Farm Credit Administration 

Sustainability Report and Implementation Plan 

June 30, 2019 
 

 

 

 

 

 

The Farm Credit Administration (FCA) is an independent federal agency that regulates and 

examines the banks, associations, and related entities of the Farm Credit System (FCS), 

including the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac). 

The FCS is the largest agricultural lender in the United States. It is a nationwide network of 

lending institutions that are owned by their borrowers. It serves all 50 states and Puerto Rico. 

FCA’s mission is to ensure a safe, sound, and dependable source of credit and related services 

for all credit-worthy and eligible persons in agriculture and rural America. We do this in two 

ways: 

1. by creating regulations for FCS institutions to follow; and, 

2. by examining FCS institutions to ensure their compliance with the Farm Credit Act of 

1971 (as amended), FCA regulations, and safe and sound banking practices. 

The agency was created by a 1933 executive order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Today, 

the agency derives its authority from the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as amended. 

FCA is committed to using its resources wisely, and in a sustainable manner, to help reduce the 

emission of greenhouse gases and to protect the environment. 

As the financial regulator of the Farm Credit System, we examine FCS institutions throughout 

the nation, but primarily those located in rural areas. Thus, significant staff time is spent 

traveling to these institutions. 

The FCA headquarters, as well as a field office, are located in McLean, Virginia. There are also 

field offices in Bloomington, Minnesota; Dallas, Texas; Denver, Colorado; and Sacramento, 

California. The headquarters building, which is owned by the Farm Credit System, and the field 

offices, which reside in privately-owned, multi-tenant buildings, are all managed by the Farm 

Credit System Building Association (FCSBA), which is responsible for maintaining the facilities 

and acquiring additional office space, when needed. 

As of June 21, 2019, the FCA employed 313 full-time staff. 

Due to a heavy travel load by many of those employees, and the fact that FCA does not own any 

buildings or office space, in the past our sustainability efforts have primarily focused on the 

reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by decreasing employee business travel and promoting 

better commuting practices. 

However, going forward we will continue to take every opportunity to reduce our carbon footprint 

by innovative activities and by complying with environmental and energy statutes, regulations, 

Executive Orders (EOs) and other Federal initiatives. 
 

Achievements in the Past Year 

Most notably, in fiscal year 2018, we achieved a 25% reduction in Scope 3 GHG emissions from 

the 2008 base year due to a reduction in ground and air business travel by agency employees. 

Other FCA noteworthy activities in 2018 included: 

• recognition by Fairfax County, VA as one of the “Best Workplaces for Commuters in 

2018” in the local Washington, DC commuting area; 

• encouraging the use of public transportation via Metro and Fairfax Connector systems; 

• providing for telecommuting by agency employees; 

• reviewing expired leases and encouraging the Farm Credit System Building Association, 

FCA’s facilities management organization, to adhere to initiatives and strategies set forth 

in Executive Order 13834; 

• monitoring the agency’s vulnerability to climate change by reviewing official 

studies/reports and action strategies; 

• promoting the use of collaborative technologies and cloud-based sharing systems, which 

reduced the need for travel between headquarters and field offices; and, 

• purchasing a smaller and more fuel-efficient SUV to mitigate the frequent use of our 

larger, older fleet vehicle. The FCA’s fleet currently consists of two sport utility vehicles. 

FCA’s Planned Activities for 2019 - 2021 

To continue the reduction of our carbon footprint, FCA’s planned activities for the remainder of 

2019 through 2021 include: 

• establishing a results-focused approach to sustainability reporting; 

• promoting the use of public transportation at all locations where these options are 

available; 

• launching a bike-to-work campaign in 2020 as part of the National Bike to Work Day 

Campaign, held the third Friday in May each year; 

• advocating for and supporting commuter subsidy programs to encourage carpooling and 

the use of public transportation; 

• advocating for and supporting telecommuting by agency employees; 

• reviewing leases as they expire and collaborating with our facilities management 

organization, the Farm Credit System Building Association (FCSBA), to adhere to 

initiatives and strategies set forth in Executive Order 13834; 

• teaming with the FCSBA to find strategies for the reduction of electricity consumption; 

• encouraging the FCSBA to replace all light fixtures with energy efficient products; 

• recommending that the FCSBA replace existing toilets with low-flush devices; 

• proposing that the FCSBA building association increase the use of green products by 

janitorial service providers; 

• developing signage for turning off high-energy consumption devices, such as printers, 

over weekends or holidays; 
• developing signage to instruct staff to turn lights off every evening, or when a room is not 

in use; 

• working with our headquarters’ cafeteria management to eliminate plastic straws; 

• promoting a paperless office by leveraging technology for and training staff on electronic 

file sharing; 

• promoting the use of technology (Skype and VOIP) to enhance virtual collaboration; 

• leveraging technology to deliver online training programs to reduce the need for travel to 

external locations or offices; 

• promoting the recycling of paper and plastic and providing collection receptacles in 

offices and high-traffic areas; 

• collaborating with internal employee groups to solicit recommendations for new 

initiatives; 

• promoting internal and external best practices; 

• educating contracting personnel and program managers on the Green Procurement 

Compilation, a comprehensive green purchasing resource designed for federal contracting 

personnel and program managers to ensure adherence to purchasing requirements and 

identification of options to meet sustainability goals; and, 

• advocating for participation in Earth Day, on April 22, 2020, as a way of raising 

awareness and identifying local opportunities to participate in sustainability activities.