S. 1217 expands access to credit and financial services through the Farm Credit System to include commercial fishing businesses and their service providers. The bill amends the Farm Credit Act of 1971 to allow Farm Credit Banks and Production Credit Associations to extend loans to businesses that provide services directly related to the operating needs of fish producers and harvesters, such as equipment suppliers, processors, or other support services. This change makes commercial fishing businesses eligible for the same credit programs previously available mainly to agricultural producers. The bill does not specify new funding amounts or implementation timelines, as it primarily modifies existing Farm Credit System eligibility rules to incorporate the fishing industry. The legislation was introduced in March 2025 with bipartisan support from six senators, including members from fishing-dependent states like Alaska and Maine.
Take Action
Your position
Add a comment
to comment on this bill.
Annotate the text
Highlight any passage on the Summary or Full Text tab to attach a note. Annotations appear on the Annotations tab.