$30 million patronage paid to Farm Credit Illinois members

By Tribune Staff • More than 8,400 local farm families receive their share of a $30 million cash patronage distribution this week from their Farm Credit Illinois (FCI) lending cooperative.

“Patronage is a tangible example of what sets our cooperative apart,” says Kelly Hunt, FCI CEO. “Giving patronage back to our member-borrowers reflects the strength of our association and our ongoing commitment to the farm families, rural landowners and agribusinesses we serve.”

This marks FCI’s eighth consecutive annual patronage distribution, totaling $271 million declared since 2018. FCI’s Board of Directors declared a $30 million distribution after reviewing 2025 financial information, considering the business climate, capitalizing marketplace growth and retaining adequate capital to meet regulatory requirements and navigate economic volatility.

Patronage is distributed proportionally to member-borrowers based on the net interest margin contribution of each loan and returns a portion of the interest accrued during the previous year. The board prioritizes delivering competitive upfront interest rates and managing the cooperative’s capital prudently while still providing an annual patronage distribution.