Restructuring of U.S. banking markets has raised concerns that insufficient access to loanable funds will limit economic growth in some rural areas. Access to nonlocal funds can provide public benefits through enhanced competition and efficiency, but subsidized access to nonlocal funds can...

Several theories of externalities and asymmetric information suggest a positive role for government programs to assist credit markets, though potential distortions by special interests carry attendant dangers. The authors examine the empirical association between funding by several federal...

Several theories of externalities and asymmetric information suggest a positive role for government programs to assist credit markets, though potential distortions by special interests carry attendant dangers. We examine the empirical association between funding by several federal government...

This report provides operating statistics for and describes structural changes in the Farm Credit System (FCS) banks and associations for 1986-91. In addition, statistics on FCS district loan portfolios are provided. The 1986-91 period was characterized by significant downsizing and...

Increased competition within the financial services industry has raised concerns about the ability of small banks to adequately fund local rural development. To address these concerns, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act of 1999 broadened small-bank access to Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) financing....

Multicrop farmers must choose variable input levels and land quantity for each crop. Economic researchers to date have analyzed these two decisions separately, either finding the best land use, given crop technologies, or solving for optimal input levels, ignoring the allocation of land. We show...