Privacy & Security

PRIVACY POLICY

Thank you for visiting our website and reviewing our Privacy Policy. The privacy and security of your confidential information is very important to us at Horizon Farm Credit.  We, therefore, have established policies and implemented procedures to protect your confidential information and will not collect personal information about you unless you choose to provide such information to us as outlined below. 

Our employees are informed of their responsibility to protect the confidential information that they receive and are governed by strict standards of conduct, which prohibit the unauthorized disclosure or impermissible use of such information.

Here is how we work to protect your transactions:

  • We hold confidential information customers give us in strict confidence in accordance with applicable law.
  • We safeguard customer information according to established security standards.
  • We maintain security standards and procedures to help prevent unauthorized access to confidential information about customers, and we update and test this technology to improve the integrity of our systems.
  • Only authorized persons will be permitted access to your confidential information. We do not trade or sell such information to third-party organizations.
  • We may provide customer information to other Farm Credit System institutions with your written consent or as otherwise allowed or required by applicable law, including applicable regulations.
  • We exchange information about our customers with reputable reference sources and clearinghouse services only when needed for the purposes of credit reporting, verification, and risk management.

BORROWER PRIVACY STATEMENT AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

Since 1972, Farm Credit Administration (“FCA”) regulations have generally restricted the disclosure of confidential information concerning borrowers or members of a Farm Credit System institution and have required employees and directors of a Farm Credit System institution to hold in strict confidence all information regarding the character, credit standing, and property of borrowers and applicants for loans except as otherwise permitted or required by law. 

FCA regulations provide guidelines for the protection of confidential information of a borrower or member of a Farm Credit System institution and for the exceptions to the use and disclosure of such information, which include permitting a Farm Credit System institution to disclose confidential information to employees, directors, auditors, regulators, counsel, and others in connection with the performance of official association business and disclosing confidential information in response to requests from law enforcement agencies or criminal or civil legal proceedings.  See, e.g., 12 CFR §§ 618.8300, et seq.

In addition, under certain laws, such as federal laws targeting terrorism funding and money laundering activities, we may be required to collect information and take actions necessary to verify the identity of individuals and organizations with whom we do business.  We reserve the right to disclose information we deem necessary to comply with any applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request, including personally identifiable information, but only to the extent permitted by law.

CALIFORNIA CONSUMER RIGHTS

California residents may have privacy rights afforded to them under laws applicable to that state.  If you are a resident of California, then please click here to learn more about laws that may apply to you with regard to your privacy.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

Horizon Farm Credit collects certain types of information in order to maintain and administer financial services, provide customer service, and offer new products and services that might be beneficial to you. The information collected likely identifies, relates to, describes, is reasonably capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or household (“Personal Information”).  

The term “Personal Information” does not include publicly available information from government records, deidentified or aggregated consumer information, or other information specifically exempted by statute (such as health or medical information covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) and other sector-specific privacy laws (including the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, the California Financial Information Privacy Act, and the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act of 1994)).

HOW WE COLLECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

We collect the categories of Personal Information listed above both directly from you when you interact with us, indirectly from you as you interact with our website, and from third parties as further described below:

ANONYMOUS INFORMATION COLLECTED AND STORED AUTOMATICALLY 

We automatically collect general information anonymously (such as the type of browser you use, the file names you request, and the domain name from which you made your request) to improve our website and better meet your needs. When you visit our website, we collect information about your Internet connection. We use this information to help us make our site more useful to visitors and to learn about the number of visitors to our site and the types of technology our visitors use. We do not track or record Personally Identifiable Information about individuals and their visits or use targeted marketing or behavioral tracking technologies.  The information collected does not identify you personally.  When you visit our website, we automatically collect and store the following information about you:

  • The Internet domain you used to access our website (e.g., “xcompany.com”)
  • The IP address of the website from which you access our website (an IP address is a number automatically assigned to your computer when you are using the Internet)
  • The type of browser and operating system used to access our website
  • The month and day of the week you access our website
  • The pages you visit on this website
  • The time spent on the site and links you clicked on (if any)
  • The location of where you access our website
  • The address of any website from which you access our website

This information does not identify you personally and is automatically collected and stored through the use of cookies.  A cookie is a small amount of text sent from a website to your computer while visiting the site. The cookie is stored on your hard drive. We use discreet information stored in cookies in order to provide a customized user experience. However, you can set your web browser(s) to prevent cookies from being sent.  We collect aggregate data about our users through Google Analytics.  We use such aggregate demographic and general interest information to better understand our users so that we may provide better online services.  For additional information on how Google Analytics collects and processes data, please see www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/ (“How Google Uses Information from Sites or Apps that Use Our Services”). 

COOKIE USE

We use Google Analytics on this website, which may use cookies to determine location of visitors, browsers used, new/returning visitors, and other relevant information for a more seamless user experience.

INFORMATION THAT YOU PROVIDE DIRECTLY TO US

If you complete an interactive form or submit an email through our website, then your information will be used as described at the point of collection.  The information may be used or seen by Horizon Farm Credit employees, but we do not give, sell, or transfer any personal information to third-parties unless required by law or for other permissible purposes as provided by law.  If you would like to provide information to us but are not comfortable doing so by email or web form, then you may contact us by calling (888) 339-3334 or by mail at 300 Winding Creek Blvd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050.  If you would like to transmit information that is more sensitive or personal, such as a Social Security number, credit card number, or bank account number, then you should only transmit such information by utilizing our secure email system, by postal mail, or by contacting us by telephone at the number provided above; such information should not be submitted through a non-secure means of communication (e.g., through our website contact form or a chat or message feature).

Through our website, we collect personally identifiable information (e.g., name, address, Social Security number) only if such information is specifically and knowingly provided by you.  We limit the use and collection of such information to that which is necessary to maintain and administer financial services, provide customer service, and offer new products and services that may be beneficial to you.  If you would like to be removed from our distribution list, then you may contact us at the telephone number or address provided above.

INFORMATION RECEIVED FROM THIRD PARTIES

We may also receive your Personal Information from others in connection with your application and request for credit, such as credit bureaus, affiliates, or other companies, and we may receive information from Federal and State government databases in connection with your loan application or request for credit, including property and identity verification and eligibility to borrow. 

WHY WE USE OR DISCLOSE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

We will not collect additional categories of Personal Information or use the Personal Information we collect for materially different, unrelated, or incompatible purposes without providing notice to you as required by law.

To allow for your application to be completed and evaluated and to comply with applicable Federal regulatory requirements or other laws, we share your Personal Information with the following categories of third parties: Service Providers (such as technology service providers and financial service providers); regulatory bodies; and loan participants.

THIRD-PARTY WEBSITE LINKS

We may periodically offer links to third-party websites. While we do our best to provide you with helpful, trustworthy resources, we cannot endorse, approve, or guarantee information, products, services, or recommendations provided at a third-party website. Because we may not always know when information on a linked website changes, we are not responsible for the content or accuracy of any third-party website. We will not be responsible for any loss or damage of any sort resulting from the use of a link on its website, nor will we be liable for any failure of products or services advertised or provided on these linked websites.

We offer links to you on an “as is” basis. When you visit a third-party website by using a link on our website, you will no longer be protected by our privacy statement or security practices. The data collection, use, and security practices of the linked website may differ from the practices of our website. You should familiarize yourself with the privacy statement and security practices of the linked website, as those are the policy and practices that will apply to your use of the linked website – not our policy and procedures.

CHILDREN’S ONLINE PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT

Our website is not intended for children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 13. If a parent or guardian becomes aware that his or her child has provided personal information without their consent, then he or she should promptly inform us through one of the methods described in the contact section below, and we will use reasonable efforts to comply with the request.  For more information about the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), visit ftc.gov.

SECURITY AND INTRUSION DETECTION

We use industry standard data encryption to ensure the security of our systems and of any information that you provide us through this website.  We employ software programs to monitor network traffic to identify unauthorized attempts to upload or change information, or otherwise cause damage. However, no security measure or modality of data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. Although we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your Personal Information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. Unauthorized attempts to access, alter, or damage this website and our customers’ Personal Information are strictly prohibited and may subject wrongdoers to civil and criminal penalties under applicable law. 

WHISTLEBLOWER HOTLINE

If you suspect or have seen actual wrongdoing involving Horizon Farm Credit, its employees, and/or our directors, then you can report it anonymously through our whistleblower hotline at (833) 220-9773.

EMAIL ENCRYPTION

Emails sent from Horizon Farm Credit that contain sensitive information are generally encrypted to ensure your privacy. This includes emails with attachments that contain information, such as credit reports, loan documents, and wire transfer documents. If you receive an encrypted email from Horizon Farm Credit, then you will need to log into a separate system to receive your message. For more information about encrypted emails, please contact (888) 339-3334 or your loan officer. 

PROTECTING YOURSELF ONLINE

We suggest applicants familiarize themselves with ways they can protect themselves online.  Some information for online safe practices may be found at www.StaySafeOnline.org.  

MAIL SOLICITATIONS

Occasionally, you may receive printed mail that may purport to come from Horizon Farm Credit but is in fact from an unrelated third-party. If you receive a communication that purports to come from Horizon Farm Credit but that proposes a new offer or differs from the terms, conditions, or other communications you have had with us (e.g., an offer to lower your loan rate), or if you receive a communication concerning Horizon Farm Credit or your loan that appears off in any way, then please contact your loan officer or contact us at (888) 339-3334 to discern if the offer or communication is legitimate. All official printed correspondence will have our logo, as seen at the top and bottom of this page.

PHONE AND TEXT MESSAGE SOLICITATIONS

Hackers and marketing scammers impersonate friends, family, and businesses through mail, email, phone calls, text messages, and social media. It is important to know that we will never request confidential information via email or text message. Unless you exchange cell phone numbers with your loan officer, we will never request for you to call us at a strange number or direct you to an automated recording. If you receive a phone call that seems suspicious, then please hang up immediately and call your loan officer or us directly at (888) 339-3334 to report the incident.

CONTACT FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES, CONSUMER REQUESTS, AND REQUESTS TO CHANGE INFORMATION

If you provided us with Personal Information and would like to exercise your access, data portability, deletion, or other disclosure rights, change your information, or unsubscribe from an email subscription, then please just contact us in one of the following methods:

Telephone: (888) 339-3334

Mail:  300 Winding Creek Blvd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050

Attn: Privacy Response Team

*Page last reviewed and updated on July 11, 2024.