(a) Full, unconditional personal and/or corporate guarantees for the full term of the loan are required from those owning 20 percent or more interest in the borrower, where legally permissible, unless the Agency grants an exception. The Agency may grant an exception for existing businesses only when the lender requests it and documents to the Agency's satisfaction that collateral, equity, cash flow and profitability indicate an above-average ability to repay the loan. Partial guarantees for the full term of the loan at least equal to each owner's percentage of interest in the borrower times the loan amount may be required in lieu of full, unconditional guarantees when the guarantors' percentages equal 100 percent so that the loan is fully guaranteed.

(b) When warranted by an Agency assessment of potential financial risk, the Agency may require the following:

(1) Guarantees to be secured;

(2) Guarantees of parent, subsidiaries, or affiliated companies owning less than a 20 percent interest in the borrower; and

(3) Guarantees from persons whose ownership interest in the borrower is held indirectly through intermediate entities.

(c) All personal and corporate guarantors must execute Form RD 4279-14, “Unconditional Guarantee,” and any guarantee form required by the lender. The Agency will retain the original, executed Form RD 4279-14.

(1) Any amounts paid by the Agency on behalf of an Agency guaranteed loan borrower will constitute a Federal debt owed to the Agency by the guaranteed loan borrower.

(2) Any amounts paid by the Agency pursuant to a claim by a guaranteed program lender will constitute a Federal debt owed to the Agency by a guarantor of the loan, to the extent of the amount of the guarantor's guarantee.

(3) In all instances under paragraphs (c)(1) and (2) of this section, interest charges will be assessed in accordance with 7 CFR 1951.133.