Farm Credit Celebrates America 250
For more than 100 years, Farm Credit has fulfilled its mission – through good times and bad. We remain committed to that mission, and to evolving to meet the needs of our customers for the next 100 years.
As America marks 250 years of independence, Farm Credit honors our long-standing commitment to farmers, ranchers and rural communities.
Legacy Built for Rural America
Established by Congress on July 17, 1916, Farm Credit was created to provide a dependable source of credit for America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. More than a century later, that mission continues.
Today, Farm Credit is a nationwide network of customer-owned financial cooperatives serving more than 600,000 farmers, ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives, agribusinesses, rural infrastructure providers and rural homebuyers in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
Agriculture has always been central to the American story. Many of our nation’s founders were farmers themselves. President Lincoln underscored the industry’s importance by establishing the USDA in 1862. As we approach our country’s 250th anniversary, Farm Credit reflects on the evolution of American agriculture—from the modest family farms of 1776 to the innovative, global operations that feed, fuel and clothe our world today.
Voice of the Farmer Garden at USDA
Farm Credit is a sponsor of the Voice of the Farmer Garden. The Farm Journal Foundation Voice of the Farmer Garden is an educational space on the National Mall which brings real farmer stories and agricultural practices to life.
Through interactive displays and firsthand perspectives, the garden helps consumers better understand how food is grown, the science behind modern agriculture and the challenges faced by farmers.
Through its central location, the Voice of the Farmers Garden offers visitors an opportunity to hear from those who produce their food. The garden plays an important role in building consumer trust and improving agricultural literacy.
Rooted in Purpose
Farm Credit supports rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services, today and tomorrow. For more than 100 years, Farm Credit has fulfilled its mission – through good times and bad.
We serve every part of agriculture, from the smallest operations to the largest – and everything in between. Whether helping a young farm family begin, supporting our veterans as they return home and take up farming or financing U.S. agricultural exports around the globe, Farm Credit is committed to the success of American agriculture.
Our loans and related financial services support farmers and ranchers, farmer-owned cooperatives and other agribusinesses, rural homebuyers and companies exporting U.S. ag products around the world.
OUR HISTORY
Learn more about Farm Credit’s history and our commitment to rural communities since 1916.
