2022 Cooperative Stewardship Report

INVESTING IN

As a cooperative Association, Horizon Farm Credit is committed to the mission of “supporting rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services, today and tomorrow.” That forward-looking mission drives every major decision, initiative, and investment we make.

Our role as a Farm Credit Association is to recognize and address the economic, cultural, and social needs of our members and our communities. We’re honored to serve those needs — today and tomorrow — as stewards of the resources entrusted to us. In 2022, Horizon Farm Credit and the Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement invested more than $866,000 in what matters most: our communities, the people who live and work within them, and our environment, with donations exceeding $561,925 and $304,110, respectively.

These investments have helped to feed the hungry, enhance rural safety, and drive agriculture toward innovation. They have provided resources to help young, beginning, and small farmers establish and grow their operations. These investments have also cultivated interest in agriculture-related careers amongst people of diverse backgrounds, incentivized conservation, promoted best practices, provided leadership development, helped established operations improve their profitability and so much more. The pages that follow highlight some of the programs we’ve been pleased to support. These investments are changing lives, improving our communities, and advancing our industry.

We’re proud of these partnerships and the great work being done. We’re also proud of our Association’s culture of service and the positive impact our team is making on a daily basis, going above and beyond their official duties. Our employees spend a large portion of their free time supporting farmers, agribusiness, and the rural communities in which they live by giving of their time, talents, and resources.

On behalf of our Board of Directors and staff, thank you for supporting Farm Credit.

Tom Truitt Chief Executive Officer, Horizon Farm Credit

ENVIRONMENT AND

“A healthy environment and thriving agricultural economy go hand-in-hand. We are committed to investing in programs that provide voluntary, incentive-based tools for conservation, foster the development of innovative best management practices, and approach conservation in a collaborative manner.”

• Sponsored the Leopold Conservation Award in Maryland & Pennsylvania ($20,000)

• Partnered with the University of Delaware Extension to promote conservation efforts across the Delmarva peninsula

• Sponsored the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts Conference as well as the Nanticoke Watershed Alliance Conference and the PA No-Till Alliance

• Supported the Pasa Sustainable Agriculture and Future Harvest programs

• Sponsored various state and county agronomy meetings across our 100 county footprint

• Supported state-wide best management practice (BMP) loan programs

YOUNG, BEGINNING, AND SMALL

The future of agriculture depends on the success of young, beginning, and small producers. We’re committed to supporting the financial and business development needs of these farmers, for the growth of our industry, today and tomorrow.

$100,000 | AWARDED TO FARMERS through the Farmers on the Rise program

• Covered the cost of feasibility studies for nine YBS farmers to aid them in growing or diversifying their operations

• Provided 15 JumpStart mini grants to beginning farmers ages 16-21, to help cover the costs of equipment, livestock, operating expenses, and business startup

• Held Young, Beginning, Small (YBS) Farmers Week to celebrate the next generation of ag and educate them on how Farm Credit can support their agricultural endeavors

• Supported state Farm Bureau Young Farmers’ programs across our Association’s footprint

• Hosted AgBiz Masters program for 153 registered participants

• Provided reimbursement for 42 AgBiz Masters participants, as a result of their successful completion of the two-year program

“We’re committed to the next generation and the future of agriculture.”

IN AGRICULTURE

“With diversity comes strength. We’re committed to a diverse agricultural industry and are proud to support inclusivity with regard to gender, ethnicity, veteran status, ability differences, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. We are always eager to engage, build relationships with, and cultivate talent among people of all backgrounds.”

• Supported the University of Maryland Extension Urban Ag program

• Sponsored a Philadelphia MANRRS (Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences) Regional Cluster meeting, which promoted advancement for minorities in agriculture

• Supported the LEAF (Leadership, Education and Farming) Project, which helps to develop youth leaders from diverse backgrounds through meaningful work in the food system

• Sponsored the Maryland International Ag Conference, which included farmers from Mexico & the U.S.

• Sponsored the Pennsylvania Women in Dairy Conference

• Provided FFA attire to inner city Philadelphia ag students with a donation to W.B. Saul Alumni Foundation, for “Nick’s Closet”

• The Farm Credit Foundation for Agricultural Advancement provided two $10,000 scholarships at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, which is an HBCU

• Provided funding for materials and tools to Urban Creators, for their use in expanding urban farming in Philadelphia

• Supported the PA Veteran Farming Project’s outreach and awareness campaign as well as its conference

• Carroll County (MD) Farm Bureau Women’s Committee, “Lab in a Box” Dairy Kits

STRENGTHENING

“We demonstrate our commitment to the strength and resiliency of the communities that our employees and members call home by investing in programs that reduce food insecurity and enhance access to nutrition, as well as those that bolster critical community services, and provide response and relief in times of crisis or natural disaster.”

882 | VOLUNTEER HOURS LOGGED BY EMPLOYEES

$197,500 |

DONATED TO LOCAL FOODBANKS ACROSS OUR FIVE-STATE FOOTPRINT

• Funded Grain Bin Rescue Tubes & Training through a partnership with Nationwide Insurance

• Provided financial support to several local fire companies

• Sponsored Virginia Governor’s Summit on Rural Prosperity

• Contributed to Florida Farm Bureau for Hurricane Ian Disaster Relief

• Supported Texas Wildfire Relief

HEALTH & WELLNESS

• Supported mental health programs and resources in agriculture

• Farm Credit’s Member Assistance Program provides members with access to free, anonymous benefits like counseling, legal services, identity theft recovery, and more.

AGRICULTURE EDUCATION AND

Through the Foundation, 18 students were awarded a total of $150,000 through the 2022 scholarship program:

Brandon Bixler - Lancaster County, PA

Clara Bollinger - Lancaster County, PA

Brielle Carter - Kent County, DE

Sheridan Chaney - Frederick County, MD

Cahlen Cheatham - Frederick County, MD

Kaitlyn Collins - New Castle County, DE

Elizabeth Feaga - Howard County, MD

Sydnie Grossnickle - Frederick County, MD

Alayna Harrell - Lebanon County, PA

Jessica Herr - Lancaster County, PA

Madelynn Hoffman - Lancaster County, PA

Regan Jackson - Clarke County, VA

Bethany Knutsen - Kent County, DE

Emma Musser - Lancaster County, PA

Arilyn Tegtmeier-Oatman - Lancaster County, PA

Mackenzie Ridenour - Washington County, MD

Elaena Vincent of Clarke County, VA

Caitlyn Zeller of New Castle County, DE

Another $60,000 was provided directly to schools and universities for agriculture scholarships.

The Foundation’s Community Education Grants:

• Brought Ag to the Classroom by sponsoring Ag Literacy Week in Virginia, Junior Achievement Ag Day, Mobile Ag Labs in Maryland and Pennsylvania, and more-$44,610

• Sponsored Virginia Association of Ag Educators’ Summer Conference-$1,000

• Supported Leadership Programs conducted by the Maryland FFA, PA FFA, and the Center for Dairy Excellence-$30,000

• Helped to educate consumers through support of Ag-Ed at community fairs and the Pennsylvania Farm Show’s Calving Corner-$11,000

Horizon Farm Credit:

• Supported 4-H and FFA across the Horizon Farm Credit footprint with investments totaling $32,750

• Invested in Ag Leadership programs, including LEAD Maryland, LEADelaware, PA RULE (PA Rural-Urban Leadership) and VALOR (Virginia Agriculture Leaders Obtaining Results) with donations totaling $46,000

• Supported ag programs at both the elementary and secondary levels and contributed to Maryland Agriculture Education Foundation

• Sponsored The Calving Corner at the Pennsylvania Farm Show to educate consumers

• Supported educational programs and resources for dairy farmers through Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation - $25,000

“We are committed to investing in the future of agriculture, educating consumers, and developing leaders within and for our Industry.”