To amend the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to provide support for facilities providing healthcare, education, child care, public safety, and other vital services in rural areas.
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMrs. Fischbach (for herself, Mr. Finstad, and Mr. Davis of …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Investing in Rural America Act of 2025 expands the Farm Credit System's lending authority to include financing for essential community facilities in rural areas. This allows Farm Credit Banks and related institutions to provide loans and financial assistance for healthcare facilities, schools, childcare centers, public safety buildings, and other vital community infrastructure that were previously outside their lending scope.
Who Benefits and How
Rural communities and local governments gain access to a new source of financing for essential facilities like hospitals, schools, and fire stations. Farm Credit Banks and their associations benefit from expanded lending opportunities, potentially increasing their loan portfolios by up to 15% of outstanding loans. Essential service providers in rural areas (healthcare systems, school districts, childcare operators, emergency services) can access capital that may be more readily available than traditional commercial bank loans.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Farm Credit System institutions face new regulatory requirements, including mandatory reporting to the Farm Credit Administration and requirements to offer participation interests to local community banks before proceeding with loans. Domestic lending institutions, particularly community banks in rural areas, must be offered participation opportunities in these financing arrangements, creating administrative coordination requirements. The Farm Credit Administration takes on additional oversight responsibilities, including annual reporting to Congress.
Key Provisions
- Authorizes Farm Credit Banks, direct lender associations, and banks for cooperatives to finance essential community facilities eligible under Section 306(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act
- Limits total financing under this program to 15% of each institution's outstanding loans
- Requires Farm Credit institutions to offer financing participation to at least one domestic lender (prioritizing local community banks) before extending assistance
- Mandates annual reporting by the Farm Credit Administration to Congressional agriculture committees
- Takes effect October 1, 2025
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
The bill aims to enhance support for essential rural community facilities, including healthcare, education, child care, public safety, and more.
Policy Domains
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Agriculture
- "the_administrator"
- → Administrator of the Farm Credit Administration
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology