Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, the directors, officers, and employees of every bank and association shall hold in strict confidence all information regarding the character, credit standing, and property of borrowers and applicants for loans. They shall not exhibit or quote the following documents: Loan applications; supplementary statements by applicants; letters and statements relative to the character, credit standing, and property of borrowers and applicants; recommendations of loan committees; and reports of inspectors, fieldmen, investigators, and appraisers.

The requirements of paragraph (a) of this section are subject to the following exceptions.

Examiners and other authorized representatives of the Farm Credit Administration and the bank concerned shall have free access to all information, records, and files.

In connection with a legitimate law enforcement inquiry, accredited representatives of any agency or department of the United States may be given access to information upon presentation of official identification and a written request specifying:

The particular information desired; and

That the information is relevant to the law enforcement inquiry and will be used only for the purpose for which it is sought.

The chairman of the presidents committees and the presidents of the banks may supply statistical and other impersonal information pertaining to groups of borrowers, applicants, and loans, in response to requests from any department or independent office of the Government of the United States, or responsible private organizations, with the understanding that the information will not be published.

Information concerning borrowers may be given for the confidential use of any Farm Credit institution in contemplation of the extension of credit, administration of credit, or the collection of loans.

Impersonal information based solely on transactions or experience with a borrower, such as amounts of loans, terms, and payment records, may be given by a bank or association to any reliable organization for its confidential use in contemplation of the extension of credit or to a consumer reporting agency.

Credit information concerning any borrower may be given when such borrower consents thereto in writing.

An unsuccessful applicant for credit which primarily is for personal, family, or household purposes, if his application was rejected either wholly or partly because of information contained in a consumer report from a consumer reporting agency shall be advised as required in section 615(a) of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (84 Stat. 1133), and if his application was rejected either wholly or partly because of information obtained from a person other than a consumer reporting agency shall be advised as required in section 615(b) thereof.

Any information or analysis of information requested during the course of mediation by a State agency, governor's office or mediator under any State mediation program certified under section 501 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987, may be provided to the State agency, governor's office or mediator, with the approval of the borrower.

Information concerning borrowers contained in an appraisal report may be given by a Farm Credit institution to any State agency certifying and licensing real estate appraisers provided that the Farm Credit institution:

Certifies that the information is required in connection with an employee's application for certification and licensure and that the institution has taken appropriate steps to protect the confidentiality of any borrower information that is not essential to the State's evaluation of the application; and

Determines that the State certification and licensing program makes reasonable provisions for protecting the confidentiality of the borrower information contained in the appraisal report.

Collateral evaluation reports may be released to a loan applicant, when required by the Equal Credit Opportunity Act or related regulations.

In connection with preparing and submitting an electronic report of all System accounts and exposures to the Farm Credit Administration in accordance with the requirements of § 621.15 of this chapter, each bank and association may provide data on its accounts and exposures to the Reporting Entity as defined in § 621.2 of this chapter.

The exceptions in paragraph (b) of this section shall be exercised by Farm Credit institutions with full awareness of the requirements of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.