(2) Fund programs to forestall immediate 

 foreclosures, such as a debt mediation 

 program. 



(3) Provide programs to assist farmers in dealing 

 with emotional and legal stress. 



The Subcommittee took no action at this meeting on 

 any of these proposals. 



Third Meeting 



->; The third meeting was held on February 21, 1986, in 

 Great Falls. The Subcommittee began this meeting by 

 formally approving a revised study plan for HJR 57 that 

 included the following study issues: 



A. Farm Finance 



(1) Should the state develop a debt restructuring 

 program to help agricultural producers achieve 

 a more manageable debt load? 



(2) Should the state establish an agricultural 



• credit program to help hard-pressed farmers 



and ranchers obtain short-term credit to meet 

 immediate needs for operating capital? (E.g., 

 direct loan program, interest rate buydown 

 program, linked deposit program, guaranteed 

 loan program) 



75 





