California Consumer Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 1-1-2020  

OVERVIEW 

Thank you for visiting the Horizon Farm Credit website and reading our Privacy Notice. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the information we collect for all customer and prospective customer interactions. Further, as a member of the Farm Credit System, we are subject to the confidentiality and privacy regulations of the Farm Credit Administration. This Privacy Notice is designed to assist you in understanding how we collect, use, and safeguard the information you provide to us in using our website and the services provided through our website.  You can also view the Privacy Notice that pertains to non-California residents here.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Horizon Farm Credit collects certain types of information in order to maintain and administer financial services, provide customer service, and offer new products and services that might be beneficial to you. The information collected likely identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household (“Personal Information”).  

The term “Personal Information” does not include publicly available information from government records, deidentified or aggregated consumer information, or other information specifically exempted by statute (such as health or medical information covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and other sector-specific privacy laws (including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the California Financial Information Privacy Act, and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994)).

HOW WE COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

We collect the categories of Personal Information listed above both directly from you when you interact with us, indirectly from you as you interact with our website, and from third parties as further described below:

ANONYMOUS INFORMATION COLLECTED AND STORED AUTOMATICALLY 

We automatically collect general information anonymously (such as the type of browser you use, the file names you request, and the domain name from which you made your request) to improve our website and better meet your needs. When you visit our website, we collect information about your Internet connection. We use this information to help us make our site more useful to visitors and to learn about the number of visitors to our site and the types of technology our visitors use. We do not track or record Personally Identifiable Information about individuals and their visits or use targeted marketing or behavioral tracking technologies.  The information collected does not identify you personally.  When you visit our website, we automatically collect and store the following information about you:

  • The Internet domain you used to access our website (e.g., “xcompany.com”)
  • The IP address of the website from which you access our website (an IP address is a number automatically assigned to your computer when you are using the Internet)
  • The type of browser and operating system used to access our website
  • The month and day of the week you access our website
  • The pages you visit on this website
  • The time spent on the site and links you clicked on (if any)
  • The location of where you access our website
  • The address of any website from which you access our website

This information does not identify you personally and is automatically collected and stored through the use of cookies.  A cookie is a small amount of text sent from a website to your computer while visiting the site. The cookie is stored on your hard drive. We use discreet information stored in cookies in order to provide a customized user experience. However, you can set your web browser(s) to prevent cookies from being sent.  We collect aggregate data about our users through Google Analytics.  We use such aggregate demographic and general interest information to better understand our users so that we may provide better online services.  For additional information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data, please see www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ (“How Google Uses Information from Sites or Apps that Use Our Services”).

COOKIE USE

We use Google Analytics on this website, which may use cookies to determine location of visitors, browsers used, new/returning visitors, and other relevant information for a more seamless user experience.

INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDE DIRECTLY TO US

If you complete an interactive form or submit an email through our website, then your information will be used as described at the point of collection.  The information may be used or seen by Horizon Farm Credit employees, but we do not give, sell, or transfer any personal information to third-parties unless required by law or for other permissible purposes as provided by law.  If you would like to provide information to us but are not comfortable doing so by email or web form, then you may contact us by calling (888) 339-3334 or by mail at 45 Aileron Ct., Westminster, MD 21157.  If you would like to transmit information that is more sensitive or personal, such as a Social Security number, credit card number, or bank account number, then you should only transmit such information by utilizing our secure email system, by postal mail, or by contacting us by telephone at the number provided above; such information should not be submitted through a non-secure means of communication (e.g., through our website contact form or a chat or message feature).

Through our website, we collect personally identifiable information (e.g., name, address, Social Security number) only if such information is specifically and knowingly provided by you.  We limit the use and collection of such information to that which is necessary to maintain and administer financial services, provide customer service, and offer new products and services that may be beneficial to you.  If you would like to be removed from our distribution list, then you may contact us at the telephone number or address provided above or by email at privacy@mafc.com.

INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THIRD PARTIES

We may also receive your Personal Information from others in connection with your application and request for credit, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies, and we may receive information from Federal and State government databases in connection with your loan application or request for credit, including property and identity verification and eligibility to borrow. 

WHY WE USE OR DISCLOSE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

We will not collect additional categories of Personal Information or use the Personal Information we collected for materially different, unrelated, or incompatible purposes without providing notice to you.

To allow for your application to be completed and evaluated and to comply with applicable Federal regulatory requirements or other laws, we share your Personal Information with the following categories of third parties: Service Providers (such as technology service providers and financial service providers); regulatory bodies; and loan participants.

DISCLOSURES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION FOR A BUSINESS PURPOSE.  

In the preceding twelve (12) month period, we have disclosed information within the following categories of Personal Information for a business purpose:

  • Category A: Identifiers
  • Category B: California Customer Records personal information categories
  • Category C: Protected classification characteristics under California or federal law
  • Category D: Commercial information
  • Category F: Internet or other similar network activity
  • Category G: Geolocation data
  • Category I: Professional or employment-related information
  • Category K: Inferences drawn from other personal information

SALES OF PERSONAL INFORMATION.

Horizon Farm Credit does not sell any categories of Personal Information to any Third Parties (as defined under California Civil Code section 1798.140) and has not sold any Personal Information in the preceding twelve (12) months.

We do not knowingly collect or sell Personal Information of minors under 16 years of age.

THIRD-PARTY WEBSITE LINKS

We may periodically offer links to third-party websites. While we do our best to provide you with helpful, trustworthy resources, we cannot endorse, approve, or guarantee information, products, services, or recommendations provided at a third-party website. Because we may not always know when information on a linked website changes, we are not responsible for the content or accuracy of any third-party website. We will not be responsible for any loss or damage of any sort resulting from the use of a link on its website, nor will we be liable for any failure of products or services advertised or provided on these linked websites.

We offer links to you on an “as is” basis. When you visit a third-party website by using a link on our website, you will no longer be protected by our privacy statement or security practices. The data collection, use, and security practices of the linked website may differ from the practices of our website. You should familiarize yourself with the privacy statement and security practices of the linked website, as those are the policy and practices that will apply to your use of the linked website – not our policy and procedures.

The Horizon Farm Credit website provides a link for you to access the Whistleblower Hotline.  The link directs you to an entity that has an overlapping business purpose with Horizon Farm Credit.

SECURITY AND INTRUSION DETECTION

We use industry standard data encryption to ensure the security of our systems and of any information that you provide us through this website. We employ software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. However, no security measure or modality of data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. Although we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. Unauthorized attempts to access, alter, or damage this website and our customers’ Personal Information are strictly prohibited and may subject wrongdoers to civil and criminal penalties under applicable law.

CHILDREN’S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT

Our website is not intended for children under the age of 13 and we do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 13. If a parent or guardian becomes aware that his or her child has provided personal information without their consent, then he or she should promptly inform us through one of the methods described in the contact section below and we will use reasonable efforts to comply with the request. For more information about the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), visit ftc.gov.

“DO NOT TRACK” SIGNALS

Some internet browsers incorporate a “Do Not Track” feature that signals to websites you visit that you do not want to have your online activity tracked.  Given that there is not a uniform way that browsers communicate the “Do Not Track” signal, the website does not currently interpret, respond to, or alter its practices when it receives “Do Not Track” signals.

CONSUMER REQUESTS: YOUR RIGHTS AND CHOICES ABOUT PERSONAL INFORMATION UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW

The California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”) provides California residents with specific rights regarding their Personal Information. This section describes your CCPA rights and how to exercise those rights by submitting a consumer request (“Consumer Request”).

ACCESS TO SPECIFIC INFORMATION AND DATA PORTABILITY RIGHTS

You have the right to request that Horizon Farm Credit disclose certain or all of the following information to you about our collection and use of your Personal Information over the past twelve (12) months.  Once we receive a verifiable Consumer Request, we will be able to disclose to you any of the following information if we have it:

  • The categories of Personal Information we collected about you.
  • The categories of sources for the Personal Information we collected about you.
  • Our business or commercial purposes for collecting that Personal Information.
  • The categories of third parties to whom we disclosed that Personal Information for a business purpose.
  • The specific pieces of Personal Information we collected about you (also may be called a data portability request).
  • If we disclosed for a business purpose, your Personal Information, we will provide you with two lists disclosing (if applicable):
    • Sales, identifying the Personal Information categories that each category of third party received; and
    • Disclosures for a business purpose, identifying the Personal Information categories that each category of recipient obtained.

CATEGORY

EXAMPLES OF PI IN THIS CATEGORY

IS THIS PI  IS COLLECTED

A. Identifiers

A real name, alias, postal address, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, account name, Social Security number, driver’s license number, government issued identification number, or other similar identifiers.

We collect some Personal Information within this category.

B. Personal information categories listed in the Ca. Customer Records statute (Cal. Civ. Code section 1798.80(e))

A name, signature, Social Security number, physical characteristics or description, address ,telephone number, government issued identification number,  driver’s license or state identification card number, insurance policy number, education, employment, employment history, bank account number, credit card number, debit card number  or any other financial information, medical information or health insurance information. 

We collect some Personal Information within this category.

C. Protected classification characteristics under California or federal law

Age (40 years or older), race, color, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, religion or creed, marital status, medical condition, physical or mental disability, sex (including gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy or childbirth and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, veteran or military status, genetic information (including familial genetic information).

We collect some Personal Information within this category.

D. Commercial information

Records of personal property, products or services purchased, obtained or considered, or other purchasing or consuming histories or tendencies.

We collect some Personal Information within this category.

E. Biometric Information

Genetic, physiological, behavioral and biological

characteristics or activity patterns used to extract a template or other identifier or identifying information such as fingerprints, faceprints and voiceprints, iris or retina scans, keystroke, gait or other physical patterns and sleep health or exercise data.

We may record telephone conversations regarding payment instructions with your consent for quality control purposes.

F. Internet or other similar network activity

Browsing history, search history, information on a consumer’s interaction with a website, application or advertisement.

We collect some Personal Information within this category.

G. Geolocation data

Physical location.

We collect some Personal Information within this category.

H. Sensory Data

Audio, electronic, visual, thermal, olfactory or similar

Information.

We do not collect Personal Information within this category.

I. Professional or employment-related information

Current or past job history, or performance evaluations.

We may collect some Personal Information within this category.

J. Non-public education

information (per the Family

Educational Rights and

Privacy Act (20 U.S.C.

Section 1232g, 34 C.F.R.

Part 99))

Education records directly related to a student maintained by an educational institution or party acting on its behalf, such as grades, transcripts, class lists, student schedules, student identification information or student disciplinary records.

We do not collect Personal Information within this category.

K. Inferences drawn from other personal information

Profile reflecting a person’s preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes.

We collect some Personal Information within this category.

CATEGORIES OF THIRD PARTIES WITH WHOM PERSONAL INFORMATION IS SHARED

  • Technology and Internet service providers
  • Regulatory bodies
  • Participating  Farm Credit System loan and lease entities

CATEGORIES OF SOURCES FROM WHICH PERSONAL INFORMATION IS COLLECTED

  • Technology and Internet service providers
  • Regulatory bodies
  • Loan/Lease application(s) completed by you through an authorized equipment dealership
  • Credit Reporting Agencies
  • Federal or State Government databases

BUSINESS PURPOSE FOR COLLECTING THE PERSONAL INFORMATION

  • To Complete the transaction for which you applied
  • To comply with a legal obligation required by a regulatory entity

DELETION REQUEST RIGHTS

You have the right to request that we delete your Personal Information that we collected from and about you, subject to certain statutory exceptions.  Once we receive a verifiable Consumer Request, we will identify the Personal Information, confirm that you want that Personal Information deleted, and then delete (and direct our service providers to delete) your Personal Information from our records, unless an exception applies.

We may be unable to comply with, or may deny, your deletion request if retaining the Personal Information is necessary for us or our service provider(s) to:

  • Complete the transaction for which we collected the Personal Information, provide a good or service that you requested, take actions reasonably anticipated within the context of our ongoing business relationship with you, or otherwise perform our contract(s) with you.
  • Detect security incidents, protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity, or prosecute those responsible for such activities.
  • Debug products to identify and repair errors that impair existing intended functionality.
  • Exercise free speech, ensure the right of another consumer to exercise their free speech rights, or exercise another right provided for by law.
  • Comply with the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act (Cal. Pen. Code §§ 1546, et seq.)
  • Engage in public or peer-reviewed scientific, historical, or statistical research in the public interest that adheres to all other applicable ethics and privacy laws, when the information’s deletion may likely render impossible or seriously impair the research’s achievement, if you previously provided informed consent.
  • Enable solely internal uses that are reasonably aligned with consumer expectations based on your relationship with us.
  • Comply with a legal obligation.
  • Make other internal and lawful uses of that information that are compatible with the context in which you provided it.

OPT-OUT OF SALE RIGHTS

California residents have the right to direct a business that sells (or may in the future sell) your Personal Information to stop selling your Personal Information and to refrain from doing so in the future. Horizon Farm Credit does not and will not sell Personal Information as defined in the CCPA.

NON-DISCRIMINATION

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your legal rights regarding your Personal Information, unless permitted by law.  We will not take any of the following actions solely because you chose to exercise any of your legal rights regarding your Personal Information:

  • Deny you goods or services.
  • Charge you different prices or rates for goods or services, including through granting discounts or other benefits or imposing penalties.
  • Provide you a different level or qualify of goods or services.
  • Suggest that you may receive a different price or rate for goods or services or a different level or quality of goods or services.

OTHER CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS

California’s “Shine the Light” law (Civil Code § 1798.83) permits users of our website who are California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of Personal Information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes.  To make such a request, use the contact information set forth below for general inquiries and requests.  Horizon Farm Credit does not disclose Personal Information to third parties for direct marketing purposes.

HOW TO SUBMIT A CONSUMER REQUEST

To exercise your access, data portability, and deletion rights, please submit a Consumer Request to the contact information below.  The Consumer Request must describe the request with sufficient detail that allows us to properly understand, evaluate and respond to it.  Please specify if your Consumer Request pertains to all specific pieces of your Personal Information, or only with respect to the categories of Personal Information.  You may only make a Consumer Request for access or data portability twice within a twelve (12) month period. 

HOW WE WILL VERIFY CONSUMER REQUESTS

Only you, or a person registered with the California Secretary of State that you authorize to act on your behalf, may make a Consumer Request related to your Personal Information.  To designate an authorized agent, we will ask you provide us with legal documentation (such as power of attorney documentation) or written permission and you will need to verify your own identity with us.

We reserve the right to require you to provide additional information to enable us to reasonably verify that you are the person about whom the Personal Information pertains in order to release the requested information to you (or your authorized agent).  If we are unable to verify your identity, we may be unable to provide you with information responsive to the request.

HOW WE WILL RESPOND TO CONSUMER REQUESTS

We will acknowledge receipt of your request within 10 days after its receipt. We endeavor to respond to verifiable Consumer Requests within forty-five (45) days after receipt.  If we require more time (up to an additional 45 days), then we will inform you of the reason and extension in writing. Any disclosures we provide will only cover the 12-month period preceding receipt of the Consumer Request.  If we deny (or cannot comply with) the Consumer Request, we will explain why.  For data portability requests, we will select a format to provide your Personal Information that is readily useable and should allow you to transmit the information from one entity to another entity.  We do not charge a fee to process or respond to your Consumer Request unless such request is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded.  If we determine that the request warrants a fee, we will tell you why and provide you with a cost estimate before completing your request.

FRAUD PREVENTION AND SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY

The Horizon Farm Credit website should never be accessed from a link provided by a third party. It should be accessed directly by typing the site name or URL into the address bar of the web browser or by using a “bookmark” specifically created to access the Horizon Farm Credit website.

Horizon Farm Credit does not send email messages or make phone calls to request Personal Information such as account numbers, passwords, PIN numbers, Social Security numbers, or other Personal Information. Such requests are of a suspicious nature and should be reported immediately:

Customer Service - Reporting Suspicious Activity

Call (888) 339-3334 to report:

  • Suspicious or unauthorized transactions on your account  
  • Suspicious activity with online banking
  • Suspicious email or phone call received

Contact us immediately if you think your Personal Information or one of your Horizon Farm Credit accounts or services has been compromised. Have your account information and details about the suspected fraud available when you call.

CONTACT FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES, CONSUMER REQUESTS, AND REQUESTS TO CHANGE INFORMATION

If you provided us with Personal Information and would like to exercise your access, data portability, deletion, or other disclosure rights, change your information, or unsubscribe from an email subscription, then please just contact us in one of the following methods:

Email: privacy@mafc.com 

Telephone: (888) 339-3334

Mail:  45 Aileron Ct., Westminster, MD 21157

Attn: Privacy Response Team

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY NOTICE 

As Horizon Farm Credit continues to improve the services, products and the features we provide, this policy is subject to change. 

By using the Horizon Farm Credit site and services, you signify your acceptance of this Privacy Notice. If you do not agree or are not comfortable with any policy described in this Privacy Notice, your only remedy is to discontinue use of the Horizon Farm Credit website. We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Notice at any time. Your continued use of any portion of the Horizon Farm Credit site following notification or posting of such changes, will constitute your acceptance of those changes.