Form CCC-279, Promissory Note, is the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) note in which a borrower, called the obligor, promises to repay a sum to CCC in installments with interest. It documents the terms of an approved installment agreement under a CCC or Farm Service Agency (FSA) loan program. On this page you can fill out the form online on FillingPDF and download or print the completed PDF; the form itself is published by USDA at forms.sc.egov.usda.gov and is returned to your county FSA office.
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What is CCC-279?
Form CCC-279, Promissory Note, is the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation form on which an obligor promises to pay CCC a stated principal amount, with interest, in scheduled installments until the principal and interest are fully paid.
The Privacy Act statement on the form says the information is used to document the terms and conditions of an approved installment agreement, which bears on eligibility to participate in and receive benefits under a CCC or FSA loan program. The form carries OMB No. 0560-0146 and the revision date 08-23-16.
Unlike a general-purpose promissory note, this one names its payee in advance: the Commodity Credit Corporation. The printed text sets out the rest of the arrangement:
- Installments are applied first to interest then due, and the balance to principal.
- An installment that becomes delinquent may be collected by administrative offset.
- If a default is not made good within thirty (30) days of the installment due date, CCC may, at its option, make the entire principal and accrued interest due without notice, or collect the amount in default by administrative offset from payments due or to become due to the obligor.
- Additional interest accrues on overdue payment amounts and arrearage at the rate entered in items 19 and 20.
- The obligor waives notice of maturity, presentment, demand, protest and notice of protest.
Page 2 holds item 23, Administrative Notations/Reviewed By, completed by the County Executive Director, State Executive Director or claims examiner, and item 24, Remarks.
Who needs to file CCC-279?
The obligor, meaning the borrower who owes money to CCC under an approved installment agreement, signs Form CCC-279. The form states that the information documents the terms of an approved installment agreement, so it applies to people whose repayment in installments has been approved under a CCC or FSA loan program.
- The form has two obligor signature lines, Obligor 1 and Obligor 2, so a note can be signed by one or two obligors.
- The obligor enters the state and county where the note is signed (items 4 and 5), and there is a separate line for a preparer signature (item 6).
- Item 23 is reserved for administrative notations by the County Executive Director, State Executive Director or claims examiner, not for the obligor.
The form does not describe who may sign on behalf of an obligor, and it names no exclusions. It says that providing the requested information is voluntary, but that failure to furnish it results in a determination of ineligibility to participate in and receive benefits under a CCC or FSA loan program. For questions about whether you qualify for an installment agreement, contact your county FSA office.
When to file CCC-279
Form CCC-279 is completed when an installment agreement with CCC has been approved and its terms need to be documented in a note. The form prints no filing deadline of its own.
The dates that matter are the ones you enter in the note: the date of the note (item 2, MM-DD-YYYY), the date from which interest begins (item 10) and the due date of the first installment (items 15 to 17, followed by the interval in item 18 for the later installments).
After the note is in effect, the timing rule on the form is the default period: if an installment is not paid within thirty (30) days of its due date, CCC may at its option declare the entire principal and accrued interest due without notice. The form sets no processing time.
How to fill out CCC-279
Enter principal, date and note ID
In item 1 enter the principal amount of the note, in item 2 the date of the note as MM-DD-YYYY, and in item 3 the Note ID Number.
Enter state and county of signing
Item 4 is the state and item 5 the county in which the obligor signs the note. Item 6 is the preparer signature.
Name the obligor and the amount
In item 7 enter the obligor's name after "I". In item 8 write the principal sum in words, add the cents over /100, and repeat the figure in item 9.
Enter the interest terms
In item 10 enter the date interest begins and in item 11 the rate in percent per annum. In item 12 enter the place where payment is to be made.
Enter the installment terms
Item 13 describes the installments and item 14 is the minimum amount of each installment in dollars. Items 15, 16 and 17 give the day, month and year the first installment is due, and item 18 the interval at which later installments fall due.
Enter the late-interest rate
Items 19 and 20 give the rate of interest on overdue payment amounts and arrearage, in words (item 19) and as a percentage figure (item 20).
Describe the collateral
In item 21 describe the collateral that secures the note.
Have each obligor sign and date
In item 22 each obligor signs and dates on the line for Obligor 1 and, if there is a second obligor, Obligor 2.
Leave the agency sections to USDA
Item 23 (reviewed by, lien record and receivable numbers) is for the County Executive Director, State Executive Director or claims examiner. Add anything you need to note in item 24, Remarks.
Review and download the completed PDF
Check the amounts in items 1, 8 and 9 match, the dates and installment terms are correct and all signatures are in place. Download or print the completed PDF from FillingPDF and return it as described under How to submit.
How to submit CCC-279
The form gives one channel: return the completed Form CCC-279 to your county FSA office. Its closing statement reads "RETURN THIS COMPLETED FORM TO YOUR COUNTY FSA OFFICE," and no mailing address, portal or appointment rule is printed on it.
- County FSA office: bring or send the signed note to the office that serves your county. Contact that office for its address and hours.
- Signatures: every obligor signs and dates in item 22 before the note is returned.
- Agency section: leave item 23 for the County Executive Director, State Executive Director or claims examiner who reviews the note.
The form does not state the amount or method of any payment, so confirm payment details for the place of payment (item 12) with the county FSA office. FillingPDF lets you fill out and download the PDF; submission follows the county FSA office channel above.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Entering the date of the note in item 2 in a format other than MM-DD-YYYY, the format the form prints.
- Leaving the obligor signature and date in item 22 blank, or omitting Obligor 2 when a second obligor is party to the note.
- Filling in item 23, Administrative Notations/Reviewed By, which is for the County Executive Director, State Executive Director or claims examiner.
- Leaving the late-interest rate in items 19 and 20 incomplete, even though the printed text applies that rate to overdue payments and arrearage.
- Leaving item 21 blank instead of describing the collateral that secures the note.
- Missing an installment and not curing it within thirty (30) days of its due date, which lets CCC at its option accelerate the whole balance without notice.
- Sending the completed note somewhere other than your county FSA office, the place the form says to return it.
Frequently asked questions
What is Form CCC-279, Promissory Note?
It is the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation note in which an obligor promises to repay CCC a stated principal with interest in installments. The form says it documents the terms of an approved installment agreement under a CCC or FSA loan program.
Is this the same as any promissory note template?
No. A generic promissory note names whatever lender the parties choose. Form CCC-279 is a USDA form whose payee is printed as the Commodity Credit Corporation, and its default and administrative offset terms are fixed in the text.
Where do I return Form CCC-279?
Return the completed form to your county FSA office; that is the only place the form directs it. No mailing address or online portal is printed on it, so contact the county office for its address and hours.
What happens if I miss an installment on a CCC-279 note?
If the default is not made good within thirty (30) days of the due date, CCC may, at its option, make the whole principal and accrued interest due without notice. CCC may also collect the amount in default by administrative offset from payments due to you.
Can I fill out Form CCC-279 online?
You can fill out the PDF online on FillingPDF and download or print it. FillingPDF does not file the note with USDA or FSA and is not affiliated with them; you return the signed form to your county FSA office.
Who signs Form CCC-279?
The obligor signs and dates in item 22, with lines for Obligor 1 and Obligor 2. Item 6 is a preparer signature line, and item 23 is completed by the County Executive Director, State Executive Director or claims examiner.
Do I have to provide the information on Form CCC-279?
Providing the information is voluntary, but the form states that failing to furnish it results in a determination of ineligibility to participate in and receive benefits under a CCC or FSA loan program.
How long does it take to complete Form CCC-279?
The form estimates an average of 15 minutes per response, including time to review instructions, gather data and complete the form. It prints OMB control number 0560-0146 and the revision date 08-23-16.
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