Monday, June 13, 2011

Farm Credit Showcases Local Foods to Congress

Farm Credit Showcases Local Foods to Congress

Washington, DC—Four local Farm Credit associations recently hosted an event for Legislators and their legislative assistants. The event, held May 25, featured produce and gourmet dishes all grown by Farm Credit member-borrowers in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

Over 175 elected officials and staff members attended the event, which has been held annually since 1995.

“This event is a great opportunity to remind our legislators how important agriculture is to the health and economy of the country,” said Dave Lawrence, CEO of Farm Credit of the Virginias, one of the Farm Credit organizations that sponsored the event.

“So many members of Congress are from urban centers, and they’re not as familiar with the challenges that rural Americans face,” said Bob Frazee, CEO of MidAtlantic Farm Credit, which serves Delaware and parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. “This event is a great opportunity to educate them on farming, and the need for a stable source of capital for agriculture.”
Congressmen Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Tim Holden (D-PA) served as co-hosts of the event.

Farm Credit is a nationwide cooperative lender, with over 500,000 member-borrowers, and a portfolio of over $160 billion in the United States.

Media Contact:
Sandy Wieber
Vice President of Marketing
800.333.7950
swieber@mafc.com