About Us

Farm Credit Foundations is a collaboration of Farm Credit employers who have come together to create centralized HR shared services focused on meeting their own human capital needs. We are a federally chartered instrumentality of the United States, charted by the Farm Credit Administration (FCA), operating independently since January 1, 2012.

Our participating Farm Credit organizations span 41 states and employ over 10,000 employees. We provide competitive and economic value by acting as one employer. The vision for Foundations is to achieve economies of scale and strategic advantage by:

  • Designing and offering a competitive employee benefits package for attraction and retention of talent,
  • Pooling plan assets in the investment markets to gain economic muscle and lower cost,
  • Leveraging new-generation HR information technology system, which individual organizations could not afford on their own
  • Ensuring expertise and effective operations in a quickly changing benefits environment to manage compliance risk, and
  • Providing support and information on compensation strategy and HR compliance

Farm Credit Foundations employers access HR industry thought leadership and best practices through the expertise and breadth of experience of Foundations team members located in St. Paul, MN.  Employers capture the efficiencies and effectiveness of shared benefits design, administration, asset management, payroll services, and related HR offerings. Through Foundations, their organizations are able to stay ahead of an increasingly complex and competitive workforce management environment.

VISION
Trusted partner delivering unrivaled excellence in HR solutions to all Farm Credit

VALUE PROPOSITION
Farm Credit Foundations delivers the best total value in HR services, enabling those we serve to be the employers of choice for those who serve Rural America.

BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
We are guided by our business principles:
  • Collaboration – Working hand-in-hand with the employers and businesses we serve

  • Excellence – Committed to excellence in everything we do

  • Trusted Partner – Building trusted and enduring relationships

  • Passion to Serve – Proudly and passionately serving Farm Credit and the employers who serve rural America

2023 Annual Report

Annual Report


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How We Serve You

  • Bringing employers together in Farm Credit Foundations has created significant economies of scale, enabling all participating employers regardless of size to collectively gain negotiating power in the benefits marketplace. By consolidating our purchasing power, we can better manage the escalating costs of benefits and related services.
     
  • Consolidation also brings savings through centralized operations/resources, pooling the plans’ investment assets, and having access to a broader set of HR-related expertise and services.  Employers could not achieve this level of savings or reach on their own.

  • Economies of scale allows our clients to provide a competitive benefits package with reputable HR services and health and wellness providers that are attractive and easy to communicate to plan participants. This creates a robust and attractive platform for current and future Farm Credit employees. 

  • Centralized administration also brings great economies of scale and significant risk reduction by ensuring compliance with plan documents and legislative requirements.

  • Having a center of excellence which manages all operations related to benefits and payroll creates greater consistency and reinforces a shared services culture that fits the Farm Credit values and culture.

  • Employers have access to a range of workforce management services on a user-pay basis. These services include compensation consulting, affirmative action plans, and an online performance management system that aligns performance objectives and reviews with salary administration. Foundations Consulting researches best practices in the human capital arena and offers employers customized services to audit their HR policies and environment, ensuring they are not only compliant, but competitive.

  • The Foundations team has experts on site across the full spectrum of HR benefits, operations and Foundations Consulting.  Employers and their employees have quick and easy access to answers across the full spectrum of services, from the routine questions, all the way to specialized problem solving support for those unique and often overwhelming situations.

Governance

A well-defined governance structure with employer-selected representatives provides direction and oversight to the corporation and its products and services. Farm Credit Foundations governing bodies include:


Board of Directors

The Board of Director provides the governance and oversight of Farm Credit Foundations. The Board is made up of six managers and six elected/appointed directors from among the owners of Foundations, and provides strategic oversight and direction for Farm Credit Foundations. When the Board was established, it was determined that the same owner representatives who were elected to serve on the Plan Sponsor Committee will also serve on the Board. These are distinct roles, held separate and apart from one another. Utilizing the same incumbents creates efficiencies and cost effectiveness from a time and administration, travel and meeting expenses, etc.


Plan Sponsor Committee

The Plan Sponsor Committee (PSC) governs the employee benefits. The PSC wears the employer hat and determines what benefits are to be offered, who is eligible, under what conditions, etc. The PSC membership has six managers and six elected/appointed directors from among the owners of Foundations. PSC members also serve on the Board of Directors.


Trust Committee

The nine-member Trust Committee wears the employee hat and serves as the fiduciary for the benefits plans and trust assets, hires and monitors the performance of the fund managers, and oversees the administration of the plans. The Trust Committee is made up of nine manager Trustees chosen by employer groups across Foundations.

Participating Employers

  • AgCountry Farm Credit Services
  • AgHeritage Farm Credit Services
  • AgriBank
  • AgVantis
  • AgWest Farm Credit
  • American AgCredit
  • Compeer Financial
  • Farm Credit Illinois
  • Farm Credit Mid-America
  • Farm Credit of Southern Colorado
  • Farm Credit of Western Kansas
  • Farm Credit of Western Oklahoma
  • Farm Credit Services of America/Frontier Farm Credit
  • Farm Credit Services of Mandan
  • Farm Credit Services of Western Arkansas
  • Farm Credit Southeast Missouri
  • FCS Financial
  • FCS of Colusa Glenn
  • Fresno Madera Farm Credit
  • Golden State Farm Credit
  • GreenStone Farm Credit Services
  • High Plains Farm Credit
  • Idaho AgCredit
  • Oklahoma AgCredit
  • Premier Farm Credit
  • SunStream Business Services
  • Western AgCredit
  • Yosemite Farm Credit

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