Source: NCDA&CS, 3/11/21

The N.C. Agricultural Finance Authority Board of Directors selected Robert Hosford to serve as the finance agency’s executive director. Hosford replaces Stephanie Oxley, who has served in that role since 2015 and retired on March 1.

“Robert understands North Carolina’s agricultural community, as well as agriculture on a national scale,” Troxler said. “This knowledge and experience will be a benefit to the Agricultural Finance Authority and the farmers that benefit from its services.”

The N.C. Ag Finance Authority provides credit to agricultural operations in areas where financing is not available at reasonable rates and terms. The agency originates, services and finances farm loans, rural business loans, disaster loans and cotton gin loans. It also offers tax-exempt ag development bonds for agribusiness processing, ag-related manufacturing or ag waste disposal. The authority is associated with the N.C. Department Agriculture and Consumer Services, but is governed by a separate board of directors.

Hosford has most recently served as state director of Rural Development/USDA based in Raleigh. During his tenure, Rural Development obligated more than $4 billion in federal funds to assist with housing loans, water and environmental projects, business and industry loans and grants.

Hosford has previously served as NCDA&CS Director of Intergovernmental and Military Affairs. In this effort he spent a great deal of time working on foreign direct investment and economic development projects for rural North Carolina. Prior to that, Hosford served as an NCDA&CS international marketing specialist specializing in cotton, forestry products, Christmas trees and meat products.

In 2004, Hosford was appointed by President George W. Bush as Chief of Staff of the Farm Service Agency in Washington D.C. In that capacity he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the 16,000-employee agency.  Hosford has also worked for the National Cattleman’s Beef Association as the Director of Agricultural Policy and the Texas and Southwestern Cattel Raisers Association as the Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs.

He graduated from Mississippi State University with a degree in Agricultural Journalism. Hosford also did postgraduate studies at Texas A&M University. 

Hosford was born and raised on a diversified row crop, forestry and livestock operation in Mississippi. He and his daughter reside in Raleigh.

For more about Ag Finance Authority programs or to request a loan application, call 919-790-3949 or email at RequestLoanInfo@ncagr.gov.