The Farm Credit Administration, McLean, Virginia, announced the departure of board member Glen Smith following his Senate confirmation as U.S. Department of Agriculture undersecretary for rural development.
Smith was appointed to the FCA board by President Donald Trump in 2017 and later served as the agency’s board chairman and CEO from 2019 to 2022. Smith has also served as chairman of the board for the Farm Credit System Insurance Corporation since January 2025.
“Glen has been a trusted colleague and an exceptional leader throughout our years serving together on the FCA board,” said Chairman Jeffery Hall. “His deep understanding of rural America and steadfast commitment to young, beginning, and small farmers and ranchers have strengthened both FCA and the Farm Credit System. I congratulate him on his appointment as USDA’s undersecretary for rural development and I wish him every success in his new role.”
“It’s been an honor to serve on the FCA board and work alongside Chairman Hall and the dedicated employees of FCA,” Smith said. “I’ve always believed that when rural America succeeds, our country succeeds, and I’m proud of the work we’ve done to help keep the Farm Credit System strong and support young, beginning, and small producers. As I begin this next chapter, I leave with deep appreciation for my time at FCA and complete confidence that the agency will continue to fulfill its vital mission on behalf of American agriculture and rural communities.”
Support for young, beginning and small farmers and ranchers
Drawing on his experience as a farmer, Smith made expanding opportunities for young, beginning and small farmers and ranchers a hallmark of his service. As a YBS producer in the 1980s, he knew the challenges YBS farmers faced.
He met with FCA examiners, association directors and staff, and YBS farmers whose operations were financed by the System. The board improved the usability and quality of YBS data, modernized reporting processes and reevaluated FCA’s role in ensuring the YBS public mission is being met. Those efforts culminated in a YBS final rule in 2023. Together, these efforts strengthened FCA’s oversight of YBS lending, brought agricultural stakeholders together to identify barriers facing new producers and advanced policies to improve access to credit and other resources.
Smith led FCA through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, FCA earned an award from the Partnership for Public Service, which ranked the agency No. 1 among federal agencies for effective leadership during the pandemic. That leadership was enhanced by data-driven, fact-based decisions derived from the newly created Office of Data Analytics and Economics. It was featured in the sspring 2022 edition of FedTech Magazine.
During his tenure on the FCA board, including service as chairman and CEO, Smith helped guide the agency through a period of significant growth and change for the Farm Credit System. He championed policies that preserved the System’s strong capital foundation while modernizing FCA’s regulatory framework to address evolving financial, operational and cybersecurity risks. The agency advanced initiatives to strengthen governance, improve transparency for cooperative borrowers and recruit the next generation of FCA employees.
Smith is a fifth-generation farmer and businessman from Atlantic, Iowa. He and his wife, Fauzan, have four adult children and six grandchildren.
To contact us: hpj.com/contact/
