Section 5620 - Scoring CriteriaUpon a determination that an Application meets the minimum requirements pursuant to Section 5610, Applications will be scored based on the following criteria:
(a) Past Program Performance. For each allocation round, programs will be evaluated based on the percentage of the previous year's allocation used by each applicant in comparison to the percentage of the previous year's allocation used by the other applicants in the allocation round.(b) Actual Versus Proposed Average Interest Rate and Loan Amount. For each allocation round, programs will be evaluated and ranked based on each applicant's deviation between the currently proposed and previous year's actual average interest rates, as well as the currently proposed and previous year's actual average loan amount, in comparison to the allocation round's other applicants' proposed and previous year's actual average interest rates and currently proposed and previous year's actual average loan amount.(c) Additional Points. In a competitive application round, additional points will be awarded to Applicants that commit to the goal of providing allocation to Beginning Farmers that provide the following public benefits: (1) Job Creation. A maximum of 20 points will be awarded to programs that use a substantial portion of allocation for programs that will add jobs to local economy (one point per job with a maximum of 20 points). Points will be awarded in the following manner: (A) one (1) point will be awarded for each full time job;(B) part time jobs will receive a tenth of a point, rounded to the nearest tenth of a point, based on the job's full time equivalency.(2) Borrower Preparation. A maximum of 15 points will be awarded to programs that provide a technical assistance component for the following areas:(A) Five (5) points will be awarded to Applicants that make available financial management education and/or training;(B) Five (5) points will be awarded to Applicants that make available land management education and/or training; and/or(C) Five (5) points will be awarded to Applicants that make available resource conservation education and/or training.(D) Evidence of the aforementioned technical assistance program(s) shall be submitted with the application and shall include, but is not limited to, third-party contracts or agreements for the provision of training, training schedules, program curricula and narratives describing the training programs and written assurance of the education/training provider that beginning farmers will be eligible for the education/training for a minimum period of twenty-four (24) months after the beginning farmer's financing is approved by the Applicant.(3) Farm to Fork. Nine (9) points will be awarded to Applicants that use a substantial portion of allocation for programs that establish or enhance farming operations producing edible agricultural commodities for sale and consumption within 200 miles of the farming operations financed by proceeds from a beginning farmer bond. Evidence of the program shall be submitted with the application and shall include, but is not limited to, a description of the program identifying how the program will operate, proposed buyers and sales contracts.(4) Family Farms. Three (3) points will be awarded to Applicants that use a substantial portion of allocation for programs to acquire family farms by beginning farmers (land, breeding livestock and/or equipment/machinery).(5) Under-Represented Borrowers. Three (3) points will be awarded to Applicants that use a substantial portion of allocation for programs designed to facilitate acquisition of farmland, breeding livestock equipment and/or equipment/machinery by veterans, women and/or under-represented populations.Cal. Code Regs. Tit. 4, § 5620
1. New section filed 7-10-2014 as an emergency; operative 7-10-2014 (Register 2014, No. 28). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 1-6-2015 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
2. Certificate of Compliance as to 7-10-2014 order transmitted to OAL 11-26-2014 and filed 1-13-2015 (Register 2015, No. 3). Note: Authority cited: Section 8869.94, Government Code. Reference: Sections 8869.84(c), 8869.85(a) and 8869.85(b), Government Code.
1. New section filed 7-10-2014 as an emergency; operative 7/10/2014 (Register 2014, No. 28). A Certificate of Compliance must be transmitted to OAL by 1-6-2015 or emergency language will be repealed by operation of law on the following day.
2. Certificate of Compliance as to 7-10-2014 order transmitted to OAL 11-26-2014 and filed 1/13/2015 (Register 2015, No. 3).