Ahead of the House Committee on Agriculture’s September 16 hearing, “Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and Abroad,” the Defense Credit Union Council is urging lawmakers to ensure efforts to expand markets for American agriculture are matched by access to affordable, responsible financing for producers, veteran entrepreneurs, and the rural small businesses.
In its letter to Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson and Ranking Member Angie Craig, DCUC wrote, “Opening new markets must be matched by the ability of producers and small businesses to serve them. A new customer at home or abroad cannot translate into growth if a farmer cannot finance equipment, a processor cannot expand production, or a small business cannot obtain the working capital necessary to fill an order. Credit unions should be empowered to help close that gap.”
DCUC noted how these recommendations build on its previous submissions, including a July 15, 2025, letter concerning rural financing and an August 3, 2026, Farm Bill letter, regarding agricultural credit, targeted relief from member business lending restrictions, support for veteran entrepreneurs, and meaningful credit union participation in rural financing programs.
“Those priorities directly complement the Committee’s objective of expanding opportunities for homegrown products,” wrote DCUC.
“America’s credit unions are community-based lenders that understand the needs of rural borrowers,” says Jason Stverak, DCUC Chief Advocacy Officer. “When Congress considers how to increase demand for American products, it should also make sure qualified credit unions have the flexibility to help farmers, veterans, and rural small businesses responsibly finance the growth required to meet that demand.”
DCUC noted that USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 305,753 producers who had served or were serving in the U.S. military, and that farms with a producer with military service generated approximately $49 billion in agricultural sales. That connection, DCUC added, underscores why veteran access to agricultural and small-business capital should be treated as a central issue for rural economic growth.
DCUC also encouraged Congress to consider targeted member business lending relief for qualifying agricultural loans, particularly those supporting small and beginning farmers and ranchers, and to ensure qualified credit unions can meaningfully participate in USDA and rural financing initiatives.
“Increasing demand for homegrown products is an important goal, but producers and small businesses need capital before new sales can become new growth,” DCUC wrote. “Credit unions should be recognized as partners in helping connect market opportunities with the responsible financing needed to pursue them.”