Independent Banker - December 2024 - 29

commodities for which the expected
revenue in crop year 2024 is below the
projected per-acre cost of production.
This assistance will be critical in
helping farmers pay down debt relative
to the 2024 crop and help them obtain
fi nancing for the 2025 crop year.
How ICBA is taking action
In September, ICBA joined 300
farm-related organizations in urging
Congress to enact a new bill this year.
We have also laid out six principles for
members to consider in developing this
farm bill, including:
 Providing ample funding
 Maintaining a strong crop
insurance program
 Enhancing USDA guaranteed
loan programs
 Blocking eff orts by the Farm
Credit System to expand its
lending authorities
 Treating community banks equitably
to ensure access to all relevant
credit programs
 Reducing regulatory burdens
ICBA has strongly supported
improving USDA guaranteed loan
programs, pushing for an Express
loan program similar to the program
As Congress writes a new farm bill,
there's a clear opportunity to address
the challenges that rural America
and our farmers and ranchers face.
operated by the Small Business
Administration. This would allow
quick approval of guaranteed farm
loans of up to $1 million but with a
reduced guarantee of 50% to 75%.
Additionally, our association
advocates for higher loan limits of
$3.5 million for guaranteed real
estate loans and $3 million for
guaranteed farm operating loans.
In coordination with other lender
groups, ICBA has pushed for a
variety of additional changes.
Farm Credit System concerns
However, we're concerned about
a Farm Credit System agenda
that may push community banks
to the sideline on multiple fronts,
including housing, disproportionate
regulation and essential community
facility loans.
While most stakeholders have
outlined two or three priorities, Farm
Credit has released six or seven anticommunity
bank proposals. These
broad expansion proposals are a
concern for many community banks
serving the agricultural marketplace,
and ICBA believes they should be kept
out of the farm bill.
As Congress writes a new farm bill,
How you can help
We're urging ICBA members to send letters through our grassroots
website (icba.org/grassroots). There, you can also find materials
highlighting the key areas of concern and where community
bankers stand on this issue. Talk about ICBA's goal of taking a piece
of legislation that's " lopsided " and making it better for community
banks. For more guidance or insight, visit the Lobbying 101 module
on our grassroots homepage.
Also, over the next few months, we'll be gearing up an amendment
process, so any existing relationships that you have with members of
Congress will be valuable during that phase.
there's a clear opportunity to address
the challenges that rural America
and our farmers and ranchers face.
A strong farm bill allows producers
and their community bank lenders
to work together for long-term
business planning purposes to ensure
producers remain viable regardless of
the fi nancial challenges.
Mark Scanlan (mark.scanlan@
icba.org) is SVP of agriculture
and rural policy at ICBA.
Scott Marks (scott.marks@
icba.org) is AVP of congressional
relations at ICBA.
independentbanker.org // 29
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Independent Banker - December 2024

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