(Submitted by AgCredit)
AgCredit staff, directors and members joined more than 600 Farm Credit leaders from across the country who traveled to Washington, D.C., recently to meet with lawmakers to advocate for timely passage of a strong Farm Bill that includes a farm safety net. During their visit to the nation’s capital, AgCredit’s delegation shared how Farm Credit is fulfilling its mission to support rural communities, farming and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services. The group also communicated how it is critical for policy makers to maintain a strong farm safety net that includes affordable crop insurance.
Farm Credit System leaders collectively talked about the need to continue the United States Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency guaranteed and direct loan programs, increasing the volume of loans available and increasing the loan size limits for the guaranteed loans.
During Congressional office visits, Farm Credit leaders discussed the need for strongly supported programs tailored to the unique needs of rural America to attract more private investment in rural infrastructure (agricultural research, healthcare, broadband, housing, energy, transportation, financing and water), as part of the Farm Bill or as part of stand-alone legislation.
While attending the fly-in, AgCredit’s delegation visited with U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) along with four members of the House of Representatives—Bob Gibbs (R-7 th District), Jim Jordan (R-4 th District), Bob Latta (R-5 th District) and Pat Tiberi (R-12 th District). They also joined Farm Credit system leaders from throughout the country to receive a Farm Bill update from U.S. Senator Pat Roberts (R-Kansas), chairman of the Senate Ag Committee as well as attend a reception for members of Congress and their staff at the Library of Congress.
Representing AgCredit at the Washington, D.C., legislative fly-in were: Brian Ricker, CEO and president, (Findlay); directors Jerry Layman (Kenton), Daniel Rengert (Waldo), and Mike Stump (Bucyrus); members Rose and Greg Hartschuh (Sycamore), Roy Klopfenstein (Haviland), James and Sharon McConnell (Wellington) and Anthony Bush (Mt. Gilead); David Green, account officer/Bucyrus branch (New Washington), and David White, account manager for government relations (Marion).
AgCredit provides financial services to farmers, agribusiness and rural homeowners in 18 counties in northwest and north central Ohio. It is a member of the Farm Credit System created more than 100 years ago and is a nationwide network of 77 customer-owned lending institutions. Nationally, the Farm Credit System consists of more than 500,000 customers with an overall loan volume of more than $250 billion.
For more information about the Farm Credit System and AgCredit, please visit fccouncil.com or agcredit.net.
