Capital Briefs: Leniency Urged for Ag Lenders in Drought Areas

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. are telling examiners to be lenient with banks that adjust loan terms for borrowers in drought-stricken areas.

In a bulletin sent to national banks and examiners Friday, the Comptroller's Office suggested extending the terms of loan repayment and easing credit-extension criteria for new loans.

"Such cooperative efforts can ease the pressures on troubled borrowers, improve their capacity to service debt, and strengthen the bank's ability to collect on its loans," according to the bulletin.

The FDIC has told examiners that it is appropriate for banks to take "reasonable steps" to help out agricultural borrowers affected by the drought, a spokesman said Friday.

These actions are in the long-term interest of banks, the OCC said, because they will put borrowers in a better position to service their debts.

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