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Online EducationABA Banking Journal: Nichols: ABA seeking bank policy that survives future political shiftsMay 5, 2026
While the regulatory landscape is looking better and brighter for the banking industry, the American Bankers Association is working hard to ensure the durability of recent changes so they can survive future changes in the nation’s leadership, ABA President and CEO Rob Nichols told attendees today at the Risk and Compliance Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Trump administration has rolled back or reserved many of the regulatory pushes of the Biden administration. Nichols said many of those changes have been positive, but he also acknowledged banker concerns about whether the regulatory pendulum will swing back with the potential change in administration in the coming years, “making decisions to recalibrate operations, controls and staffing even more challenging.” One way to cement regulatory change is to codify it through legislation, and ABA takes “a militantly bipartisan approach” to its advocacy, Nichols said. He pointed to ABA’s advocacy on market structure legislation for cryptocurrency that is currently before Congress, as well as the association’s push for reform of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “At ABA, we have long believed that the bureau should be governed by a bipartisan commission and subject to congressional appropriations,” he said. Another way to enact lasting reforms is through legal precedent. Nichols pointed to a lawsuit by ABA and others against an Illinois law preventing banks and other entities from charging or receiving interchange fees on the portion of a debit or credit card transaction attributable to tax or gratuity. “Baked into that challenge is the need to defend the National Bank Act and federal preemption, which has been a fundamental tenet of our banking system since the time of Abraham Lincoln,” he said. “As states step up their individual regulatory pushes, it is imperative that we protect federal preemption, and we were very pleased to see the [Office of the Comptroller of the Currency] conclude that federal law clearly preempts the Illinois law and reaffirm National Bank [Act] powers. The OCC’s actions further strengthen our already strong case.” Back to TopABA Banking Journal: HUD official discusses changes to Fair Housing Act enforcementMay 5, 2026
The Trump administration is committed to pursuing only cases of intentional discrimination in enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, which includes increased scrutiny of lenders that participate in special purpose credit programs, a top fair housing enforcement official said today at the American Bankers Association’s Risk and Compliance Conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. Craig Trainor, assistant secretary of the Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that the previous administration took an expansive view of fair lending enforcement in pursuit of “dubious ideological adventures.” His office will instead focus on “real harm suffered by real people,” he said. “Under my leadership, [HUD’s fair housing office] is returning to the beating heart of the Fair Housing Act’s enforcement regime protecting individuals from intentional discrimination based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability or familial status,” he said. “We are prioritizing cases with strong evidence of disparate treatment – that is, real people harmed by real discriminatory conduct. We will no longer chase phantom discrimination based upon statistical disparities without evidence of intentional unlawful treatment.” Trainor also said his office will monitor special purpose credit programs like one in Washington state, which was created to address disparities resulting from past discrimination against racial groups. The office has launched an investigation into Washington’s program. “Lenders need to be aware that special purpose credit programs that do not comply with the statutory text of the Fair Housing Act continue to be subject to enforcement by my department, and those institutions found engaging in illegal discrimination will be held accountable,” he said. “We urge those lenders whose prior conduct may have violated the Fair Housing Act to take immediate remedial actions to address this conduct,” Trainor said about the programs. “In cases where an entity meaningfully engages in remedial conduct, HUD will view this conduct favorably, along with other relevant factors in assessing whether and in what manner to pursue redress for violations of the law.” Back to TopABA Banking Journal: Farm banks continue deep rural roots, strong role in ag financingApril 28, 2026
Farm banks accounted for more than one-third of all farm lending nationwide while maintaining solid capital, profitability and employment levels in 2025, according to the 2025 Farm Bank Performance Report from the American Bankers Association. Banks held nearly $212 billion in farm loans at the end of 2025, representing 35.7% of total agricultural credit outstanding in the United States, according to the report. The nation’s 1,372 farm banks — defined by ABA as banks whose ratio of domestic farm loans to total domestic loans is equal to or greater than the industry average — accounted for $122 billion of that total (57% of all bank farm loans) and remained a major source of credit for small and micro farms. The median farm bank was 115 years old in 2025. “Farm banks play an outsized role in supporting farmers, ranchers and rural communities,” said Ed Elfmann, senior vice president, agricultural and rural banking policy. “This report shows they continued to extend credit responsibly in 2025 while maintaining solid capital levels and strong ties to the communities they serve.” Report highlights: Deep rural rootsBanks held more than 1 million small farm loans totaling $71 billion, including over 630,000 micro farm loans worth more than $14 billion. Tier 1 capital at farm banks increased 7.9%, or $4.4 billion, reaching $59.7 billion in 2025. According to the report, 98.2% of farm banks were profitable in 2025, with 73.1% reporting higher earnings than the prior year. Credit quality weakened modestly in 2025 after several years of historically low delinquency rates, though noncurrent agricultural loans remained low by historical standards, study results showed. Farm banks added 2,037 jobs in 2025 and employed more than 76,000 rural America, marking a 23.6% increase in employment since 2015. Regional performanceThe 10 farm banks in the Northeast region reported an 11.7% increase in farm loans from a year ago, rising $173.2 million to $1.65 billion. Agricultural production loans grew 14.7% from a year ago to $134.5 million, while farmland loans increased 11.5% to $1.52 billion. The 139 farm banks in the South region increased farm loans by 7.02%, or $717.85 million from a year ago, rising to $10.94 billion in 2025. Agricultural production loans increased 2.12% from a year ago, to $2.78 billion, while farmland loans rose by 8.81% to $8.16 billion. The 649 farm banks in the Corn Belt region increased farm loans by 5.80%, or $3.16 billion, from a year ago to $57.69 billion in 2025. Agricultural production loans rose by 6.74% from a year ago to $24.07 billion, while farmland loans rose by 5.13% to $33.61 billion. The 536 farm banks in the Plains region increased their farm loans by 8.30%, or $3.60 billion, from a year ago to $47.02 billion in 2025. Agricultural production loans rose 11.39% from a year ago to $24.05 billion, while farmland loans increased 5.24% to $22.97 billion. The 38 farm banks in the West region increased their farm loans by 3.40%, or $161.84 million, from a year ago to $4.92 billion in 2025. Agricultural production loans rose by 3.32% from a year ago to $2.05 billion, and farmland loans rose 3.46% to $2.87 billion. Full ArticleBack to TopCISA News: Careful Adoption of Agentic AI ServicesMay 1, 2026
CISA, in collaboration with the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD’s ACSC) and other international and U.S. partners, released guidance for organizations on adopting agentic artificial intelligence (AI) systems. This guide outlines key security challenges and risks associated with agentic AI, and provides actionable steps for designing, deploying, and operating these systems safely. It helps organizations align AI risk management with existing cybersecurity frameworks and strengthen oversight as agentic AI adoption grows. Back to Top
Years of Service Awards
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40 and 50 Year Banker Awards
The ABA is partnering with the SDBA, as well as other state bankers associations, to bring you the 2026 Women Lead Symposium on July 30. This is a convenient virtual program designed to support both emerging leaders and experienced professionals in strengthening their leadership skills.
