Senator Leahy has long been a strong supporter of Farm Credit. Yankee had the opportunity to send attendees to each event where they were able to thank the Senator for his support of Farm Credit and farmers. Participating from Yankee were:
- Friday 10/2 – sunset cruise on Lake Champlain – AVP/Branch Manager Dave Lane and his wife Julie
- Saturday 10/3 – bus tour from Burlington to Waitsfield and Stowe – President and CEO George Putnam and his wife Nancy
- Saturday 10/3 – dinner in Burlington – AVP/Commercial Lending Division Manager Chris Bessette and his wife Nariah Broadus
- Sunday 10/4 – reception and brunch in Burlington – Director Alan Bourbeau and his wife Kim
Senator Leahy was chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee when the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 was passed. The 1987 Act profoundly affected the Farm Credit System. Some may remember the days of Production Credit Associations (PCAs) for short and intermediate term lending and Federal Land Bank Associations (FLBAs) for long term real estate mortgage lending. The 1987 Act brought many organizational changes to the Farm Credit System, including the introduction of Agricultural Credit Associations (ACAs) which combined the functions of a PCA and FLBA into a single entity. The 1987 Act led to the formation of Yankee Farm Credit, ACA in 1995 from the merger of Champlain Valley Farm Credit and Farm Credit of the Connecticut Valley.
