Farm Credit Council Pushes on Tax Provisions, Board Nominees
Farm Credit Council filed an amended second quarter lobbying disclosure on August 4, 2026, reporting $110,000 in spending on four core issues: Agriculture Appropriations, Farm Credit Administration board nominees, rural infrastructure, and the expiration of tax provisions from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
The group operates as an in-house lobbying organization with four active lobbyists on staff: Jenny Mesirow, who serves as Executive Vice President for Government Relations; Robbie Boone III, Senior Vice President and General Counsel; Skylar Sowder; and Tony Watlington Jr.
Why It Matters
Farm Credit Council lobbied on TCJA Expiration and Farm Credit Administration (FCA) Board Nominees in Q2 2026. TCJA individual provisions include bonus depreciation, the qualified business income (QBI) deduction, and estate tax thresholds, and the majority of farm profit is taxed as individual income. Meanwhile, the board has faced staffing gaps after a sitting member was nominated to be USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development in January 2026.
By the Numbers
Farm Credit Council spent $110,000 on lobbying in the second quarter of 2026, consistent with its third quarter 2025 spending level. The group spent slightly less in the fourth quarter of 2025 ($100,000) and increased spending to $140,000 in the first quarter of 2026 before returning to $110,000 in the second quarter. All lobbying is conducted in-house by the organization's staff rather than through external firms.
Robbie Boone III worked as a legislative assistant for Rep. Howard Coble and holds a law degree. Skylar Sowder spent eight years in congressional staff positions and earned a degree in agricultural and applied economics. The amended filing maintains the same spending figure and issue areas as the original second quarter report.
The Agenda
The FCA has been governed by a full-time, three-person board since 1985. The board faced a vacancy after sitting member Smith was nominated on January 13, 2026, to be USDA Under Secretary for Rural Development. Jeffery S. Hall was named chairman and CEO by President Trump on January 20, 2025.
On the tax front, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act had a major expiration deadline of December 31, 2025. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed into law on July 4, 2025, permanently extended the seven individual tax rate brackets created by the TCJA and included new provisions for qualified farmers. However, other provisions including bonus depreciation and the qualified business income deduction remain subject to expiration pressure.
The Bottom Line
The group maintains steady spending and a stable in-house lobbying operation across multiple policy areas tied to farm financing and rural development.
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