Organization; Standards of Conduct and Referral of Known or Suspected Criminal Violations; Loan Policies and Operations; Funding and Fiscal Affairs, Loan Policies and Operations, and Funding Operations; Disclosure to Shareholders; Preferred Stock; Effective Date

Résumé

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) published a final rule under parts 611, 612, 614, 615, and 620 on September 13, 2005 (70 FR 53901). This final rule amends our regulations governing preferred stock issued by Farm Credit System (FCS or System) banks, associations, and service corporations. This final rule requires greater board involvement and oversight in the retirement of preferred stock, enhances FCA's current standards of conduct regulations to specifically address insider preferred stock transactions, modifies and streamlines the FCA review and clearance process, and requires disclosure of senior officer and director preferred stock transactions. Lastly, we add a new provision to require FCA prior approval of investments by FCS banks, associations, and service corporations in preferred stock of other System institutions, including the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation. In accordance with 12 U.S.C. 2252, the effective date of the final rule is 30 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register during which either or both Houses of Congress are in session. Based on the records of the sessions of Congress, the effective date of the regulation is November 3, 2