Source:  USDA, 5/3/10

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) today announced interest rates for May 2010. The CCC borrowing rate-based charge for May 2010 is 0.500 percent, up from 0.375 percent in April 2010. For 1996 and subsequent crop year commodity and marketing assistance loans, the interest rate for loans disbursed during May 2010 is 1.500 percent, up from 1.375 percent in April 2010.

In accordance with the 2008 Farm Bill, interest rates for Farm Storage Facility Loans approved for May 2010 are as follows - 3.250 percent with seven-year loan terms, up from 3.125 in April 2010, 3.875 percent with 10-year loan terms, up from 3.625 in April 2010, and 4.125 percent with 12-year loan terms, up from 4.000 percent in April 2010. The interest rate for Sugar Storage Facility Loans for May 2010 is 4.375 percent, up from 4.250 in April 2010.

The maximum discount rate applicable for May 2010 for the Tobacco Transition Payment Program is 5 percent, unchanged from April 2010. This is based on the 3.250 percent prime rate plus 2 percent, rounded to the nearest whole number.

Past monthly releases announcing interest rates charged by CCC on commodity and marketing assistance loans disbursed for that particular month reflect the interest rate the U.S. Treasury charged CCC for that month. This was the interest rate specified by CCC since Jan. 1, 1982, but the process of establishing the interest rate was changed by a provision of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (the Act), enacted on April 4, 1996.

Section 163 of the Act requires that monthly interest rates applicable to commodity and marketing assistance loans are to be 100 basis points - or 1 percent - greater than the rate determined under the applicable interest rate formula in effect on Oct. 1, 1995. This formula resulted in a rate equivalent to the amount the U.S. Treasury charged CCC for borrowing, for the month.