2018 National Rural Lenders' Roundtable

The 2018 National Rural Lenders’ Roundtable kicked off its annual event with a USDA/SBA Capitol Hill Fly-In event in DC on December 4, 2018.  The NRLR and its lobbyist, Broydrick & Associates, set up the event to discuss a number of legislative matters, including the current status of the USDA Appropriations Bill, the Farm Bill and the Committee Conference Bill & Report.  Additionally, they advocated for several provisions favored by rural lenders including $250 million in mandatory funding for USDA’s REAP program, moving USDA’s B&I and REAP Programs to zero subsidy, changing the definition of rural eligibility for the Community Facilities Program and an increase in loan authorization in FY20 for USDA’s B&I Loan Program from $950 million to $1.5 billion.

The group consisted of some of the most influential bankers and stakeholders in Rural America, including Byline Bank, Touchmark National Bank, Fidelity Bank, Pacific Premiere Bank and Thomas USAF Group.

The fly-in meetings were with Senator Johnny Isakson, Congressman Robert Aderholt, Senator David Perdue, Senator James Risch, Congressman Sanford Bishop, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Senator Tina Smith.

Highlights of the 2018 Roundtable include Administrator Brand addressing the priorities established by the Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity, Deputy Administrator Brodziski’s summary of the FY19 goals and objectives of the B&I Loan Program and Bruce Lammers of Byline Bank named as 2019 President of the NRLR.