[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 14]
[Revised as of January 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1951.102]

[Page 27-28]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
   CHAPTER XVIII--RURAL HOUSING SERVICE, RURAL BUSINESS--COOPERATIVE 
SERVICE, RURAL UTILITIES SERVICE, AND FARM SERVICE AGENCY, DEPARTMENT OF 
                         AGRICULTURE (CONTINUED)
 
PART 1951--SERVICING AND COLLECTIONS--Table of Contents
 
     Subpart C--Offsets of Federal Payments to USDA Agency Borrowers
 
Sec. 1951.102  Administrative offset.

    (a) General. Collections of delinquent debts through administrative 
offset

[[Page 28]]

will be taken in accordance with 7 CFR part 3, subpart B and 
Sec. 1951.106.
    (b) Definitions. In this subpart:
    (1) Agency means Farm Service Agency, Rural Housing Service, Rural 
Utilities Service, and Rural Business-Cooperative Service, or any 
successor agency.
    (2) Contracting officer is any person who, by appointment in 
accordance with applicable regulations, has the authority to enter into 
and administer contracts and make determinations and findings with 
respect thereto. The term also includes the authorized representative of 
the contracting officer, acting within the limits of the 
representative's authority.
    (3) County Committee means the local committee elected by farmers in 
the county, as authorized by the Soil Conservation and Domestic 
Allotment Act and the Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 
1994, to administer FSA programs approved for the county as appropriate.
    (4) Creditor agency means a Federal agency to whom a debtor owes a 
monetary debt. It need not be the same agency that effects the offset.
    (5) Debt management officer means an agency employee responsible for 
collection by administrative offset of debts owed the United States.
    (6) Delinquent means a payment that has not been paid within 30 
calendar days after the due date.
    (7) Entity means a corporation, joint stock company, association, 
general partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, 
irrevocable trust, revocable trust, estate, charitable organization, or 
other similar organization participating in the farming operation.
    (8) FP means Farm Programs.
    (9) FLP means Farm Loan Programs.
    (10) FSA means Farm Service Agency.
    (11) National Appeals Division means the organization within the 
Department of Agriculture that conducts appeals of adverse decisions for 
program participants under the purview of 7 CFR part 11.
    (12) Offsetting agency means an agency that withholds from its 
payment to a debtor an amount owed by the debtor to a creditor agency, 
and transfers the funds to the creditor agency for application to the 
debt.
    (13) Propriety means the offset is feasible. It includes offsetting 
a debtor's payments due any entity in which the debtor participates 
either directly or indirectly equal to the debtor's interest in the 
entity. To be feasible the debt must exist and be 60 days delinquent or 
past due for 90 days or the borrower must be in default of other 
obligations to the Agency, which can be cured by the payment of money.
    (14) Reviewing officer means an agency employee responsible for 
conducting a hearing or documentary review on the existence of debt and 
the propriety of administrative offset in accordance with 7 CFR 3.29. 
FSA District Directors or other State Executive Director designees are 
designated to conduct the hearings or reviews.

[65 FR 50602, Aug. 21, 2000]