122D-3. Definitions.

As used in this Chapter, the following terms, unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning, shall have the following meanings:

(1) "Agricultural Loan" means a loan made by a lending institution or by the Authority to any person for the purpose of financing or refinancing land acquisition or improvement; soil conservation; irrigation; construction, renovation or expansion of buildings and facilities; purchase of farm fixtures, livestock, poultry, and fish of any kind; seeds; fertilizers; pesticides; feeds; machinery; equipment; containers or supplies or any other products employed in the production, cultivation, harvesting, storage, marketing, distribution or export of agricultural products.

(2) "Agriculture" means the commercial production, storage, processing, marketing, distribution or export of any agronomic, floricultural, horticultural, viticultural, silvicultural or aquacultural crop including, but not limited to, farm products, livestock and livestock products, poultry and poultry products, milk and dairy products, fruit and other horticultural products, and seafood and aquacultural products.

(3) "Authority" means the North Carolina Agricultural Finance Authority created by this Chapter.

(4) "Bonds" or "notes" means the bonds, notes, renewal notes, refunding bonds, interim certificates, certificates of indebtedness, debentures, warrants, commercial paper, or other obligations or evidences of indebtedness authorized to be issued by the Authority pursuant to the provisions of this Chapter.

(5) "Commissioner" means the North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture.

(6) "Department" means the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

(7) "Federal government" means the United States of America and any agency or instrumentality, corporate or otherwise, of the United States of America.

(8) "Lending institution" means any bank, bank or trust company, federal land bank, production credit association, bank for cooperatives, building and loan association, homestead, insurance company, investment banker, mortgage banker or company, pension or retirement fund, savings bank or savings and loan association, small business investment company, credit union, the federal government or any other financial institution authorized to do business in North Carolina or operating under the supervision of any federal agency or any corporation organized or operating pursuant to Section 25 of the Federal Reserve Act.

(9) "Persons" means any individual, partnership, firm, corporation, company, cooperative, association, society, trust or any other business unit or entity, including any state or federal agency.

(10) "State" means the State of North Carolina or any agency or instrumentality thereof.