Texas Farm Credit Represents Agriculture in Washington, D.C. at the 2025 Farm Credit Fly-In

More than 800 Farm Credit directors, employees, and customers from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the 2025 Farm Credit Fly-In – an annual opportunity to bring the voices of rural America directly to Capitol Hill. This year’s Fly-In carried even greater weight as participants advocated for Farm Bill 2.0 during a time when producers need meaningful support more than ever.

Despite a continuing government shutdown, attendees held numerous impactful meetings with Senators, Representatives, and their staff to ensure that the needs of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities remained front and center.

“More than 800 directors, employees, and customers came together with one message: agriculture deserves to be heard.”

Advocacy in Action: Sharing Stories with Lawmakers

Texas Farm Credit joined Farm Credit colleagues from across the nation to meet with congressional delegations and emphasize the importance of strong, reliable credit for agriculture.

Throughout the week, our team participated in:

• Meetings with Members of Congress and their staff to advocate for Farm Bill 2.0
• Coffee and pastries on Capitol Hill, offering time for meaningful, informal conversation
• General sessions and briefings from House Agriculture Committee leadership
• A dedicated event celebrating women in agriculture
• Showcasing customer-grown products at the Marketplace Reception

Spotlight on the Marketplace: A Booth Built with Heart

One of the standout moments of the Fly-In was the Marketplace Reception, where Farm Credit associations highlight customer products and local stories. Farm Credit’s booth created an immediate sense of warmth, intention, and authenticity that told the Texas Farm Credit story with pride and purpose. The Marketplace was packed from start to finish – alive with colleagues connecting, learning, and celebrating the people who help feed and fuel America.

Todd & Kayla Otahal: The Heart of Our Story

Texas Farm Credit was honored to welcome customers Todd and Kayla Otahal as our featured guests for the week. With humility, strength, and openness, they shared the realities of modern farming and represented producers with unmatched authenticity.

Todd and Kayla worked alongside our team at the Marketplace booth, spoke with congressional staffers, and brought a human voice to discussions that can otherwise feel distant or abstract.

Their story made policy personal – and reminded everyone why this advocacy matters.

“The Otahals reminded everyone why this work matters. Their story is the heartbeat of Texas agriculture.”

Why the Fly-In Matters

The Farm Credit Fly-In is more than an annual event. It is a unified, national demonstration that agriculture matters – and that the producers feeding and clothing the country deserve policies that support them.

The event strengthens Farm Credit’s reputation on Capitol Hill and underscores why our mission remains critical to rural communities. It also provides opportunities to:

• Advocate for reliable and accessible credit
• Highlight success stories from American agriculture
• Build relationships with lawmakers
• Bring customer voices directly to policymakers
• Showcase the impact Farm Credit has in every rural county we serve

“This week reminded us who we serve, why we show up, and what rural America needs from us.”

Proud of Our Mission. Proud to Serve Agriculture.

From advocating for Farm Bill 2.0, to connecting with lawmakers over coffee, to celebrating women in agriculture, to sharing customer stories that make the challenges of farming real – the 2025 Fly-In reminded us why we do this work.

Texas Farm Credit is honored to stand alongside farmers, ranchers, rural businesses, and communities in every season.

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Washington and to the customers whose stories inspire us every day.

About Texas Farm Credit

Texas Farm Credit is an agricultural lending cooperative that provides competitive rates, flexible terms, and personal service to farmers, ranchers, rural residents, and agribusiness firms from the Red River to the Rio Grande Valley. Not only does Texas Farm Credit finance a wide range of farming and ranching operations, it also offers home and rural real estate mortgage loans, as well as provides a variety of insurance services to its members. Headquartered in Robstown, Texas, the lending co-op serves 100 Texas counties and is part of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of rural lending co-ops established in 1916. For more information, visit www.TexasFarmCredit.com.