within the Agency administrative organization with assigned authority and responsibility to process the application. The processing office is the primary contact for the proposed intermediary and maintains the official application case file. The processing officer for an application is the person in charge of the processing office. The processing officer is responsible for ensuring that all regulations and Agency procedures are complied with in regard to applications under the office's jurisdiction.

Revolved funds. The cash portion of an IRP revolving fund that is not composed of Agency loan funds, including funds that are repayments of Agency IRP loans and including fees and interest collected on such loans.

Rural or rural area. As described in 7 U.S.C. 1991(a)(13), as amended.

Servicing office or officer. The servicing office for an IRP loan is the office within the Agency administrative organization with assigned authority and responsibility to service the loan. The servicing office is the primary contact for the borrower and maintains the official case file after the loan is closed. The servicing officer for a loan is the person in charge of the servicing office. The servicing officer is responsible for ensuring that all regulations and Agency procedures are complied with in regard to loans under the office's jurisdiction.

State. Any of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Statewide Nonmetropolitan Median Household Income (SNMHI). Median household income of the State's nonmetropolitan counties and portions of metropolitan counties outside of cities, towns or places of 50,000 or more population.

Subsequent IRP loan. An IRP loan from the Agency to an intermediary that has received one or more IRP loans previously.

Technical assistance. A function performed for the benefit of an ultimate recipient or proposed ultimate recipient, which is a problem solving activity. The Agency will determine whether a specific activity qualifies as technical assistance.

Ultimate recipient. An entity or individual that receives a loan from an intermediary's IRP revolving fund.

Underrepresented group. U.S. citizens with identifiable common characteristics, that have not received IRP assistance or have received a lower percentage of total IRP dollars than the percentage they represent of the general population.

United States. The 50 States of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands of the United States, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Abbreviations. The following are applicable to this subpart: