When it comes to agricultural lending on the East Coast, Hori zon Farm Credit stands as one of the most trusted and established financial institutions serving rural America. With over a century of experience in agricultural finance, Hori zon Farm Credit has built a reputation for understanding the unique needs of farmers, ranchers, and rural communities across Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.
What is Horizon Farm Credit?
Horizon Farm Credit is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by our member‐borrowers, operating as part of the broader Farm Credit System that has been supporting American agriculture for more than 100 years. As one of the largest agriculture lenders on the East Coast, this member-owned co-op has historically returned up to 60% of profits back to member/borrowers.
Unlike traditional banks, Horizon Farm Credit operates on a cooperative model where borrowers become member-owners of the institution. This unique structure allows the organization to focus entirely on serving agricultural and rural communities without the pressure of maximizing profits for external shareholders.
Comprehensive Loan Services and Products
Agricultural Loans
Horizon Farm Credit specializes in various agricultural financing options designed to meet the diverse needs of modern farming operations. Their agricultural loan portfolio includes:
Farm Purchase Loans: Financing for acquiring agricultural land and existing farming operations
Equipment Financing: Loans for purchasing or upgrading farm machinery, tractors, and specialized agricultural equipment
Livestock Loans: Funding for purchasing cattle, dairy cows, poultry, and other livestock
Operating Lines of Credit: Flexible financing to cover seasonal expenses, feed, seed, fertilizer, and other operational costs
Construction Loans: Financing for building or improving farm structures, barns, silos, and processing facilities
Land and Real Estate Financing
The organization provides comprehensive land financing solutions including:
Rural Land Purchases: Loans for acquiring farmland, recreational property, and rural acreage
Land Development: Financing for improving and developing agricultural property
Refinancing Options: Competitive rates for refinancing existing land and property loans
Rural Home Mortgages
Horizon Farm Credit provides rural home mortgages for those looking to build or purchase homes in rural areas. These specialized mortgage products are designed with the understanding that rural property values and income patterns differ from urban markets.
The Patronage Dividend Advantage
One of the most significant benefits of choosing Horizon Farm Credit is their patronage program. Unlike other lenders, their profits go right back to customer-owners, with patronage dividends reducing interest rates by about one percent.
Recent Patronage Distributions
The cooperative’s commitment to returning profits to members is evident in their recent distributions:
2024: Horizon Farm Credit distributed $72.3 million in patronage dividends to member-borrowers based on 2024 earnings
Previous Years: Over $91 million in cash distributed to members, significantly reducing borrowing costs
The patronage program also provides tax benefits, as the cooperative’s profits are only non-taxable when distributed among member-borrowers as patronage returns.
Geographic Coverage and Accessibility
Horizon Farm Credit serves a broad geographic area across the Mid-Atlantic region, with 25 branches providing loans for farms, homes, and land in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. This extensive network ensures that agricultural producers and rural residents have convenient access to financial services and local expertise.
Pennsylvania Operations
With over 100 years of helping Pennsylvania farmers and landowners secure agriculture, land, and home loans through both good and challenging times, Horizon Farm Credit maintains multiple locations throughout the state.
Crop Insurance Services
Beyond lending, Hori zon Farm Credit provides comprehensive crop insurance services to protect agricultural investments. This additional service demonstrates their commitment to supporting farmers through all aspects of agricultural risk management, not just financing.
Why Choose Horizon Farm Credit?
Expertise in Agriculture
With over 100 years of experience serving rural America through loans for farming, land, home loans, refinancing and crop insurance, Hori zon Farm Credit brings unmatched expertise to agricultural lending.
Cooperative Structure Benefits
The member-owned cooperative structure provides several advantages:
Profit Sharing: Member-borrowers receive patronage dividends, effectively reducing their borrowing costs
Agricultural Focus: 100% focus on agricultural and rural lending needs
Local Decision Making: Understanding of local agricultural conditions and markets
Long-term Relationships: Commitment to supporting members through various economic cycles
Financial Strength and Stability
The Association’s record-breaking net accruing loan volume grew to over $7.2 billion, demonstrating the organization’s financial strength and growth trajectory.
Getting Started with Horizon Farm Credit
Application Process
The loan application process at Hori zon Farm Credit is designed to be farmer-friendly, with loan officers who understand agricultural operations and seasonal cash flows. They emphasize getting financing at a pace that works for borrowers.
Contact Information
For assistance with billing, payments, or loan-specific questions, members can contact their local branch or call the main number at 888.339.3334 during operating hours.
The Farm Credit System Advantage
As part of the larger Farm Credit System, Hori zon Farm Credit benefits from a network of agricultural lenders across the United States. This association provides additional resources, expertise, and stability that individual agricultural lenders cannot match.
The Farm Credit System was created by Congress specifically to serve American agriculture, ensuring that farmers and rural communities have access to reliable credit regardless of economic conditions.
Future Outlook and Innovation
Hori zon Farm Credit continues to evolve with modern agriculture, supporting innovative farming practices and sustainable agriculture initiatives. In the evolving world of agriculture, innovation and sustainability go hand in hand, and the organization positions itself to support these trends.
The cooperative model allows Hori zon Farm Credit to take a long-term view of agricultural lending, supporting members through technological transitions, market changes, and evolving agricultural practices.
Conclusion
Horizon Farm Credit represents more than just an agricultural lender – it’s a cooperative partner invested in the success of American agriculture. Through competitive rates, profit-sharing patronage dividends, comprehensive services, and deep agricultural expertise, Hori zon Farm Credit provides the financial foundation that allows farmers and rural communities to thrive.
Whether you’re a beginning farmer looking to purchase your first property, an established operation seeking to expand, or a rural resident wanting to build a home, Hori zon Farm Credit offers the specialized knowledge and financial products needed to achieve your goals. The combination of over 100 years of experience, cooperative benefits, and unwavering focus on agriculture makes Hori zon Farm Credit a standout choice for agricultural and rural financing needs.
(FAQs) About Horizon Farm Credit
Q1 What makes Horizon Farm Credit different from traditional banks?
Hori zon Farm Credit operates as a member-owned cooperative, meaning borrowers become owners of the institution. This structure allows them to return profits to members through patronage dividends, typically reducing interest rates by about 1%. Unlike traditional banks focused on maximizing shareholder profits, Horizon Farm Credit exists solely to serve agricultural and rural communities.
Q2 What types of loans does Horizon Farm Credit offer?
Horizon Farm Credit provides a comprehensive range of agricultural financing including farm purchase loans, equipment financing, livestock loans, operating lines of credit, land loans, rural home mortgages, construction loans, and refinancing options. They also offer crop insurance services to provide complete agricultural risk management.
Q3 How does the patronage dividend program work?
The patronage program returns a portion of Horizon Farm Credit’s annual profits directly to member-borrowers based on their loan volume and relationship with the cooperative. Recent distributions have included $72.3 million in 2024 and over $91 million in previous years, effectively reducing borrowing costs for members.
Q4 What geographic areas does Horizon Farm Credit serve?
Horizon Farm Credit serves agricultural and rural communities across five states: Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. They operate 25 branches throughout this Mid-Atlantic region, ensuring convenient access to local agricultural lending expertise.
Q5 How long has Horizon Farm Credit been in business, and what is their financial strength?
Horizon Farm Credit has over 100 years of experience serving rural America and is one of the largest agricultural lenders on the East Coast. Their financial strength is demonstrated by their record-breaking loan volume of over $7.2 billion and their ability to consistently distribute millions in patronage dividends to member-borrowers annually.
