Tom Truitt, Horizon Farm Credit CEO

The summer months bring growth for us all, crops included. School is out and kids are practicing sports, working a new job, or attending camp. Families are spending quality time together, recharging on vacation and outdoors. And our cash grain crops, fruits, and vegetables are all finishing their growing season, gearing up for harvest in the weeks and months to come.

Your local Farm Credit associations are also in the midst of a significant growing season, as AgChoice Farm Credit and MidAtlantic Farm Credit merged on July 1 to form Horizon Farm Credit. I have the honor of serving as the Chief Executive Officer of this new association, and I will be the first to say that growing seasons can be challenging, but reaping those rewards at the end is what makes the effort so sweet!

Our member-owners and customers will find value in the growing knowledge and network of Horizon Farm Credit, while still maintaining the local contacts they know and trust. And, a growing team means more specialized areas of expertise for our agricultural relationship managers, ensuring you work with a lender that knows your farm business and its unique needs.

We know there have been other challenges outside of the normal growing season, like supply chain disruptions, rising gas prices, input costs, and labor shortages. Our mission remains the same here at Horizon Farm Credit – to support agriculture and our local farmers through the good times and the trying times, with consistent and reliable credit.

While you may be facing ‘growing pains’, or disruptions to your growing season, I challenge you to keep the following in mind as you embrace this moment:

• Consult with your network for guidance
• Take diligent notes and detailed recordkeeping
• Don’t be afraid to innovate and try new things
• Keep your eyes on the horizon, and work with your lender to ensure you’re prepared for what lies ahead

When growing season has ended and you look at your bountiful harvest, remember the resources and dedication it took to get there. As you’re reflecting, we encourage you to conduct an analysis on the year or season to determine what worked, what didn’t, and any opportunities for growth moving forward.

AgChoice Farm Credit and MidAtlantic Farm Credit jointly announced their merger, forming Horizon Farm Credit, on July 1, 2022. The merger was voted on and approved by the membership of each Association in May and received final regulatory approval from the Farm Credit Administration.

Horizon Farm Credit serves 100 counties in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, and is made up of more than 20,000 member-borrowers. The merged entity has 25 offices across its five-state footprint and is headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Former MidAtlantic Farm Credit Chief Executive Officer, Tom Truitt, serves as Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Farm Credit, bringing more than 25 years of experience in the Farm Credit System to the new Association. “The merger of these two highly respected and successful Associations strengthens our commitment to agriculture and our rural communities,” says Truitt. “The name Horizon Farm Credit is significant as we look ahead to the future of our industry with optimism, where innovation meets tradition, to help champion the dreams of our members.” 

Shawn Wolfinger, Horizon Farm Credit’s Chairman of the Board, is excited to work with the many diverse commodities in the agriculture industry across the new Association’s footprint. “As a unified cooperative, we are prepared to serve our borrowers with a higher level of specialized service and localized decisions,” says Wolfinger. “Our team at Horizon Farm Credit is leveraging the strengths of the two original Associations, while providing expanded capital to support our membership.”

Horizon Farm Credit’s mission ‘to support rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services, today and tomorrow’ is in line with the strength of the national Farm Credit System. The association is committed to supporting the future of the agriculture industry, as the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement will reach the entire footprint of Horizon Farm Credit. The Foundation was founded in 2016 as part of Farm Credit’s centennial celebration to create a lasting legacy by providing agriculture education funding to MidAtlantic Farm Credit’s community. 

The offices will be closed from July 1 – 4, 2022 to ensure a seamless transition as they integrate systems to form Horizon Farm Credit. No office closures or staffing changes will occur as a result of the merger.

For more information about the merger and Horizon Farm Credit, visit horizonfc.com.

Local agricultural lender, Horizon Farm Credit, in conjunction with Colonial Farm Credit and Farm Credit of the Virginias, announced they are partnering with the State Fair of Virginia to construct a modern livestock show facility at the Meadow Event Park in Caroline County, Virginia.

“We are so excited to be able to support the youth of Virginia through this partnership” says Tom Truitt, CEO of Horizon Farm Credit. “The building will be available year-round to hold ag-related activities for the community and opportunities for our youth to compete.” 

Construction is underway on the facility with an October completion, anticipated in time for a modified youth livestock show. The 42,000 square foot facility, which will be called the Farm Credit Pavilion, is partially enclosed with a (dirt) concrete floor, climate control, and 675 square feet of office and restroom facilities.

The Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement recently announced the creation of its Community Education Program to offer organizations providing agriculture education to those within Horizon Farm Credit’s territory the opportunity to apply for up to $10,000 in funding.

“We are excited to be able to continue supporting the future of agriculture through this new program,” says Walter Hopkins, Chair of the Foundation. “The Foundation encourages all eligible organizations to apply for funding so we can be sure our community members have access to agricultural education opportunities.”

Funding options include up to $2,000 and up to $10,000. Applications will be accepted in two periods:

• Now – June 26: Decisions made by the Foundation on July 2 with winner notification by July 15.
• July 1 – October 16: Decisions to be made by the Foundation on October 22 with winner notification by October 31.

Qualified programs must benefit communities within Horizon Farm Credit’s footprint and be consistent with the values and mission of the Foundation. Requests that meet the selection criteria are considered by the Foundation Board. Only 501(c)(3) organizations or those otherwise exempt from federal income tax will be considered. Funds will not be awarded to the same or part of the same organization more than one time in a 12-month period and no more than three times within a five-year period.

For more information about the requirements, guidelines and restrictions of the Community Education Program and to apply for funding, visit FCFoundationForAg.org.