---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 U.S.C. § 6616"
title: "7"
title_heading: "Agriculture"
number: "6616"
heading: "Loans to economically disadvantaged rural communities"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/7/6616"
units:
  - "Chapter 95 — Rural Revitalization Through Forestry"
  - "Subchapter II — National Forest-Dependent Rural Communities"
---

# §6616. Loans to economically disadvantaged rural communities

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/7/6612.md?p=4), under such terms and conditions as the [Secretary](/usc/7/6612.md?p=4) shall establish, may make loans to [economically disadvantaged](/usc/7/6612.md?p=2) [rural communities](/usc/7/6612.md?p=3) for the purposes of securing technical assistance and services to aid in the development and implementation of action plans, including planning for—
  - (1) improving existing facilities in the community that may generate [employment](/usc/7/499a.md?p=b-10) or revenue;
  - (2) expanding existing infrastructure, facilities, and services to capitalize on opportunities to diversify economies now dependent on National Forest System land resources; and
  - (3) supporting the development of new industries or commercial ventures unrelated to National Forest System land resources.
- (b) **Interest rates—** The interest rates on a loan made pursuant to this section shall be as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6612.md?p=4), but not in excess of the current average [market](/usc/7/198.md?p=1) yield on outstanding marketable obligations of the United States with remaining periods to maturity comparable to the maturity of such loan, plus not to exceed 1 percent, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/7/6612.md?p=4), and rounded to the nearest one-eighth of 1 percent.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 101–624, title XXIII, § 2378, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4048; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(3) [title III, § 345(f)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1535, 1501A–204.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1999—Subsec. (a)(2), (3). Pub. L. 106–113 substituted “National Forest System land resources” for “national forest resources”.