The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), an agency of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is issuing a final rule with comment to update the accounting requirements for RUS Electric Program borrowers. These changes include adding new accounts to the Uniform System of Accounts (USoA), deleting obsolete accounts and clarifying instructions and definitions for the new and some existing accounts. In addition, new accounts and general instructions are being added for partially extinguished or forgiven debt.
Comments close Aug 18, 2025
Rural Development's Rural Business-Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), collectively referred to as the Agency in this document, published in the Federal Register on September 30, 2024, a final rule with request for comments. Through this action, the agencies are confirming the final rule as it was published and providing responses to the public comments that were received.
On September 30, 2024, Rural Development's Rural Business- Cooperative Service, Rural Housing Service, and Rural Utilities Service, agencies of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule with comment for the OneRD Guarantee Loan Program (OneRD). The final rule made necessary revisions to the policy and procedures that strengthened the oversight and management of the growing Community Facilities, Water and Waste Disposal, Business and Industry, and Rural Energy for America guarantee portfolios. Following implementation of this final rule, the Agency found that corrections were necessary due to an incorrect definition of affiliate, and a section and sentence that were removed erroneously. This document corrects the final regulation.
The Rural Utilities Service (RUS or the Agency), an agency of the Rural Development (RD) mission area within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), published a final rule with comment in the Federal Register on July 18, 2025, to revise its Accounting Requirements for RUS Electric Borrowers. These changes incorporate the guidance communicated with RUS Bulletin 1767B-1A and include adding new utility plant categories, adding new accounts to the Uniform System of Accounts (USoA), deleting obsolete accounts, and providing clarifying instructions and definitions for the new accounts. These changes provide uniformity and consistency for all RUS awardees. Through this action, RUS is confirming the final rule as it was published.
Rural Development (RD), a mission area within the Department of Agriculture consisting of RHS, RBCS, and RUS, is in the process of reviewing all regulations within its purview to reduce regulatory burdens and costs. Pursuant to this review, RD has identified the provisions in 7 CFR part 1930 as obsolete, unnecessary, and outdated due to lack of substantive material. RD is removing these provisions to streamline and clarify the dictates of title 7.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has independently determined that it will no longer employ the race- and sex-based "socially disadvantaged" designation to provide increased benefits based on race and sex in the programs at issue in this regulation. The USDA has faced a long history of litigation stemming from allegations of discrimination in the administration of its farm loan and benefit programs. However, over the past several decades, USDA has undertaken substantial efforts to redress past injustices, culminating in comprehensive settlements, institutional reforms, and compensatory frameworks. These actions collectively support the conclusion that past discrimination has been sufficiently addressed and that further race- and sex-based remedies are no longer necessary or legally justified under current circumstances.
