Our members, Adam & Sarah Temple, of Ashford, AL, took their interests in agriculture to Capitol Hill on June 22.

They were selected to participate in the Young Leaders program, a four-day event that recognizes and rewards young Farm Credit stockholders for outstanding leadership and involvement in the agriculture industry. It teaches them about the Farm Credit System, the legislative process, and the nation’s financial markets.

This year’s program took 27 young emerging leaders and Farm Credit borrowers from Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, and Texas to the nation’s political and financial centers, Washington, D.C., and New York City. There, they met with Farm Credit, USDA, and elected officials to discuss loan programs and policies that affect the country’s farmers and ranchers.

Besides visiting Capitol Hill, participants also gained an inside perspective and behind-the-scenes look at the nation’s largest source of financing for agriculture and rural America. During visits to the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation, they learned how investors purchase highly rated Farm Credit notes and bonds, supplying steady funding for loans and related services. 

Adam and Sarah Temple own and live with their three children on a peanut, corn, and soybean farm in Houston County, Alabama. Temple Farms has approximately 400 acres of cropland, including 240 irrigated acres and 150 acres of woodland. Their operation focuses on sustainability, conservation, and improving yield efficiency.