Farm Credit Administration – 1 

EX 

Farm Credit Administration

2015 Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan

June 26, 2015

Stephen G. Smith

Chief Sustainability Officer

(703) 883-4275

smiths@fca.gov
Farm Credit Administration – 2 

Table of Contents 

Policy Statement 

Executive Summary 

Size and Scope of Agency Operations - Table 

Progress Toward Scope 3 Greenhouse Gas Goals - Chart 

Appendix 1 – Climate Change Adaptation Plan

 

Agency Sustainability Points of Contact 

Chief Sustainability Officer 

Stephen G. Smith, Director 

Office of Management Services

smiths@fca.gov 

Sustainability Program Coordinator

Veronica McCain, Associate Director 

Office of Management Services, Administrative Operations

mccainv@fca.gov 

 
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Farm Credit Administration 1501 Farm Credit Drive 

Mclean, Virginia 22102-

5090 (703) 883-4000

FCA Policy on Sustainability -June 2015

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) is committed to using its resources wisely and in an efficient 

manner in order to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and protect the environment. Although 

FCA is a small, non-appropriated agency with less than 300 employees, we will do our part to achieve

the

goal, stated in Executive Order 13514, of reducing the Federal government's emission of greenhouse 

gas pollution by 28 percent by the year 2020. We will also comply with applicable environmental and

energy statutes, regulations, and Executive Orders (EOs) and other Federal initiatives.

As a small agency, we are quite familiar with "doing more with less" and with being a wise steward

of our resources. We will incorporate this philosophy into our approach for reducing GHG emissions

and creating a more sustainable workplace.

Stephen G. Smith

Director, Office of Management 

Services and Chief Sustainability

Officer
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Achievements in the Past Year

In FY 2014, the Farm Credit Administration (FCA) continued its focus on reducing employee travel. We 

achieved a 12% reduction in emissions from the 2008 base year and attribute most of this reduction to the 

increased use of telework by agency employees. We continued to expand the use of videoconferencing—both for 

inter-office meetings and for meetings with the Farm Credit System institutions we examine. Also, we 

continued to promote prudent use of personal and rental vehicles by agency employees when used for official 

travel. 

To promote further sustainability in the Agency, we:

• continued to develop an electronic repository for agency training materials, eliminating the need 

for hardcopy distribution of these products; 

• informed employees about public transportation options that have been implemented and will continue 

to develop as a result of the opening of the McLean and Reston Metrorail stations and area bus routes; 

• supported and promoted green commuting by encouraging employees to participate in local “Bike to 

Work Day” events; 

• leveraged the services of UNICOR to recycle our obsolete computer and office equipment;

• leveraged our investments in video-conferencing and improved communication technologies to reduce 

the need for employee travel between headquarters and our four field offices. We also expanded the use 

of video-conferencing with the Farm Credit System associations and banks that we regulate to reduce

the necessity for onsite work and briefings; and,

• informed the Farm Credit System associations and banks about the effect of climate change on the 

farming industry. 

 

FCA’s Vision for FY 2015

In FY 2015, we will continue to focus our efforts on reducing the agency’s carbon footprint. We will:

• promote the use of public transportation, as we expect more commuting options to be available to 

employees as Metro and the Fairfax Connector transportation systems expand in the McLean area. As 

part of this initiative, we recently issued a policy change that allows paid interns to participate in the 

transit subsidy program. 

• encourage regularly-scheduled telecommuting by agency employees when it is feasible.

• review leases as they expire and encourage the Farm Credit System Building Association to adhere to 

initiatives set forth in the policy objectives. 

• monitor the agency’s vulnerability to climate change by reviewing official studies/reports and acting on 

any information that would affect FCA operations. 

• continue to invest in the roll-out of an electronic recordkeeping system that will reduce the need for 

hardcopy files.
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TABLE 1: SIZE AND SC OPE OF AGENCY OPERAT IONS

Agency Size and Scope FY 2014

Total Number of Employees as Reported in the President's Budget 278

Total Acres of Land Managed 0

Total Number of Facilities Owned 0

Total Number of Facilities Leased (GSA and Non-GSA lease) 0

Total Facility Gross Square Feet (GSF) 136,200

Operates in Number of Locations Throughout U.S. 6

Operates in Number of Locations Outside of U.S. 0

Total Number of Fleet Vehicles Owned 1

Total Number of Fleet Vehicles Leased 0
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Note: E.O. 13514 requires each agency to establish a scope 3 GHG reduction target for 

FY2020. The FY2020 target for this agency is 10% compared to the FY2008 baseline. The red

bar represents the agency’s FY2008 baseline. The green bar represents the FY2020 target 

reduction. The blue bars show actual status in relationship to the target. The percentage on 

each bar shows the reduction or increase from the FY2008 baseline. A negative percentage 

reflects an increase in Scope 3 GHG emissions. 

1,921

2,276

-18.5%

1,797

6.4% 1,747

9% 1,588

17.3%

1,686

12.2%

1,728

10%

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

2008

Baseline

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2020

Target

Agency-Specific Performance Metrics for Scope 3 

GHG Emissions Reduction

(measured in metric tons of CO2e)

2008 Baseline

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2020 Target
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APPENDIX 1: CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPT ATION PLAN

Climate Change Adaptation Plan – June 2015

FCA is the independent Federal agency responsible for examining and regulating the Farm Credit System, a 

Government-sponsored enterprise created by Congress in 1916 to provide American agriculture with a 

dependable source of credit. Through its oversight and regulation of the Farm Credit System, FCA helps to 

ensure a safe, sound, and dependable source of credit and related services for agriculture and rural America.

Climate Change Adaptation Policy and Responsibilities

FCA’s statement on Climate Change Adaptation Planning Policy sets forth the following: 

FCA is committed to climate change adaptation planning so we can address challenges posed by climate 

change to our mission, programs and operations. Because of our involvement in both the agricultural and 

financial sectors, we need to plan for potential issues we may face that affect these important sectors of the 

economy. We see our primary role in climate change adaption planning as twofold:

1) plan for climate changes that may affect the mission of the Agency; and

2) plan for climate changes that may affect the Agency and its employees.

Therefore, FCA is focusing our strategic approach to climate change in two areas: 

1) How climate change will likely affect our ability to achieve our mission of examining and regulating 

the Farm Credit System. 

2) How climate change will affect our operations, specifically how climate change may affect the 

locations of our headquarters and field offices and workforce.

Stephen G. Smith is FCA’s Chief Sustainability Officer and the Agency’s Senior Official for Climate 

Change. Mr. Smith serves as the Director of the Office of Management Services, and reports directly to the 

Chief Operating Officer for the Agency and is responsible for the development, implementation and evaluation 

of our plan. Veronica McCain is the FCA’s Sustainability Program Coordinator. Ms. McCain serves as the 

Associate Director of the Office of Management Services, Administrative Operations Team.

Analysis of Climate Change Risks and Opportunities

As a small agency with a narrow scope of responsibility and limited expertise in the area of climate change, we 

are relying on the most recent official guidance produced by the U.S. Government pertaining to climate change 

to conduct the analysis. The Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States, prepared by the U.S. Global 

Change Research Program in May 2014 is being used as the basis for our general understanding of the effects of 

climate change. We are using the Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water 

Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States, prepared by the U.S. Climate Change Science Program in 

May 2008, as the basis for our understanding of the effects climate change will have on agriculture.

We have reviewed the “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States” report produced by the U.S. 

Global Change Research Program. The report identifies 12 key findings. Findings 7 and 8 are directly related 

to agriculture and could have long-term effects on the Farm Credit System: 

7. Climate change will stress water resources. Water is an issue in every region, but the nature of the 

potential impacts varies. Surface and groundwater supplies in some regions are stressed by 
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 increased demand for water and groundwater recharge. In some regions, particularly the southern 

part of the country, climate change is increasing the likelihood of water shortages and competition for 

water among its many users. 

8. Crop and livestock production will be increasingly challenged. Agriculture is considered one of the 

sectors most adaptable to changes in climate. However, extreme heat, drought, disease, and heavy 

downpours will pose adaptation challenges for crop and livestock production.

We have also reviewed the report sponsored by the USDA, The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, 

Land Resources, Water Resources, and Biodiversity in the United States. This report, produced in 2008, 

assesses “the effects of climate change on U.S. land resources, water resources, agriculture and biodiversity,” 

but does not make specific recommendations. The report does lay out the following “sectoral findings” for 

agriculture:

 • Increased CO2 and temperature will cause the lifecycle of grain and oilseed to progress more rapidly;

• Marketable yields of crops, such as tomatoes, onions and fruits will likely be more sensitive to climate 

change than grain and oilseed crops; 

• Climate change is likely to lead to a northern migration of weeds – shifts in plant species are already 

under way in rangelands; 

• With earlier springs and warmer winters disease pressure on crops and domestic animals will likely 

increase;

• Forage production will likely extend into late fall and early spring due to projected increases in 

temperature and a lengthening of the growing season, decreasing the need for winter season forage 

reserves;

• Livestock production will be reduced during the summer, but will be offset by warmer temperatures in 

the winter. 

The findings from these reports reinforce the Agency’s need to adapt existing processes to receive and analyze 

climate change information that can potentially affect or our ability to achieve our mission of examining and 

regulating the Farm Credit System. If we determine there is actionable information about potential long-term 

impacts of climate change to the operations of the FCS, we will use appropriate communications channels to 

notify them. 

How will climate change affect our operations, specifically how climate change may affect the locations of 

our headquarters and field offices and our workforce?

The “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States” report produced by the U.S. Global Change 

Research Program presents two findings that have potential to affect our headquarters and field office locations 

and our workforce: 

5. Threats to human health will increase. Health impacts of climate change are related to heat stress, 

waterborne diseases, poor air quality, extreme weather events, and diseases transmitted by insects and 

rodents. Robust public health infrastructure can reduce the potential for negative impacts.

6. Coastal areas are at increasing risk from sea-level rise and storm surge. Sea-level rise, storm 

surge and heavy downpour in combination with the pattern of continued development in coastal areas, 

are increasing damage to U.S infrastructure including roads, buildings, and industrial facilities. Also 

extreme heat is damaging transportation infrastructure such as roads, rail lines and airport runaways. 

Our offices are not located in coastal areas that would be affected by an increased risk of sea-level rise and 

storm surge, nor do we have any indication that we will be experiencing any health risks in the short term. We 
Farm Credit Administration – 9 

will continue to monitor climate change data and will take adequate steps to protect both our physical 

infrastructure and the health of our employees. 

Agency Activities to Plan, Understand and Address Climate Change Risks and Opportunities

As stated in our analysis of the Agency’s vulnerability to climate change, we are a small agency with a fairly 

narrow scope of responsibility and limited expertise in the area of climate change. Therefore, our activities 

consist of the following: 

• We will continue to monitor climate change information produced by official U.S. governmental 

sources to determine how it may affect our operations, 

• We will alert the Farm Credit System as to any actionable steps that may need to be taken to ensure 

they adequately plan for climate change.

• We will take necessary actions where climate change has the potential to affect our operations and 

employees.

In order to adequately address climate change risks and opportunities, we will continue to evaluate any new 

climate change information that becomes available through official government sources, such as the United 

States Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Climate Change Research Program. As part of FCA’s annual 

sustainability and climate change adaptation reporting and planning cycle, FCA will be review and update our 

“analysis of climate change risks and opportunities” based on any new studies or information. Should we 

identify any actionable items, either through our annual review cycle or as we are alerted by other government 

sources, such as the Council on Environmental Quality, we will take appropriate actions. Should it affect the 

FCS system, we will select a method to best notify them. 

FCA will also use this planning document, which will be posted on FCA’s Website, to disclose information to 

our employees, the Farm Credit System and the general public about our Climate Change Adaptation program. 

Priority Climate Change Actions to be implemented in FY2015

FCA Action

Scale 

(National, 

Regional,

Local)

Completion

Date

Collaborating

Agencies

(if applicable)

Review government studies and analyses and 

update FCA’s Analysis of Climate Change Risks 

and Opportunities.

National June 2016 USDA (Will rely on 

information

products)

Based on update of FCA’s Analysis of Climate 

Change Risks and Opportunities, review HQ and 

field office locations to determine susceptibility to 

climate change and determine if any adaptive 

measures need to be taken.

National June 2016 N/A

Based on update of FCA’s Analysis of Climate 

Change Risks and Opportunities, determine the 

need to communicate information to the Farm 

Credit System and take appropriate actions to 

notify them.

National June 2016 N/A
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References

The Effects of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources and Biodiversity. U.S. 

Climate Change Science Program, Synthesis and Assessment Product 4.3, May 2008. 348 pp. Internet 

Location: http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/files/SAP4_3/Front_Matter.pdf

Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. U.S. Global Change Research Program. Internet

 Location: http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessments/us-impacts/full-report.