Quarterly Report on 

FCS Condition 

June 11, 2020 

Dennis A. Shields

Hal Johnson

FCA Board Meeting 

June 2020

1
Topics for Open Session

▶ Economic Conditions Affecting the Farm Credit

System

▪Economic indicators

▪Commodities and trade

▪Government response for agriculture sector

▶ FCS Condition and Performance

▪System growth and loan portfolio

▪Earnings and capital

▪Financial Institution Rating System (FIRS)

2
Economic Conditions Affecting 

the Farm Credit System

Dennis A. Shields

Chief Economist 

Office of Data Analytics and Economics

3
U.S. economy appears to turn the corner 

after steep contraction

Weekly Economic Index 

Source: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, https://www.newyorkfed.org/research/policy/weekly-economic-index. 4

10.08
High unemployment rate edged lower in May

5

Source: FCA analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.a.htm; 

insurance claims from https://www.dol.gov/ui/data.pdf; personal income from https://www.bea.gov/news/2020/personalincome-and-outlays-april-2020.

Unemployment rate by county in April 2020

0% 15% 30%

U.S. = 14.7%

Feb 2020 April 2020 May 2020

Employed 158.8 mil. 133.4 mil. 137.2 mil.

Unemployed 5.8 mil. 23.1 mil. 21.0 mil.

Unemploy. rate 3.5% 14.7% 13.3% 

Unemployment insurance claims for 11 weeks through 

5/30 were approximately 42.6 million.

Personal income in April rose 10.5% 

from the previous month, after 

falling 2.2% in March. Increases in 

government social benefits more 

than offset decreases in other 

sources of income.
Crop returns will be under pressure in 2020/21

Market returns in $ per acre

$637

$429

$246

$604

$405

$238

$571

$408

$228

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

Corn Soybeans Wheat

$/acre 2018/19 estimate 2019/20 preliminary 2020/21 forecast

Source: Data from May 2020 WASDE, USDA. 

Note: Market return equals season-average farm price times average U.S. yield.

6
Livestock sector contends with major 

processing disruption, but low corn prices help

▶ Livestock prices have rebounded some in recent weeks, but challenges remain

with processing backlogs and uncertain demand prospects.

▶ Cow-calf margins for 2020 will hinge on calf prices this fall (supported by low corn

prices) and pasture conditions (dry in parts of the Plains and West).

▶ Feedlots are weathering the backlog of cattle; returns are highly mixed: hedged

cattle are turning profits in June while unhedged animals are losing money.

▶ Hog margins were negative for every week of April, with producers losing $20 per

head. Breeding herd liquidation will reduce market hog supplies later this year.

▶ Dairy margins deteriorated quickly with negative returns in April and May not

seen since 2009 or 2012. Margins are expected to remain in the red through at

least June.

▶ For broilers, prices for major cuts and whole birds have generated weak margins.

A low feed cost environment benefits broiler integrators.

7
U.S. agricultural export expectations 

have downshifted in the wake of COVID-19 

Fiscal year U.S. agricultural exports ($ bil.)

Source: USDA/ERS.

Note: Forecast as of May 29, 2020. 8

2019 2020 forecast

Actual

Issued in 

February

Issued 

in May

Canada $20.9 $21.5 $21.2

Mexico $19.0 $19.8 $19.8

China $10.1 $14.0 $13.0

Europe $13.2 $12.9 $12.1

Japan $12.1 $12.0 $12.0

World $135.5 $139.5 $136.5 21.2
USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program 

(CFAP) will bolster farm income in 2020

▶ CFAP delivers $16 billion in direct payments to producers that have 

been impacted by the decline in commodity prices and the 

disruption in food supply chains related to COVID-19. 

▶ Not all producers will receive payments – based on inventory and 

sales in certain periods of early 2020. 

9

Commodity Beef 

cattle Dairy Hogs Non-specialty crops

Specialty 

crops

Other sectors

CFAP amount $5.1 bil. $2.8 bil. $1.6 bil. $3.5 bil. $2.4 bil. $0.7 bil.

Approx. % of 2019 

cash receipts 7.5% 7.0% 6.9% 4.8% 3.1% not avail.

▶ $3 billion in purchases for distribution of fresh produce, dairy, and 

meat products through food banks and others.
CFAP payments represent sizable support for 

U.S. farm sector

10

Ratio of estimated 2020 CFAP payments to net cash income (NCI)

Source: FCA analysis of USDA national payment estimates by commodity, and USDA production, acreage, and 

inventory statistics; net cash income from 2017 Census of Agriculture. Note: Excludes payments to “other sectors.”

FCS district 

footprint using 

county estimates

Ratio of CFAP 

payments to net 

cash income

AgFirst 9%

AgriBank 16%

Texas 22%

CoBank 24%

U.S. total 18%
CFAP will double the amount of government 

payments to farm sector in 2020

▶ Prior to COVID-19, USDA 

expected $15 billion in 

government payments for 2020. 

▶ With CFAP, the farm sector will 

receive an additional $16 billion 

in government payments.

▶ Net effect on total farm income 

will depend on impacts from 

reduced farm prices on cash 

receipts during the rest of 2020.

▶ A potential “Round 2” of CFAP 

could offset more market losses.

Net cash farm income excluding 2020 CFAP 

payments and COVID market impacts 

Source: USDA/ERS, February 5, 2020. 11

125 122

96 83 90 91 97 95

11 10

11

13 12 14

24 15

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019F2020F

$ bil.

Direct government payments

Income excluding gov. payments
Concluding comments

▶ Economic recovery is underway and consumers are re-emerging; 

negative impacts continue for off-farm income prospects.

▶ Food system is adjusting and regaining its footing.

▶ Some commodity futures prices have returned to early March 

levels; notable exceptions include corn and hogs. 

▪Major crop supplies remain plentiful and markets are weak; producers will 

continue to depend on regular farm program payments and additional 

assistance enacted this spring (and possibly this summer). 

▪Protein sector is recovering from an epic disruption; export demand is 

relatively good for pork; foodservice demand is picking up. 

▪For specialty crops, availability of farm workers is a concern.

▶ Government payments will support many producers in 2020. 12
Questions

THANK YOU

13
Farm Credit System 

Condition and Performance 

as of 

March 31, 2020

Hal Johnson

Sr. Financial Analyst

Office of Examination

14
Topics

▶ System growth

▶ Portfolio credit quality

▶ Earnings

▶ Capital | Liquidity

▶ FIRS

15
System assets grew by 6% in 1st quarter 

as Banks build liquidity levels

Source: FCS Information Statements 16

1.0% 0.1%

-9.2%

16.8%

0.3%

-0.2%

-4.4%

8.0%

2.0% 1.3%

-4.2%

8.7%

-12%

-8%

-4%

0%

4%

8%

12%

16%

20%

24%

Total Loan

Portfolio

RE Mortgage

(46%)

Prod. &

Intermediate

(18%)

Agribusiness

(19%)

Mar-18

Mar-19

Mar-20

Total 

Assets

3/31/20

$387.3 +6.0% Qtr

billion +11.1% 12M

Gross

Loans

3/31/20

$292.6

billion

 +2.0% Qtr

 +6.7% 12M

Loan Growth by Loan Type

% change from the prior quarter

1.1% 0.2% 0.3%

4.2%

-0.1%

1.1% 0.4%

3.2%

6.0%

3.2 2.9 2.5 

6.3 3.3 4.4 5.6 6.4 

21.0 

Quarterly System Asset Growth

Cash & Fed. Fund Balances ($B)
Credit risk indicators largely unchanged in the 

1st quarter; COVID-19’s impact not yet evident

(1) calculated as a percentage of gross loans outstanding 

and other property owned (OPO)

17

(1) accruing loans 30 days or more past due as a % of accruing loans

6.7

7.0

10.7

5.3

2.9

6.8

7.1

11.4

4.3

2.9

6.3

6.7

10.4

4.4

2.6

0.0 5.0 10.0

Total

Portfolio

Real Estate

Mortgage

Production &

Intermediate

Agribusiness

Rural

 Infrastructure

Mar-20 Mar-19 Mar-18

% of Loans Classified less than Acceptable

Source: FCS Information Statements

2.29% 2.18%1.97%

1.53%

1.11%

0.86% 0.73% 0.82% 0.78% 0.83% 0.82%

0.84%

% of Nonperforming Assets(1)

$2.451 Qtr Chg. + $104M or +4.4%

billion 12 Mnth Chg. Unchanged

Q4 '19 0.30%

Q1 '19 0.48%

 Nonperforming 

Assets

(3/31/20)

 Delinquencies (1)

(3/31/20)

0.46%
System reported strong 1st quarter earnings

Source: FCS Information Statements 18

3.79 

3.59 3.46 3.41 3.48 3.75 

4.21 4.40 4.11 

1.08 0.95 0.96 1.01 1.17 1.50

2.09 2.36

1.95

2.71 2.64 

2.50 

2.40 

2.31 2.25 

2.12 2.04 

2.16 

2.87 

2.78 

2.64 

2.55 2.49 2.48 2.46 2.42 2.47 

2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Q1 '20

Rate: Earning Assets Rate: Interest-Bearing Liabilities

Net Interest

Margin

Net Interest

Spread

Net Interest Spread | Net Interest Margin

1,473 

1,266 

1,383 1,363 1,320 1,288 

1,380 1,387 1,391 1,432 

9 

69 

18 

59 48 65 

1 

29 

74 57 

System Net Income

Provisions for Loan Losses includes $104M 

net deferred tax 

adjustment

Quarterly System Earnings ($M)
Capital and Liquidity

( as of March 31, 2020 )

▶ Total Regulatory Capital levels:

Banks| 15.2% to 18.1%

Associations| 12.6% to 38.2%

▶ Days of available liquidity for 

the 4 funding banks ranged 

from 163 to 240 days

▶ Capital and the Allowance for 

Loan Losses as a % of loans for 

the combined districts ranged 

from 18.1% to 22.6%

Source: FCS Information Statements

Note: Restricted capital represents capital associated with the Insurance Fund.

19

Continued capital growth; strong liquidity

42.6 

45.7 

48.8 

52.3 

55.4 

58.4 

61.7 63.4 

16.3% 16.2% 16.1% 16.4% 16.8% 16.7% 16.9% 16.4%

Dec-13 Dec-14 Dec-15 Dec-16 Dec-17 Dec-18 Dec-19 Mar-20

System Capital

Total Capital less Restricted

Capital-to-Assets Ratio

Total System Capital ($B)
System FIRS ratings

FIRS Ratings

( based on 3/31/20 financial reporting )

▶ Composite FIRS ratings are a 

reflection of the System’s strong 

financial position and acceptable 

portfolio credit quality

▶ Over 90% of System Banks and 

Associations have a Composite 

FIRS rating of 1 or 2

▶ Institutions rated 3 or lower 

account for less than 1.5% of 

System assets

Composite FIRS Ratings

Farm Credit System Banks and Associations

Source: FCA’s FIRS ratings database 20

43 44 46 44 39 34 30 30

31 32 29 31

29 32 35 37

8 4 3 2

5 7 7 5

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Dec-13 Dec-14 Dec-15 Dec-16 Dec-17 Dec-18 Dec-19 Mar-20

Number of Rated Institutions

1 Rated 2 Rated 3 Rated or lower
Summary and final points

▶ COVID-19 has had a profound and far-reaching impact on 

the U.S. economy.

▶ Agricultural producers are facing extremely challenging 

and volatile market conditions.

▶ Although the effect of current events was not yet evident 

in the 1st quarter, a broad range of agricultural sectors are 

under significant stress.

▶ System institutions are financially sound, strongly 

capitalized, and well-positioned to continue to support 

U.S farmers and ranchers. 21
Questions

THANK YOU

22