A. In general. Drought and Disaster (D&D) guaranteed loans are authorized by section 331 (“Disaster Assistance for Rural Business Enterprises”) of the Disaster Assistance Act of 1988, which provides for guarantees of up to 90 percent of the unpaid principal amount of qualifying loans. Interest and protective advances are not covered by the guarantee. Drought and Disaster Guaranteed Loans may be either to assist in alleviating financial distress caused to rural business entities, directly or indirectly, by drought, hail, excessive moisture, or related conditions occurring in 1988, or to assist such entities that refinance or restructure debt as a result of losses incurred, directly or indirectly, because of such natural disasters. Where used in this appendix, the term “natural disaster(s)” refers only to drought, hail, excessive moisture, and related conditions occurring in 1988. All provisions of Subparts A and E of Part 1980 of this chapter apply to D&D loans, except as provided in this appendix. All forms used in connection with a D&D loan will be those used in connection with a B&I guaranteed loan, except for the following three forms that are incorporated in this Appendix I of this Subpart E, made a part hereof:

(1) Form FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 1980-68, “Lender's Agreement—Drought and Disaster Guaranteed Loans,” or successor form will be used instead of Form FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 449-35, “Lender's Agreement.”

(2) Form FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 1980-69, “Loan Note Guarantee—Drought and Disaster Guaranteed Loans,” or successor form will be used instead of Form FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 449-34, “Loan Note Guarantee.”

(3) Form FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 1980-70, “Assignment Guarantee Agreement—Drought and Disaster Guaranteed Loans,” or successor form will be used instead of Form FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 449-36, “Assignment Guarantee Agreement.”

B. Loan purpose. Except for §§1980.411(a)(11), 1980.412, and section C., below, loan procees may be used for purposes described in §1980.411(a) if such use of loan proceeds will assist in alleviating financial distress caused, directly or indirectly, by drought, hail, excessive moisture, or related conditions which occurred in 1988. In lieu of the debt refinancing requirements in §1980.411(a)(11), the following refinancing requirements apply to D&D loans. Loan proceeds to be used for refinancing must be used solely for refinancing or restructuring of debts as a result of losses incurred, directly or indirectly, as a result of drought, hail, excessive moisture, or related condition occurring in 1988, and such refinancing or restructuring of debt(s) must be essential for the borrower to meet its financial obligations in a timely fashion. In addition, D&D loan proceeds may be used for hotels, motels, tourist or recreation facilities which meet the eligibility requirements for D&D guaranteed loans.

C. Ineligible loan purposes. See §1980.412. Except for hotels, motels, tourist and recreation facilities mentioned in section B of this appendix, purposes listed as ineligible B&I loan purposes are ineligible D&D loan purposes. In addition, D&D guaranteed loans may not be used for:

(1) Business expansion, acquisition of real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory, other goods or services, or for any other purpose unless related directly to the financial distress or loss that is the basis for the D&D guaranteed loan.

(2) Any eligible agricultural production purpose if annual tillage of the soil is involved.

(3) Refinancing or restructuring debt(s) which are or were in payment default more than 60 consecutive days during the 12 months preceding the date of the adverse financial effect of the natural disaster of 1988 upon the borrower.

D. Transactions which will not be guaranteed. In addition to transactions listed in §1980.413, Rural Development will not guarantee:

(1) D&D guaranteed loan(s) to any borrower if the total cumulative principal amount of D&D guaranteed loan(s) to that borrower would exceed $500,000, or

(2) Any D&D guaranteed loan if the completed application is not received by Rural Developmenton or before September 30, 1991.

E. Borrower equity requirements. See §1980.441. In lieu of the borrower equity requirements in §1980.441, paragraphs (a) and (b), the following applies to D&D loans. Tangibles balance sheet equity must be positive when the Loan Note Guarantee is issued. Equity must be such that, when considered with other credit factors, repayment of the loan and the continued success of the business operation are reasonably assured. Requirements of §1980.441(c) apply to D&D guaranteed loans.

F. Filing and processing preapplications and applications. See §1980.451. All requirements of §1980.451 remain in effect. But, in addition to the information required as part of a preapplication under §1980.451(f), and unless previously submitted, as a part of an application under §1980.451(i) evidence is required which demonstrates:

(1) The causal relationship between a 1988 natural disaster and the financial distress or loss upon which the preapplication or application is based; and,

(2) That the amount of the loan requested is not greater than the amount necessary for curing the problems caused by the natural disaster. Financial distress or loss shall be determined on the basis of a comparison of financial data for comparable periods of time and need not necessarily be based on data at the year's end. Evidence submitted may include, but is not limited to, the following:

(a) Evidence of financial loss or distress (including loss or distress caused by business interruption) resulting from physical damage caused by natural disaster, or

(b) Evidence that the financial loss and/or distress of the business is the direct or indirect result of loss of sales, business interruption, loss of markets, shortage of raw materials, or decline in patronage or customers caused by a natural disaster. It must be shown that business operations were damaged as a result of such natural disaster.

G. Loan guarantee limit. See §1980.20 of Subpart A. The maximum loss covered by the Loan Note Guarantee, Form FmHA or its successor agency under Public Law 103-354 1980-69, can never exceed the percentage of guarantee multiplied by the unpaid principal amount of the loan as evidenced by the note(s) or by assumption agreement(s). Interest, capitalized interest, and protective advances are not covered by the guarantee of a D&D loan.

H. Percentage of guarantee. See §1980.420. The maximum percentage of guarantee on a D&D loan is 90 percent of the unpaid principal.

I. Lender's existing unguaranteed exposure. The provisions of §1980.452 Administrative C. 1(d) do not apply.

J. No direct or “insured” loans. Sections 1980.423(b), 1980.488(b), 1980.481, 1980.411(b), and other provisions of this subpart dealing with “insured” or direct loans do not apply to D&D loans. All D&D loans are Rural Development guaranteed loans. Rural Development has no authority to make D&D loans directly to borrowers.

[54 FR 5, Jan. 3, 1989, as amended at 54 FR 14792, Apr. 13, 1989; 54 FR 26946, June 27, 1989; 80 FR 9911, Feb. 24, 2015]