farm credit commentary
The Farm Credit Difference By Stan Ray
has been said that good organizations focus on doing things right, while great organizations focus on doing the right things. This is an important distinction that helps explain the difference Farm Credit makes in rural communities and agriculture. As a true cooperative, a Farm Credit lender is an extension of the borrower’s operation, in which the borrower has ownership rights and privileges. As a result, Farm Credit’s purpose is to help its members be successful. We do that by providing reliable access to much-needed capital, and then distributing annual earnings back to borrowers because they are the stockholders.
and the rural communities where they live and work. By operating a high-quality organization that helps people in agriculture and rural communities live their dreams and be successful, Farm Credit is accomplishing its mission, adding value to the marketplace and leading by example.
Like the Farm Credit System as a whole, this Landscapes magazine is all about supporting the Farm Credit mission, adding value and leading by example. Now in its 20th year, Landscapes is a model of cooperation and partnership among Farm Credit lending co-ops throughout Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. Its publiAlthough Farm Credit is certainly focused on cation and distribution is intended purely to doing things right — operating in a safe and share Farm Credit stories; to inspire, inform and educate its readers; sound manner while striving and to project the quality to grow the organization’s The cooperative business and professionalism of the assets and profitability — the model, when focused on the cooperative organization it benefit of these efforts flows right things, enables Farm represents. not to the institution or its leadership, but to the indi- Credit to make a difference in For 20 years, Landscapes vidual borrowers who co-own has been a portrait of people the lives of customer-owners the cooperative and have a living and working in rural vested interest in its success. In and the rural communities America. It is a reflection brief, Farm Credit is focused where they live and work.” of those who play an oftenon doing the right things. unsung yet critical role in our nation and around the globe. By focusing on For example, Farm Credit Bank of Texas, the right things, Landscapes has been recogwhich produces this publication on behalf nized many times at the regional and national of its affiliated retail lenders throughout a levels for its distinction and high quality. five-state service territory, returned 79 percent of its 2017 earnings to its owners and other Farm Credit is privileged to be a part of this patrons. Remaining earnings are reinvested in community, and remains focused on making the future and retained to ensure appropriate a positive difference in support of those who levels of liquidity and capital. The cooperamake a difference in the world. tive business model, when focused on the right things, enables Farm Credit to make a difference in the lives of customer-owners
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SUMMER 2018
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