FORT WORTH, Texas (Mar. 28, 2023) — Today Ag Resource Management (ARM) Chief Executive Officer Rip Mason addressed the critical role of alternative finance in remarks to U.S. agricultural credit leaders, policymakers and regulators at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City’s National Agricultural Credit Conference in Washington, D.C.
“Alternative lending options became even more important in the agricultural credit sector this month with the turmoil in the banking industry,” said Mason. “ARM fills a unique niche in the agricultural finance market as we work with banks to bridge the gap between bank offerings and farmers’ needs. With planting well underway in most geographies, the importance of securing a crop loan quickly is paramount to farm operations and ultimately to our food supply.”
“ARM is a first mover and market leader in non-bank finance,” added Mason. “ARM is funded by a broad network of institutional investors and has not been affected by the recent volatility following the failures of SVB and Signature Bank.”
He explained that ARM’s unique lending approach enables it to provide farmers with operating loans that are based on a farm budget and crop collateral rather than equity in real estate and other assets.
“ARM can service farmers who may not fit traditional credit risk profiles, such as the many farmers who rent rather than own land and beginning farmers who may not have sufficient collateral to satisfy the loan-to-value requirements traditional lenders require,” Mason said.
ARM services borrowers through 25 storefronts in 18 states, representing approximately two million acres of annual row crop production.