86 STAT. ]
PUBLIC LAW 92-424-SEPT. 19, 1972
than $3,5()() at any one time, to any low-income rural family where, in the judgment of the Director, such financial assistance has a reasonable possibility of effecting a permanent increase in the income of such families, or will contribute to the improvement of their living or housing conditions, by assisting or permitting them to— "(1) acquire or improve real estate or reduce encumbrances oierect improvements thereon; " (2) operate or improve the operation of farms not larger than family sized, including but not limited to the purchase of feed, seed, fertilizer, livestock, poultry, and equipment; or •'(3) participate in cooperative associations, or to finance nonagricultural enterprises which will enable such families to supplement their income, •'(b) The Director is authorized to provide financial assistance to local cooperative associations in rural areas containing concentrations nv substantial numbers of low-income persons for the purpose of defraying all or part of the costs of establishing and operating cooperative programs for farming, purchasing, marketing, processing, and to improve their income as producers and their purchasing power as consumers, and to provide such essentials as credit and health services. Costs which may be defrayed shall include but not be limited to— "(1) administrative costs of staff and overhead; "(2) costs of planning and developing new enterprises; •' (3) costs of acquiring technical assistance; and •' (4) initial capital where it is determined by the Director that the poverty of the families participating in the program and the social conditions of the rural area require such assistance. ((LIMFTATIONS ON ASSISTANCE 723. (a) Xo financial assistance shall be provided under this pa it unless the Director determines that— "(1) any cooperative association receiving assistance has n minimum of fifteen active members, a majority of which are lowincome rural persons;
- '(2) adequate technical assistance is made available and committed to the programs being supported;
"(3) such financial assistance will materially further the purposes of this part; and " (4) the applicant is fulfilling or will fulfill a need for service?^, supplies, or facilities which is otherwise not being met. "(b) The level of financial assistance for related purposes under this Act to the area served by a program under this part shall not b«' diminished in order to substitute funds authorized by this part. ••SEC.
" P A R T C—SUPPORT PROGRAMS "TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
"SEC. 731. (a) The Director shall provide directly or through grants, contracts, or other arrangements such technical assistance and training of personnel as may be required to effectively implement the purposes of this title. No financial assistance shall be provided to any public or private organization under this section unless the Director provides the beneficiaries of these services with opportunity to participate in the selection of and to review the quality and utility of the services furnished them by such organization. " (b) Technical assistance to community development corporations and both urban and rural cooperatives may include planning, management, legal, preparation of feasibility studies, product development.
701
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