When Farm Credit has the opportunity to tell its story to policy-makers in Washington, we tell it in two parts.
First, despite the troubled economy, the Farm Credit System's 2008 financial results reflected record earnings and lending activity to agriculture. The results underscore that the System is focused on its mission to ensure access to credit for the agriculture industry, while maintaining credit quality and financial strength for the future. Moreover, the customer-owned lending institutions in our five-state region returned $152 million — more than half of 2008 earnings — in patronage dividends to the farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses who borrow money from us. Overall, Farm Credit is a competitive and reliable source of credit in rural America.
The second part of the story, however, is that the economic stress being felt throughout the world has a ripple effect that impacts the industry Farm Credit serves. Before the financial crisis, the strong agriculture industry benefited the U.S. economy, but today producers are under pressure from commodity price volatility and increased input costs. These factors, coupled with the poor overall economy, are causing many in the agriculture industry to struggle in their important role of providing a reliable and affordable food supply to consumers. In fact, the USDA is predicting a dramatic $16-billion decline in farm income in 2009.
As owners of the Farm Credit System, borrowers have the opportunity to help share this story with their representatives in Congress — to encourage them to support policies that strengthen the agricultural sector and oppose efforts that diminish it.
When contacting your congressional representative and advocating your interests in Washington, the best strategy is to not rely on any single option, but to pursue as many avenues as possible. Members of Congress are bombarded by multiple issues and perspectives every day, so it's a challenge to be heard. Nevertheless, it is important that the agriculture industry persists; otherwise, those who may not have agriculture's best interests at heart will be the ones influencing the decisions on agricultural issues.
The Farm Credit System and the agriculture industry have a compelling story to tell — don't be shy about telling it.
The contact information for every member of Congress can be found at www.house.gov and www.senate.
Traditional letters — effective but not timely. All mail sent to the Capitol is redirected to a separate location and inspected (for safety reasons) before delivery. A faxed letter is just as effective, but gets there faster.
Phone calls — effective, but don't expect to talk to the member of Congress, unless you have a personal relationship with him or her. Instead, ask to speak with the person who handles agricultural issues. This person will value your local perspective on agriculture, and may even contact you for input in the future.
Personal contact — often the most effective approach. Consider meeting your member of Congress when he or she is back home in the district. Contact his or her district office instead of the Washington office to find out when he or she will be in the area and if there are any upcoming public appearances you can attend.
Personal trips to Washington — effective, but expensive. Face-to-face meetings work best when you already have a personal relationship or are trying to establish one with your congressman. Also, you may end up meeting with staff. Either way, make an appointment first.
Financial contributions, volunteering on the congressman's election campaign and hosting fundraisers (if you believe the person is doing a good job) — will help keep your representative in office and help get you on his or her radar screen.
Participation in a trade association or general farm organization — effective because your voice is amplified through the coordinated efforts of the group. These groups retain professionals to monitor political issues and represent the group's interests.
Building coalitions with like-minded organizations — effective because the more people (or organizations) behind something, the more likely that position will gain attention and support in Washington.