July 16, 2025

ICBA: ICBA Urges Congress to Build on Pro-Agriculture Policies in Testimony Before House Agriculture Committee

The Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) today testified before Congress on the importance of community banks to the nation’s agriculture credit markets and how policymakers can enhance the new farm bill. 

Testifying before the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit, Brian Gilbert of First National Bank in Sioux Falls, S.D., thanked Congress for including several pro-agriculture provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, cited the importance of USDA guaranteed farm loan programs, and called on lawmakers to reject proposals to broadly expand Farm Credit System authorities into nonfarm lending. 

“Community banks with under $10 billion in assets make approximately 78% of all agricultural loans made by commercial banks,” said Gilbert, the SVP and agriculture banking manager at First National Bank in Sioux Falls. “When Congress considers adopting new legislation, it is important to ensure these policies do not disadvantage community banks by granting nonbank competitors who have favorable tax and regulatory policies competitive advantages over community banks.” 

In his testimony, Gilbert: 

Advancing policies that will help community banks create rural prosperity, food independence, and a stronger nation are key priorities of ICBA’s ‘Repair, Reform, and Thrive’ plan and open letter to the 119th Congress. ICBA looks forward to continuing to work with policymakers on a new farm bill and to advance policies that will support economic growth in rural communities nationwide. 

This post was originally published here.