Section 285.255 - Powers of authority generallyThe authority shall possess all powers necessary or convenient to carry out this act, including all the following powers and other powers granted by other provisions of this act:
(a) To sue and to be sued; to have a seal and to alter the seal at pleasure; to have perpetual succession; to make and execute contracts and other instruments necessary or convenient to the exercise of the powers of the authority; to hold and possess real and personal property; and to make, amend, and repeal bylaws and rules.(b) To undertake and carry out, in cooperation with other state agencies and local units of government, studies and analyses of family farms and beginning farmers within this state and ways of meeting the needs of family farms and beginning farmers, including data with respect to population and family groups and the distribution of population and family groups according to income, the amount and quality of available agricultural land and its distribution, and other factors affecting family farms and beginning farmers and the meeting of the needs of family farms and beginning farmers; to make the results of those studies and analyses available to the public and the agricultural industry; to engage in research; and disseminate information on farming.(c) To agree and comply with conditions attached to federal financial assistance.(d) To establish and collect fees and charges in connection with the sale of the authority's publications and the authority's loans, commitments, and servicing, including the reimbursement of costs of financing by the authority and service charges; and to use any accumulated fees, charges, and interest income for achieving any of the corporate purposes of the authority, to the extent that the fees, charges, and interest income are not pledged to the repayment of bonds and notes of the authority or the interest on those bonds and notes.(e) To make loans, which are unsecured or the repayments of which are secured by mortgages, security interests, or other forms of security; to participate in making of unsecured or secured loans and undertake commitments to make unsecured or secured loans; to sell mortgages and security interests at public or private sale; to modify or alter mortgages and security interests; to foreclose on a mortgage, security interest, or other form of security; to commence an action to protect or enforce a right conferred upon the authority by law, mortgage, security agreement, contract, or other agreement; to bid for and purchase property which was the subject of the mortgage, security interest, or other form of security, at a foreclosure or at any other sale, and to acquire or take possession of the property. Upon acquiring or taking possession of the property, the authority may complete, administer, and pay the principal and interest of obligations incurred in connection with the property, and may dispose of and otherwise deal with the property in any manner necessary or desirable to protect the interests of the authority in the property. Property acquired by the authority through foreclosure shall be offered by the authority for sale within 6 months after the authority has a right to possession of the property and shall be sold by the authority only for farming or other agricultural purposes.(f) To set standards for family farms or beginning farmers which receive loans under this act and to provide for inspections to determine compliance with those standards.(g) To accept gifts, grants, loans, appropriations, or other aid from the federal, state, or local government, from a subdivision, agency, or instrumentality of a federal, state, or local government, or from a person, corporation, firm, or other organization.(h) As provided in section 4(a), to acquire or contract to acquire from a person, firm, corporation, municipality, or federal or state agency, by grant, purchase, or otherwise, leaseholds or real or personal property, or any interest in a leasehold or real or personal property; to own, hold, clear, improve, and rehabilitate and to sell, assign, exchange, transfer, convey, lease, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of or encumber any interest in a leasehold or real or personal property. This act shall not impede the operation and effect of local zoning, building, and housing ordinances; ordinances relating to subdivision control, land development, or fire prevention; or other ordinances having to do with agricultural land, farming, or the development of farming.(i) To procure insurance against any loss in connection with the property and other assets of the authority.(j) To invest, at the discretion of the authority, funds held in reserve or sinking funds, or money not required for immediate use or disbursement in obligations of this state or of the United States, in obligations the principal and interest of which are guaranteed by this state or the United States, or in other obligations as may be approved by the state treasurer.(k) To promulgate rules necessary to carry out the purposes of this act and to exercise the powers expressly granted in this act. Rules shall be promulgated pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, Act No. 306 of the Public Acts of 1969, as amended, being sections 24.201 to 24.315 of the Michigan Compiled Laws, except that in addition to the notice requirements of the administrative procedures act of 1969, Act No. 306 of the Public Acts of 1969, as amended, the authority shall furnish to each member of the legislature a copy of notice of a public hearing on proposed rules or proposed rule changes at least 10 days before the public hearing.(l) To engage the services of private consultants on a contract basis for rendering professional and technical assistance and advice.1982, Act 220, Imd. Eff. 7/10/1982.