The corporation shall have all of the powers necessary or convenient to carry out and effectuate the purposes and provisions of KRS § 247.940 to KRS § 247.978 including, but without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the power:
(1) To adopt bylaws for the regulation of its affairs and the conduct of its business and to prescribe rules, administrative regulations, and policies in connection with the performance of its functions and duties;
(2) To review the projects authorized to be financed by KRS § 247.940 to KRS § 247.978 in order to determine the following:
(a) The qualifications of the applicant as a party entitled to financing assistance under the provisions of KRS § 247.940 to KRS § 247.978 and the rules and administrative regulations of the corporation;
(b) The qualifications of the applicant in the areas of experience, training, and financial ability in relation to the project for which assistance is sought and any other areas as the corporation shall determine necessary and desirable in implementing the intent of KRS § 247.940 to KRS § 247.978 in the promotion of agriculture throughout the Commonwealth. Analysis shall include a careful evaluation of character, experience, record, and prospects for sound financial management and sound operation of the project. Financial ability factors to be considered shall include the applicant’s total assets controlled, equity owned, contingent liabilities, history of earnings to date, and repayment capacity, as well as other factors set by the corporation. Consideration may be given to the special needs of beginning farmers;
(c) The economic need for the project in the area based upon general economic conditions and unemployment in the region;
(d) The economic soundness of the project based upon generally accepted cost- benefit methodology; and
(e) Consistency of the project with other policies of the Commonwealth designed to ensure a sustained land base for agriculture including preservation of prime farmland and promotion of soil conservation techniques for protection of farmland;
(3) To issue from time to time bonds, notes, bond anticipation notes, renewal notes, refunding bonds, interim certificates, certificates of indebtedness, debentures, warrants, commercial paper, or other obligations or evidence of indebtedness, hereinafter collectively referred to as “bonds” or “notes,” to provide funds for and to fulfill and achieve its authorized public functions or corporate purposes, as set forth in the provisions of KRS § 247.940 to KRS § 247.978; and in addition to the powers conferred hereunder, to have all the authority delegated to cities and counties pursuant to the provisions of KRS § 103.200 to KRS § 103.285; provided, however, that bonds or notes issued by the corporation shall not be subject to the jurisdiction or approval of the Industrial Revenue Bond Oversight Committee or the State Property and Buildings Commission but shall be subject to the review of the Office of Financial Management in the Office of the Controller within the Finance and
Administration Cabinet;
(4) To make or participate in the making of insured mortgage loans to qualified applicants for the purpose of purchasing agricultural real estate and improvements;
(5) To purchase or participate in the purchase of mortgage loans made to qualified applicants for the purpose of purchasing agricultural real estate and improvements;
(6) To make or participate in the making of loans to qualified applicants for the purpose of purchasing machinery, equipment, and livestock;
(7) To purchase or participate in the purchase of loans to qualified applicants for the purpose of purchasing machinery, equipment, and livestock;
(8) To make or participate in the making or to purchase or participate in the purchase of loans to qualified applicants for the purpose of leasing equipment, introducing new agricultural commodities or enhancing agricultural markets;
(9) To collect and pay reasonable fees and charges in connection with making, purchasing, and servicing its loans, notes, bonds, commitments, and other evidences of indebtedness;
(10) To acquire real and personal property, or any interest therein, by purchase, foreclosure, lease, sublease, or otherwise; to own, manage, and operate real and personal property; to sell, assign, exchange, transfer, convey, lease, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of or encumber real and personal property where necessary or appropriate to the purposes of the corporation subject to the rights of holders of the bonds of the corporation, at public or private sale, with or without public bidding;
(11) To sell, at public or private sale, all or any part of any real estate mortgage or chattel mortgage or other instrument or document securing any loan permitted by KRS
247.940 to 247.978;
(12) To procure insurance against any loss in connection with its operations in the amounts and from any insurers, as it may deem necessary or desirable;
(13) To consent, whenever the corporation deems necessary or desirable in the fulfillment of its corporate purposes, to the modification of interest rates, time of payment of principal or interest, or any other terms of any loan, contract, or agreement of any kind to which the corporation is a party;
(14) To include in any borrowing those amounts deemed necessary by the corporation to pay financing charges, capitalized interest, consultant, advisory, and legal fees and any other expenses necessary or incident to any borrowing;
(15) To make and publish administrative regulations respecting its lending programs and any other rules and regulations as are necessary to effectuate its corporate purposes;
(16) To make, execute, and effectuate any and all agreements or other documents with any governmental agency or any person, corporation, association, partnership, or other organization or entity, necessary to accomplish the purposes of KRS § 247.940 to KRS § 247.978;
(17) To accept gifts, devises, bequests, grants, loans, appropriations, and other assistance and any other aid from any source whatsoever and to agree to and to comply with conditions attached thereto;
(18) To sue and be sued in its own name and in the name of any subsidiary corporation or entity which may be created pursuant to subsection (28) of this section;
(19) To maintain an office in the city of Frankfort and at any other place or places as it may determine;
(20) To employ fiscal consultants, engineers, attorneys, appraisers, and such other agents and employees as may be required in the judgment of the corporation and to fix and pay their compensation from funds available to the corporation therefor;
(21) To invest any funds held in sinking funds, reserve funds, or trust fund accounts or any moneys not required for immediate disbursement by the corporation in:
(a) Obligations of or guaranteed by the Commonwealth, United States of America or their respective agencies and instrumentalities;
(b) Certificates of deposit and other evidences of deposit at state and federal chartered banks and savings and loan associations, fully collateralized as to any principal amount in excess of the amount insured by the United States government or any agency thereof;
(c) A guaranteed investment or similar contract, which provides for the investment of funds at a guaranteed rate of return, with an insurance company or depository financial institution with a claim paying rating of no less than either of the two (2) highest grades given by a nationally recognized rating agency; and
(d) Any other investment authorized by law for the investment of funds of the
Commonwealth;
(22) Subject to the rights of holders of bonds of the corporation, to renegotiate, refinance, or foreclose on any mortgage, security interest, or lien; or commence any action to protect or enforce any right or benefit conferred upon the corporation by any law, mortgage, security interest, lien, contract, or other agreement; and bid for and purchase property at any foreclosure or at any other sale or otherwise acquire or take possession of any property; and in any such event, the corporation may complete, administer, pay the principal of and interest on any obligation incurred in connection with the property, dispose of and otherwise deal with the property in any manner as may be necessary or desirable to protect the interest of the corporation or of holders of its bonds therein;
(23) To insure, coinsure, reinsure, or cause to be insured, coinsured or reinsured, agricultural loans, mortgage loans, or mortgages, or any other type of loans, and pay or receive premiums on insurance, coinsurance, or reinsurance, and establish reserves for losses, and participate in the insurance, coinsurance, or reinsurance of agricultural loans, mortgage loans or mortgages, or any other type of loans with the federal or state government or any private insurance company;
(24) To undertake and carry out or authorize the completion of studies and analyses of agricultural conditions and needs within the Commonwealth and needs relating to the promotion of agricultural exports and ways of meeting the needs, and make the studies and analyses available to the public and to the agricultural industry, and to engage in research or disseminate information on agriculture and agricultural
exports;
(25) To accept federal, state, or private financial or technical assistance and comply with any conditions for assistance, provided that those conditions are not in conflict with the intent of the provisions of KRS § 247.940 to KRS § 247.978;
(26) To purchase, discount, sell, negotiate and guarantee, insure, co-insure and reinsure notes, drafts, checks, bills of exchange, acceptances, bankers’ acceptances, cable transfers, letters of credit, and other evidence of indebtedness;
(27) To serve as the beneficiary of any public trust; and
(28) To create such subsidiary corporations or entities as may be necessary to borrow money, insure or reinsure agricultural loans, or issue bonds.
Effective: June 20, 2005
History: Amended 2005 Ky. Acts ch. 85, sec. 664, effective June 20, 2005. — Amended
2000 Ky. Acts ch. 46, sec. 27, effective July 14, 2000. — Amended 1990 Ky. Acts ch.
440, sec. 3, effective July 13, 1990. — Amended 1988 Ky. Acts ch. 368, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1988. — Created 1984 Ky. Acts ch. 374, sec. 4, effective April 11,
1984.