Bank for farmers operates online

Jan 1, 2000 12:00 PM, Karen McMahon

You won't find a new bank in your hometown that serves only farmers. But you can find it online. The Farm Bureau Bank opened for business last summer by servicing farm customers through an Internet site called www.farmbureaubank. com, as well as the phone and mail.

By keeping overhead costs down, the Farm Bureau Bank can offer competitive interest rates on credit cards, home loans and vehicle loans. The FDIC-insured checking and savings accounts have no service fees. And the bank also offers competitive money market and CD rates.

Banking access. "We believe our market is rural America, which doesn't always have access to good banking products and services," reports Larry Lanie, president of Farm Bureau Bank. Because it is a federal charter, the bank is open to anyone. But it will be marketed primarily to the 3.1 million Farm Bureau members.

The bank is owned by holding company FB BanCorp, which includes 21 Farm Bureau state federations and 19 affiliated Farm Bureau insurance companies.

Operations for the bank are located in San Antonio, TX, where the Farm Bureau credit card portfolio and deposits are serviced. Farm Bureau Bank acquired these accounts.

Farm customers. Today, 75,000 to 80,000 customers are doing business with the bank. Lanie believes that most of those customers are farm families. The bank has $96 million in deposits and $72 million in credit card receivables.

All business is conducted online or through toll-free phone calls and the mail. Deposits may be mailed or electronically transferred.

For more information, contact Farm Bureau Bank, Dept. FIN, Box 33427, San Antonio, TX 78265, 800/492-3276.