formdef14a.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington,
D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE
14A
Proxy
Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934
Filed
by the Registrant S
|
Filed
by a Party other than the Registrant £
|
Check the
appropriate box:
£
|
Preliminary
Proxy Statement
|
£
|
Confidential, for Use of the
Commission Only (as permitted by Rule
14a-6(e)(2))
|
S
|
Definitive
Proxy Statement
|
£
|
Definitive
Additional Materials
|
£
|
Soliciting
Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
|
FEDERAL
AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION
|
(Name of Registrant
as Specified In Its Charter)
|
(Name of Person(s)
Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the
Registrant)
|
Payment
of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
S
|
No
fee required.
|
£
|
Fee
computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(4) and
0-11.
|
|
(1)
|
Title
of each class of securities to which transaction
applies:
|
|
|
|
|
(2)
|
Aggregate
number of securities to which transaction applies:
|
|
|
|
|
(3)
|
Per
unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to
Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is
calculated and state how it was determined):
|
|
|
|
|
(4)
|
Proposed
maximum aggregate value of transaction:
|
|
|
|
|
(5)
|
Total
fee paid:
|
|
|
|
£
|
Fee
paid previously with preliminary materials.
|
£
|
Check
box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule
0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid
previously. Identify the previous filing by registration
statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its
filing.
|
|
(1)
|
Amount
Previously Paid:
|
|
|
|
|
(2)
|
Form,
Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
|
|
|
|
|
(3)
|
Filing
Party:
|
|
|
|
|
(4)
|
Date
Filed:
|
|
|
|
FEDERAL
AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION
1133
Twenty-First Street, N.W.
Suite
600
Washington,
D.C. 20036
________________
TO
HOLDERS OF FARMER MAC
VOTING COMMON
STOCK
April 28,
2008
Dear
Farmer Mac Stockholder:
The Board
of Directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (“Farmer Mac” or
the “Corporation”) is pleased to invite you to attend the 2008 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of the Corporation to be held on Thursday, June 5, 2008, at 8:00
a.m. local time at the Embassy Suites Hotel, 1250 Twenty-Second Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20037. The Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy
Statement accompanying this letter describe the business to be transacted at the
meeting.
We hope
you will be able to attend the meeting and suggest you read the enclosed Notice
of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement for information about your Corporation and
the Annual Meeting of Stockholders. We have also enclosed Farmer
Mac’s 2007 Annual Report. Although the report is not proxy soliciting
material, we suggest you read it for additional information about your
Corporation. Please complete, sign, date and return a proxy card at
your earliest convenience to help us establish a quorum and avoid the cost of
further solicitation. The giving of your proxy will not affect your
right to vote your shares personally if you do attend the meeting. If
you plan to attend the meeting, please so indicate on the enclosed proxy
card.
|
Sincerely,
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fred
L. Dailey
|
|
Chairman
of the Board
|
FEDERAL
AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION
________________
NOTICE
OF ANNUAL MEETING
April 28,
2008
Notice is
hereby given that the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Federal
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (“Farmer Mac” or the “Corporation”) will be
held on Thursday, June 5, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. local time at the Embassy Suites
Hotel, 1250 Twenty-Second Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037.
As
described in the attached Proxy Statement, the meeting will be held for the
following purposes:
|
·
|
to
elect ten directors, five of whom will be elected by holders of Class A
Voting Common Stock and five of whom will be elected by holders of Class B
Voting Common Stock, to serve until the next annual meeting of
stockholders and until their respective successors are elected and
qualified;
|
|
·
|
to
ratify the selection by the Audit Committee of Deloitte & Touche LLP
as the Corporation’s independent auditors for fiscal year
2008;
|
|
·
|
to
approve the Corporation’s incentive compensation plan;
and
|
|
·
|
to
consider and act upon any other business that may properly be brought
before the meeting or any adjournment or postponement of the
meeting.
|
Please
read the attached Proxy Statement for complete information on the matters to be
considered and acted upon.
Eligible
holders of record of the Corporation’s Class A Voting Common Stock and Class B
Voting Common Stock at the close of business on April 16, 2008 are entitled to
notice of and to vote at the meeting and any adjournment(s) of the
meeting.
For at
least ten days prior to the meeting, a list of Farmer Mac stockholders will be
available for examination by any stockholder for any purpose germane to the
meeting at the offices of the Corporation between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and
5:00 p.m. local time.
Whether
you intend to be present at the meeting or not, please complete the enclosed
proxy card, date and sign it exactly as your name appears on the card and return
it in the postage prepaid envelope. This will ensure the voting of
your shares if you do not attend the meeting. Giving your proxy will
not affect your right to vote your shares personally if you do attend the
meeting. THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE
CORPORATION.
|
By
order of the Board of Directors,
|
|
|
|
/s/
Jerome G. Oslick
|
|
|
|
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
Corporate
Secretary
|
|
Page
|
|
1
|
|
2
|
|
2
|
|
2
|
|
3
|
|
4
|
|
4
|
|
5
|
|
5
|
|
7
|
|
7
|
|
9
|
|
10
|
|
11
|
|
13
|
|
14
|
|
15
|
|
17
|
|
18
|
|
19
|
|
19
|
|
20
|
|
21
|
|
22
|
|
26
|
|
26
|
|
26
|
|
26
|
|
27
|
|
27
|
|
28
|
|
28
|
|
29
|
|
30
|
|
31
|
|
32
|
|
33
|
|
34
|
|
34
|
|
35
|
|
35
|
|
36
|
|
36
|
|
36
|
|
36
|
|
36
|
|
37
|
|
37
|
|
41
|
|
43
|
|
43
|
|
44
|
|
45
|
|
45
|
|
A-1
|
FEDERAL
AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION
1133
Twenty-First Street, N.W.
Suite
600
Washington,
D.C. 20036
PROXY
STATEMENT
For
the Annual Meeting of Stockholders
to
be held on June 5, 2008
This
Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation by the Board of
Directors of the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (“Farmer Mac” or the
“Corporation”) of proxies from the holders of the Corporation’s Class A Voting
Common Stock and Class B Voting Common Stock (together, the “Voting Common
Stock”). The Corporation is not soliciting proxies from the holders
of its Class C Non-Voting Common Stock. The proxies will be voted at
the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Corporation (the “Meeting”), to
be held on Thursday, June 5, 2008, at 8:00 a.m. local time, at the Embassy
Suites Hotel, 1250 Twenty-Second Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037, and at
any adjournments or postponements of the Meeting. The Notice of
Annual Meeting, this Proxy Statement and the enclosed proxy card are being
mailed to stockholders on or about April 28, 2008.
The Board
of Directors of the Corporation (the “Board of Directors” or “Board”) will
present for a vote at the Meeting the election of ten members to the Board, the
approval of the Corporation’s incentive compensation plan and the
ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as independent
auditors for the Corporation for fiscal year 2008. The Board is not
aware of any other matter to be presented for a vote at the
Meeting.
One of
the purposes of the Meeting is to elect ten members to the Board of
Directors. Title VIII of the Farm Credit Act of 1971, as amended (the
“Act”), provides that the Corporation’s Class A Voting Common Stock may be held
only by banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions or entities
that are not Farm Credit System institutions. The Act also provides
that the Corporation’s Class B Voting Common Stock may be held only by Farm
Credit System institutions.1 Holders of the
Class A Voting Common Stock (the “Class A Holders”) and holders of the Class B
Voting Common Stock (the “Class B Holders”) must each elect five members to the
Board of Directors. The remaining five members of the Board are
appointed by the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of
the United States Senate. None of Farmer Mac’s directors is or has
been an officer or employee of the Corporation, resulting in a Board of
Directors composed entirely of non-management directors. Currently,
all of Farmer Mac’s fifteen directors are “independent,” as defined in Farmer
Mac’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, Securities and Exchange Commission
(“SEC”) rules and New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) listing
standards. After the Meeting, assuming all of the nominees for
director are elected, all of Farmer Mac’s fifteen directors will be
independent. See “Director Independence” for more information
regarding the Board’s independence determinations.
___________________________
1 Holders
of Voting Common Stock who are not eligible holders of that stock should dispose
of their ownership of such stock to eligible holders. Farmer Mac has
the right, but not the obligation, to repurchase shares of Voting Common Stock
from ineligible holders for book value.
The Board
of Directors has fixed April 16, 2008 as the record date for the
determination of stockholders entitled to receive notice of and to vote at the
Meeting. At the close of business on that date, there were issued and
outstanding 1,030,780 shares of Class A Voting
Common Stock and 500,301 shares of Class B Voting Common Stock, which constitute
the only outstanding capital stock of the Corporation entitled to vote at the
Meeting. See “Principal Holders of Voting Common Stock.”
The
holders of Farmer Mac’s Voting Common Stock are entitled to one vote per share,
with cumulative voting at all elections of directors. Under
cumulative voting, each stockholder is entitled to cast the number of votes
equal to the number of shares of the class of Voting Common Stock owned by that
stockholder, multiplied by the number of directors to be elected by that
class. All of a stockholder’s votes may be cast for a single
candidate for director or may be distributed among any number of
candidates. Class A Holders are entitled to vote only for the five
directors to be elected by Class A Holders, and Class B Holders are entitled to
vote only for the five directors to be elected by Class B
Holders. Other than the election of directors, the Class A Holders
and Class B Holders vote together as a single class on any matter submitted to a
vote of the holders of Voting Common Stock.
The
presence, in person or by proxy, of the holders of at least a majority of the
Corporation’s outstanding Voting Common Stock is required to constitute a quorum
at the Meeting. Thus, 765,541 shares of Voting Common Stock must
be represented by stockholders present at the Meeting or by proxy to have a
quorum.
Although
many of Farmer Mac’s stockholders are unable to attend the Meeting in person,
they are afforded the right to vote by means of the proxy solicited by the Board
of Directors. When a proxy is returned properly completed and signed,
the shares it represents must be voted by the Proxy Committee (described below)
as directed by the stockholder. Stockholders are urged to specify
their choices by marking the appropriate boxes on the enclosed proxy
card. A stockholder may withhold a vote from one or more nominees by
filling in the circle next to the names of those nominees in the space provided
on the proxy card. Under those circumstances, unless other
instructions are given in writing, the stockholder’s votes will then be cast
evenly among the remaining nominees for its class. Stockholders who
intend to cumulate their votes for one or more nominee(s) are urged to read the
instructions on the proxy card and to indicate the manner in which votes shall
be cumulated in the space to the right of the nominee name(s) on the proxy
card. The five nominees from each class who receive the greatest
number of votes will be elected directors. If one or more of the
nominees becomes unavailable for election, the Proxy Committee will cast votes
under the authority granted by the enclosed proxy for such substitute or other
nominee(s) as the Board of Directors may designate. If no
instructions are indicated on the proxies, the proxies represented by the Class
A Voting Common Stock will be voted in favor of the five nominees specified in
this Proxy Statement as Class A nominees, with the votes being cast evenly among
each of the Class A nominees, and the proxies represented by the Class B Voting
Common Stock will be voted in favor of the five nominees specified in this Proxy
Statement as Class B nominees, with the votes being cast evenly among each of
the Class B nominees.
Shares of
Voting Common Stock represented by proxies marked “Abstain” for any proposal
presented at the Meeting (other than the election of directors) will be counted
for purposes of determining the presence of a quorum but will not be voted for
or against such proposal. If a proposal involves a vote for which a
broker (or its nominee) may only vote a customer’s shares in accordance with the
customer’s instructions and the broker (or its nominee) does not vote those
shares due to a lack of instructions, the votes represented by those shares and
delivered to the Corporation (“broker non-votes”) will be counted as shares
present at the Meeting for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present
but will not be voted for or against such proposal. Abstentions and
broker non-votes (if applicable) will have the effect of a vote against such
proposals (except with respect to the election of directors). Because
only a plurality is required for the election of directors, abstentions and
broker non-votes (if applicable) will have no effect on the election of
directors.
Execution
of a proxy will not prevent a stockholder from attending the Meeting, revoking a
previously submitted proxy and voting in person.
Any
stockholder who gives a proxy may revoke it at any time before it is voted by
notifying the Corporate Secretary in writing on a date later than the date of
the proxy, by submitting a later dated proxy, or by voting in person at the
Meeting. Mere attendance at the Meeting, however, will not constitute
revocation of a proxy. Written notices revoking a proxy should be
sent to Jerome G. Oslick, Corporate Secretary, Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation, 1133 Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C.
20036.
The Proxy
Committee, composed of three officers of the Corporation, Henry D. Edelman,
Timothy L. Buzby and Jerome G. Oslick, will vote all shares of Voting
Common Stock represented by proxies signed and returned by stockholders in the
manner specified. The Proxy Committee will also vote the shares
represented thereby on any matters not known at the time this Proxy Statement
was printed that may properly be presented for action at the Meeting in
accordance with their judgment.
Each
year, at the annual meeting, the Board of Directors submits to the stockholders
its nominees for election as Class A and Class B directors. In
addition, the Audit Committee’s selection of independent auditors for the year
is submitted for stockholder ratification at each annual meeting, pursuant to
the Corporation’s Amended and Restated By-Laws (“By-Laws”). The Board
of Directors may, in its discretion and upon proper notice, also present other
matters to the stockholders for action at the annual meeting. In
addition to those matters presented by the Board of Directors, the stockholders
may be asked to act at the annual meeting upon proposals timely submitted by
eligible holders of Voting Common Stock.
Proposals
of stockholders to be presented at the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders were
required to be received by the Corporate Secretary before December 27, 2007
for inclusion in this Proxy Statement and the accompanying
proxy. Other than the election of ten members to the Board of
Directors, the approval of the Corporation’s incentive compensation plan, and
the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as independent
auditors for the Corporation for fiscal year 2008, the Board of Directors knows
of no other matters to be presented for action at the Meeting. If any
other matters are properly brought before the Meeting or any adjournment or
postponement of the Meeting, the Proxy Committee intends to vote proxies in
accordance with its members’ best judgment.
If any
stockholder eligible to do so intends to present a proposal for consideration at
the Corporation’s 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Corporate Secretary
must receive the proposal before December 25, 2008 to be considered for
inclusion in the 2009 Proxy Statement. Proposals should be sent to
Jerome G. Oslick, Corporate Secretary, Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation, 1133 Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C.
20036. In addition, if any stockholder notifies the Corporation after
March 2, 2009 of an intent to present a proposal at the Corporation’s 2009
Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Corporation’s proxy holders will have the
right to exercise discretionary voting authority with respect to that proposal,
if presented at the meeting, without the Corporation including information
regarding the proposal in its proxy materials.
Stockholders
and other interested parties may communicate directly with members of the Board
of Directors by writing to them at Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation,
1133 Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C.
20036.
Board of Directors Meetings and Committees
In 2007,
the Board of Directors held a total of eleven meetings. Each member
of the Board attended 75% or more of the aggregate number of meetings of the
Board of Directors and of the committees on which he or she served during
2007. As Chairman of the Board, Fred L. Dailey presides over all
meetings of the Board of Directors, including regularly scheduled executive
sessions of the Board in which members of management do not
participate. All members of the Board of Directors are expected to
attend the Annual Meeting of Stockholders, which is held in conjunction with a
regularly scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors. All fifteen
members of the Board of Directors attended the 2007 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders.
The Board
has established seven standing committees to assist it in the performance of its
responsibilities. The committees currently consist of the
following: Audit Committee, Compensation Committee, Corporate
Governance Committee, Credit Committee, Finance Committee, Marketing Committee
and Public Policy Committee. Each director serves on at least one
committee. See “Class A Nominees,” “Class B Nominees” and “Directors
Appointed by the President of the United States” for information regarding the
committees on which directors serve. The Audit Committee and the
Compensation Committee met ten times and eight times, respectively, during the
fiscal year ended December 31, 2007. The Corporate Governance
Committee, which selects nominees for election to the Board of Directors,
approves corporate governance policies for the Corporation, sets agendas for the
meetings of the Board of Directors and is able to exercise certain powers of the
Board of Directors during the intervals between meetings of the Board, met
fifteen times during the fiscal year ended December 31,
2007. The Credit Committee, which is responsible for reviewing and
approving all policy matters relating to changes to the Corporation’s
Seller/Servicer Guide and making recommendations to the Board of Directors on
agricultural credit matters, met six times during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007. The Finance Committee, which is responsible
for determining the financial policies of the Corporation and managing the
Corporation’s financial affairs, met six times during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007. The Marketing Committee, which is responsible
for the development and monitoring of the Corporation’s programs and marketing
plan, met six times during the fiscal year ended December 31,
2007. The Public Policy Committee, which considers matters of public
policy referred to it by the Board of Directors such as the Corporation’s
relationship with and policies regarding borrowers, Congress and governmental
agencies and conflicts of interest, met four times during the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007. See “Item No. 1: Election of Directors,”
“Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers” and “Report of the Audit
Committee” and “Item No. 2: Selection of Independent Auditors” for information
concerning the Corporate Governance Committee, the Compensation Committee and
the Audit Committee, respectively.
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics
Farmer
Mac has adopted a code of business conduct and ethics (the “Code”) that applies
to all directors, officers, employees and agents of Farmer Mac, including the
Corporation’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer and
principal accounting officer. A copy of the Code is available on
Farmer Mac’s website, www.farmermac.com, in the “Corporate Governance” portion
of the “Investors” section. Farmer Mac will post any amendment to, or
waiver from, a provision of the Code in that same location on its
website. A print copy of the Code is available free of charge upon
written request to Jerome G. Oslick, Corporate Secretary, Federal Agricultural
Mortgage Corporation, 1133 Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington,
D.C. 20036.
Item No. 1: Election of Directors
At the
Meeting, ten directors will be elected for one-year terms. The Act
provides that five of the directors will be elected by a plurality of the votes
of the Class A Holders, and five of the directors will be elected by a plurality
of the votes of the Class B Holders. All of the Class A and Class B
nominees currently are members of the Board of Directors. The
directors elected by the Class A Holders and the Class B Holders will hold
office until the Corporation’s 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, or until
their respective successors have been duly elected and qualified.
The Act
further provides that the President of the United States will appoint five
members to the Board of Directors with the advice and consent of the United
States Senate (the “Appointed Members”). The Appointed Members serve
at the pleasure of the President of the United States. The Board of
Directors, after the election at the Meeting, will consist of the Appointed
Members named under “Directors Appointed by the President of the United States”
below or such other Appointed Members as may be appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate between April 16, 2008 and June 5, 2008 and the ten
members who are elected by the holders of Farmer Mac’s Voting Common
Stock.
In order
to facilitate the selection of director nominees, the Board of Directors
utilizes a Corporate Governance Committee that consists of the Chairman of the
Board, the Vice Chairman of the Board and two additional members each from the
Class A directors and Class B directors, resulting in a committee composed of
two directors from each of the Board’s three constituent groups. The
current members of the Corporate Governance Committee are: Appointed
Members Messrs. Dailey and Junkins; Class A directors Messrs. Kenny and
Kruse; and Class B directors Messrs. Cortese and Raines. As
described in more detail in “Director Independence,” the Board has determined
that all members of the Corporate Governance Committee are “independent,” as
defined in Farmer Mac’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, SEC rules and NYSE
listing standards. The Corporate Governance Committee Charter and
Farmer Mac’s Corporate Governance Guidelines are available on Farmer Mac’s
website, www.farmermac.com, in the “Corporate Governance” portion of the
“Investors” section. Print copies of the Corporate Governance
Committee Charter and Farmer Mac’s Corporate Governance Guidelines are available
free of charge upon written request to Jerome G. Oslick, Corporate Secretary,
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, 1133 Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite
600, Washington, D.C. 20036.
The Board
has adopted a policy statement on directors that expresses the general
principles that should govern director selection and conduct, which the
Corporate Governance Committee uses in identifying and evaluating potential
candidates for director. The Corporate Governance Committee reviews,
on an annual basis, the appropriate skills and characteristics required of Board
members in the context of the perceived needs of the Board at that point in
time. The Committee strives to identify and retain as members of the
Board individuals who have the qualities, business background and experience
that will enable them to contribute significantly to the development of Farmer
Mac’s business and its future success. The Board has determined that
its elected members should be comprised of individuals with a variety of
business backgrounds and experiences who are deemed to have a broad perspective
and good record of accomplishment either as senior members of agricultural
business management, as agricultural or commercial lenders, as accountants or
auditors, or as entrepreneurs. The Board has also determined that it
is desirable to have qualified women and minority representation on the
Board. In selecting a nominee for director, the Corporate Governance
Committee also considers an individual’s character, judgment, fairness and
overall ability to serve Farmer Mac. Thus, in addition to considering
the current needs of the Board and the quality of an individual’s professional
background and experience, the Corporate Governance Committee seeks individuals
who:
|
·
|
have
integrity,
independence, and an inquiring mind; an ability to work with others; good
judgment; intellectual competence; and
motivation;
|
|
·
|
have
the willingness and ability to represent all stockholders’ interests, and
not just the particular constituency that elected the director to serve on
the Board;
|
|
·
|
have
an awareness of and a sensitivity to the public purpose of Farmer Mac and
a sense of responsibility to Farmer Mac’s intended
beneficiaries;
|
|
·
|
are
willing to commit the necessary time and energy to prepare for and attend
Board and committee meetings;
|
|
·
|
are
willing and have the ability to advance their views and opinions in a
forthright manner, but, upon the conclusion of deliberations, to act in
the best interests of Farmer Mac, and, once a decision is reached by a
majority, to support the decision;
and
|
|
·
|
with
respect to directors elected by the Holders of Class B Voting Common
Stock, provide representation from each of the five Farm Credit District
Banks.
|
The
Corporate Governance Committee recommended five individuals to be considered for
election as Class A nominees and five individuals to be considered for
election as Class B nominees, and the Board of Directors has approved these
recommendations. The individuals recommended by the Corporate
Governance Committee are referred to collectively as the
“Nominees.” The Nominees will stand for election to serve for terms
of one year each, or until their respective successors are duly elected and
qualified. AgriBank, FCB (“AgriBank”), the holder of approximately
40.3 percent of the Class B Voting Common Stock, recommended to the
Corporate Governance Committee two persons to be Nominees, one of whom, Paul A.
DeBriyn, is a current member of the Board. AgriBank expressed its
intention to vote for both persons at the Meeting. The Corporate
Governance Committee and the Board renominated Mr. DeBriyn, but did not nominate
the second person recommended by AgriBank, continuing to provide instead for one
Class B nominee from each of the five Farm Credit Bank districts. No fees were
paid to any director search firms or other third parties to assist in
identifying and evaluating the Nominees.
In
identifying potential candidates for the Board, the Corporate Governance
Committee considers suggestions from Board members, management, stockholders and
others. From time to time, the Committee may retain a search firm to
assist in identifying potential candidates and gathering information about the
background and experience of such candidates. The Committee will
consider all proposed nominees, including stockholder nominees, in light of the
qualifications discussed above and the assessed needs of the Board at the
time. For the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders, the Corporate
Governance Committee will consider nominees recommended by holders of Farmer
Mac’s Voting Common Stock, who may submit recommendations by letter to Jerome G.
Oslick, Corporate Secretary, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, 1133
Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036, by January 31,
2009.
If any of
the ten Nominees named below is unable or unwilling to stand as a candidate for
the office of director on the date of the Meeting or at any adjournment(s) or
postponement(s) thereof, the proxies received on behalf of such Nominee will be
voted for such substitute or other Nominee(s) as the Board of Directors may
designate. The Board of Directors has no reason to believe that any
of the Nominees will be unable or unwilling to serve if elected.
Each of
the Nominees has been principally employed in his or her current position for
the past five years unless otherwise noted.
Dennis L. Brack, 55, has been
a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 7, 2001 and
serves as chairman of the Compensation Committee and as a member of the Credit
Committee. Mr. Brack served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bath
State Bank, Bath, Indiana from 1988 to 2007. He has remained as a
director of Bath State Bank and is currently a director and Chairman of the
Board of Bath State Bancorp, the holding company for the bank. He
became a member of the Board of Directors of Franklin County Community
Foundation, Brookville, Indiana in 2007 and has served as a member of their
Investment Committee since 1999. He was a member of the Union County
(Indiana) Foundation board of directors in 2003 and 2004. Mr. Brack
has recently worked on the steering committees for Comprehensive Plan
Development in both Franklin and Union Counties, Indiana. He was also
a director of the Indiana Bankers Association from 1994 to 1996 and previously
served a three-year term on the Purdue University Dean’s Advisory
Council.
Dennis A. Everson, 57, has been a member of the
Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 3, 2004 and serves as
chairman of the Finance Committee and as a member of the Marketing
Committee. Mr. Everson has been President and Manager of the First
Dakota National Bank Agri-business Division since 2002. From 1984
until 2002, he was Vice President and Manager of the First Dakota National Bank
Agri-business Division. From 2000 until 2002, Mr. Everson was a
member of the Federal Home Loan Bank Committee of the American Bankers
Association. During 1998, he served as Chairman of the Agricultural
& Rural Bankers Committee of the American Bankers Association.
Mitchell A. Johnson, 66, has been a member of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 12, 1997 and is a
member of the Compensation Committee and the Finance
Committee. Mr. Johnson is a private investor. He is
also a Trustee of the Advisors’ Inner Circle Funds, the Advisors’ Inner Circle
Funds II, Bishop Street Funds and SEI Funds. Mr. Johnson was
President of MAJ Capital Management, Inc., an investment management firm that he
founded in 1994 following his retirement from the Student Loan Marketing
Association (“Sallie Mae”). During his 21 years with Sallie Mae, Mr.
Johnson held numerous positions within that organization including, for the
seven years preceding his retirement, Senior Vice President, Corporate
Finance. He has been a trustee of Citizens Funds, Rushmore Funds and
Diversified Funds. Mr. Johnson also served as a director of Eldorado
Bankshares, Inc., the holding company for Eldorado and Antelope Valley
Banks.
Timothy F. Kenny, 46, has been
a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 3, 2004
and serves as a member of the Audit Committee and the Corporate Governance
Committee. He is a Certified Public Accountant and has been
Vice-President, Assistant General Auditor at the Federal Home Loan Mortgage
Corporation, commonly known as “Freddie Mac,” since September
2007. From 2001 to 2007, Mr. Kenny was a Managing Director with
BearingPoint, Inc. (formerly KPMG Consulting, Inc.) in McLean, Virginia and was
a member of the BearingPoint, Inc. 401(k) Plan Committee. He
joined KPMG LLP, the predecessor organization to KPMG Consulting, in 1986 and
was a KPMG Audit Partner until the separation of KPMG Consulting from KPMG LLP
in February 2001. Mr. Kenny previously served on the Board of
Directors of the Mortgage Bankers Association of Metropolitan
Washington.
Charles E. Kruse, 63, has been a member of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 7, 2001 and serves as
chairman of the Marketing Committee and is a member of the Corporate Governance
Committee. Mr. Kruse has been a member of the Board of Directors of
Central Bancompany since 2000. He has served as President of the
Missouri Farm Bureau since 1992 and has been a member of the American Farm
Bureau Board of Directors, representing 12 midwestern State Farm Bureaus, since
1995. Mr. Kruse has also served on the Commission on 21st Century
Production Agriculture; the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee for Trade
in Grains, Feed, and Oilseeds; the President’s Council on Rural America; and the
U.S. Trade Representative’s Intergovernmental Advisory Committee.
Ralph W. “Buddy” Cortese, 61,
has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since
June 5, 2003 and serves as chairman of the Credit Committee and is a member
of the Corporate Governance Committee. He is a farmer, rancher and
cattle feeder from Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Mr. Cortese has been
a member of the board of directors of the Farm Credit Bank of Texas since
1995. As a member of that board of directors, he served as vice
chairman from 1998 to 2000 and has served as chairman since
2000. Previously, Mr. Cortese was the chairman of the board of
directors of the Production Credit Association of Eastern New Mexico (now Ag New
Mexico, ACA) from 1987 to 1994, a member of the PCA Stockholders’ Advisory
Committee from 1990 to 1994 and a member of the executive committee of the Tenth
District Federation of PCAs from 1991 to 1994. He has also been a
member of the American Land Foundation Board since 2001.
Paul A. DeBriyn, 53, has been
a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 1,
2000. He serves as chairman of the Audit Committee and is a member of
the Compensation Committee. Mr. DeBriyn has served as President and
Chief Executive Officer of AgStar Financial Services, ACA (and its predecessor,
Farm Credit Services of Southern Minnesota) since 1995. He was
previously Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Farm Credit
Services of Southern Minnesota from 1993 to 1995 and President and Chief
Executive Officer of Farm Credit Services of Southeast Minnesota from 1987 to
1993.
Michael A. Gerber, 49, has been a member of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 7, 2007 and serves as a
member of the Finance Committee and the Marketing Committee. He has
served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Farm Credit of Western New
York, ACA, located in Batavia, New York, since 1998. Mr. Gerber also
currently serves as a director and as chairman of the audit committee of
Financial Partners, Inc., a service company owned by Farm Credit System
associations. Mr. Gerber also is a member of the Farm Credit System’s
President’s Planning Committee and as a director of the Genesee County Economic
Development Council. Mr. Gerber was Executive Vice President of Farm
Credit of Western New York from 1994 to 1998 and served as Credit Supervisor and
Director of Financial Services for the former Farm Credit System Southern New
England Association from 1992 to 1994.
Ernest M. Hodges, 60, has
been a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 16,
2005 and is a member of the Credit Committee. He has served as
President and Chief Executive Officer of Sacramento Valley Farm Credit, ACA, in
Woodland California since 1993. Mr. Hodges was Chief Credit
Officer of Sacramento Valley Farm Credit from 1991 to 1993 and served as an
Examiner with the United States Office of the Comptroller of the Currency in
1991. Mr. Hodges served in executive management positions with
the Western Farm Credit Bank from 1982 to 1990, most recently as Senior Vice
President.
John Dan Raines, 64, has been
a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 18, 1992
and is a member of the Audit Committee, the Compensation Committee and the
Corporate Governance Committee. He is the owner and operator of
Raines Commercial Group, Inc., a general business corporation. Since
1990, Mr. Raines has served as a member of the board of directors of AgFirst
Farm Credit Bank (formerly, the Farm Credit Bank of Columbia, South
Carolina). He also has served since 1981 as a member of the board of
directors of AgGeorgia Farm Credit, ACA, and its predecessor Farm Credit System
institution. From 1986 to 1990, Mr. Raines was a member of the board
of directors of the South Atlantic Production Credit Association, and served as
its chairman in 1989 and 1990.
Directors Appointed by the President of the United
States
Julia Bartling, 49, has been a
member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 5,
2003. She is a member of the Public Policy Committee and the Audit
Committee. Her appointment to the Board was confirmed by the United
States Senate on June 3, 2003. Ms. Bartling has been an elected
member of the South Dakota House since January 1, 2001. She also
served as Auditor of Gregory County, South Dakota from 1983 through
2000. Ms. Bartling and her spouse have owned and operated Bartling
Feed, Grain & Trucking since 1977.
Fred L. Dailey, 62, has been a
member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation and has served as its
Chairman since August 16, 2002. He also serves as chairman of the
Corporate Governance Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee and
the Public Policy Committee. His appointment to the Board was
confirmed by the United States Senate on July 29, 2002. Mr. Dailey
served as the Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture from 1991 until
2007, the longest serving Ag Director in the history of Ohio. Prior
to that time, he was the executive vice president of the Ohio Beef Council and
executive secretary of the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association from 1982 to 1991 and
served as the Director of the Indiana Division of Agriculture from 1975 to
1981. Mr. Dailey is past President of the National Association
of State Departments of Agriculture and is a recipient of the Honorary American
Farmer degree from the FFA. In 1998, he received the national
“Outstanding State Agriculture Executive” award presented by the Biotechnology
Industry Organization and was named “Man of the Year” by Progressive Farmer
magazine in 1999. Mr. Dailey resides on a working farm in Ohio
where he raises Angus cattle.
Grace T. Daniel, 62, has been
a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since August 17, 2002 and
is a member of the Public Policy Committee and the Marketing
Committee. Her appointment to the Board was confirmed by the United
States Senate on July 29, 2002. Ms. Daniel served on the California
Agricultural Labor Relations Board from 1997 to 1999. She also served
as the California Governor’s Chief Deputy Appointments Secretary from 1994 to
1997 and as Executive Director at the California Trade and Commerce Agency
Office of Small Business from 1991 to 1994, where she was responsible for the
State’s loan guarantee program. From 2004 to 2007, Ms. Daniel served
as Deputy Director of California Parks and Recreation under Governor
Schwarzenegger.
Lowell L. Junkins, 64, has been a member of
the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 13, 1996 and Vice
Chairman of the Board since December 5, 2002. He serves as chairman
of the Public Policy Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee,
the Corporate Governance Committee and the Finance Committee. He was
appointed to the Board of Directors by President Clinton in April 1996 while the
Senate was in recess and was confirmed by the Senate on May 23, 1997 and was
reconfirmed by the Senate on June 3, 2003. Mr. Junkins works as
a public affairs consultant for Lowell Junkins & Associates in Des Moines,
Iowa. He owns and operates Hillcrest Farms in Montrose, Iowa, where
he served as Mayor from 1971 to 1972. From 1974 through 1986, Mr.
Junkins served as an Iowa State Senator, including as majority leader from 1981
to 1986.
Glen O. Klippenstein, 70, has
been a member of the Board of Directors of the Corporation since June 5, 2003 is
a member of the Public Policy Committee and the Credit Committee. His
appointment to the Board was confirmed by the United States Senate on June 3,
2003. Mr. Klippenstein has served as the Chief Executive Officer
of the American Chianina Association since November 8, 2000. Prior to
2000, he operated his family farm, engaged in cattle production.
Mr. Klippenstein also served as a Missouri State Senator from 1993 to
1994.
In
addition to the affiliations set forth above, the Nominees and Appointed Members
are active in many local and national trade, commodity, charitable, educational
and religious organizations.
The
directors are required to spend a considerable amount of time preparing for, as
well as participating in, Board and committee meetings. In addition,
they are often called upon for their counsel between meeting
dates. For those services, each director receives the following
compensation: (a) an annual retainer of $20,000 ($26,500 for the
chairman of the Audit Committee, $23,500 for the chairman of the Compensation
Committee and $30,000 for the Chairman of the Board); (b) $1,000 per day, plus
expenses, for each meeting of the Board and each Committee meeting (if on a day
other than that of the Board meeting) attended; and (c) with the prior
approval of the President of the Corporation, $1,000 per day, plus expenses, for
certain other meetings and conferences with borrowers, lenders or other
groups. The
total cash compensation received by all members of the Board of Directors in
2007 was approximately $420,000. Since June 13, 1997, each
director has been granted options annually to purchase shares of Class C
Non-Voting Common Stock under the Corporation’s 1997 Incentive Plan, with each
such grant occurring on the date of each Annual Meeting of Stockholders and with
the option price being determined as of such date. The 6,000 options
granted to each member of the Board of Directors in 2007 had a fair value of
$54,9672 at the grant
date. The total compensation, cash and options received by all
members of the Board of Directors in 2007 was approximately
$1,231,055.
________________________
2 The
fair value at grant date of options granted during 2007 has been estimated using
the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following
assumptions: a dividend yield of 1.4%; an expected volatility of
36.0%; a risk-free interest rate of 4.8%; and an expected life of 4
years.
The
following table sets forth the compensation received by each Farmer Mac director
in 2007:
Name
|
|
Fees
Earned or Paid in Cash
($)3
|
|
|
Option
Awards
($)4,5,6
|
|
|
Total
($)
|
|
Julia
Bartling
|
|
|
25,396 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
65,139 |
|
Dennis
Brack
|
|
|
27,501 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
67,244 |
|
Ralph
Cortese
|
|
|
26,396 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
66,139 |
|
Fred
Dailey
|
|
|
45,635 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
85,378 |
|
Grace
Daniel
|
|
|
27,396 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
67,139 |
|
Paul
DeBriyn
|
|
|
27,445 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
67,188 |
|
Dennis
Everson
|
|
|
26,396 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
66,139 |
|
Michael
A. Gerber
|
|
|
15,319 |
|
|
|
8,550 |
|
|
|
23,869 |
|
Ernest
Hodges
|
|
|
26,396 |
|
|
|
34,270 |
7 |
|
|
60,666 |
|
Mitchell
Johnson
|
|
|
22,396 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
62,139 |
|
Lowell
Junkins
|
|
|
29,221 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
68,964 |
|
Timothy
Kenny
|
|
|
27,221 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
66,964 |
|
Glen
Klippenstein
|
|
|
26,396 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
66,139 |
|
Charles
Kruse
|
|
|
25,221 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
64,964 |
|
John
Dan Raines
|
|
|
28,221 |
|
|
|
39,743 |
|
|
|
67,964 |
|
______________________________
3 Includes
amounts the following directors voluntarily used to purchase, at market value,
newly issued Class C Common Stock in lieu of receiving some or all of their
retainer in cash: Dennis Brack ($1,605); Paul DeBriyn ($12,076); Dennis Everson
($1,898); Michael A. Gerber ($3,146); Glen Klippenstein ($3,669); Timothy Kenny
($11,836); Charles Kruse ($12,340); and John Dan Raines ($4,412).
4 The
valuation of the option awards follows SFAS 123(R) and was determined based on
applying the assumptions used in Note 9 to the financial statements on page 122
of Farmer Mac’s Form 10-K filed on March 17, 2008.
5 For Mr.
Gerber, the amount is the value of the portion of the 2007 option grant that
vested in 2007 for compensation expense accrual purposes. For all
other directors, the amount is the sum of the values of the portions of the
2005, 2006, and 2007 option grants that vested in 2007 for compensation expense
accrual purposes. Although a portion of the 2007 option grants are
treated as vested for compensation expense accrual purposes, these grants vest
one-third on each of May 31, 2008, 2009 and 2010.
6 As of
December 31, 2007, Mr. Gerber had outstanding options to purchase 6,000 shares
of Farmer Mac Class C Non-Voting Common Stock; Messrs Kenny and Hodges (through
options he assigned to his employer) each had outstanding options to purchase an
aggregate of 12,000 shares of Farmer Mac Class C Non-Voting Common Stock; Ms.
Bartling and Messrs. DeBriyn, Everson and Raines had outstanding options to
purchase an aggregate of 14,000 shares of Farmer Mac Class C Non-Voting Common
Stock; Messrs. Cortese and Klippenstein each had outstanding options to purchase
an aggregate of 18,000 shares of Farmer Mac Class C Non-Voting Common Stock; Mr.
Junkins had outstanding options to purchase an aggregate of 24,000 shares
of Farmer Mac Class C Non-Voting Common Stock; Messrs. Dailey and Kruse each had
outstanding options to purchase an aggregate of 28,000 shares of Farmer Mac
Class C Non-Voting Common Stock; and Ms. Daniel and Messrs. Brack and Johnson
each had outstanding options to purchase an aggregate of 30,000 shares of
Farmer Mac Class C Non-Voting Common Stock.
7
Immediately upon grant of any options to him, Mr. Hodges assigns those options
to his employer, Sacramento Valley Farm Credit, ACA, of which he is President
and Chief Executive Officer.
Stock Ownership of Directors and Executive
Officers
As of
April 16, 2008, the members of the Board of Directors, Nominees for
election as directors and executive officers of the Corporation listed in the
table below might be deemed to be “beneficial owners” of the indicated number of
equity securities of the Corporation, as defined by the rules of the
SEC. The Corporation’s Voting Common Stock may be held only by banks,
insurance companies and financial institutions and Farm Credit System
institutions, and may not be held by individuals. Accordingly, no
executive officer owns, directly or indirectly, any shares of any class of the
Corporation’s Voting Common Stock. Furthermore, Appointed Members may
not be officers or directors of financial institutions or Farm Credit System
institutions and may not, directly or indirectly, own Voting Common Stock of the
Corporation. There are no ownership restrictions on the Class C
Non-Voting Common Stock. For information about the beneficial owners
of 5 percent or more of the Voting Common Stock of the Corporation, see
“Principal Holders of Voting Common Stock.”
|
|
Voting Common Stock
|
|
|
Non-Voting Common Stock8
|
|
|
|
Class
A or
Class B
|
|
|
Percent
of Class
|
|
|
Class C
|
|
|
Percent
of Class
|
|
Timothy
L. Buzby
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
99,086 |
|
|
|
1.19 |
% |
Nancy
E. Corsiglia
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
327,739 |
|
|
|
3.93 |
% |
Henry
D. Edelman
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
715,153 |
|
|
|
8.58 |
% |
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
82,459 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Tom
D. Stenson
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
187,645 |
|
|
|
2.25 |
% |
Mary
K. Waters
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
18,118 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Julia
Bartling
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
8,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Dennis
L. Brack
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
25,689 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Ralph
W. Cortese
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
12,713 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Fred
L. Dailey
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
22,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Grace
T. Daniel
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
24,233 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Paul
A. DeBriyn
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
11,143 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Dennis
A. Everson
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
8,258 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Michael
A. Gerber
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
2,293 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Ernest
M. Hodges
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
* |
|
Mitchell
A. Johnson
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
24,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Lowell
L. Junkins
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
18,000 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Timothy
F. Kenny
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
8,105 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Glen
O. Klippenstein
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
12,978 |
|
|
|
* |
|
Charles
E. Kruse
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
25,431 |
|
|
|
* |
|
John
Dan Raines
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
8,517 |
|
|
|
* |
|
All
directors and executive officers as a group (21 persons)
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
1,641,560 |
|
|
|
19.70 |
% |
_______________________
* Less
than 1%.
8 Includes
shares of Class C Non-Voting Common Stock that may be acquired within 60 days
through the exercise of stock options as follows: Mr.
Edelman, 715,153 shares; Mr. Buzby, 99,086 shares; Ms. Corsiglia,
325,013 shares; Mr. Oslick, 82,459 shares; Mr. Stenson, 187,645
shares; Ms. Waters 18,118 shares; Mr. Gerber, 2,000 shares; Mr. Kenny, 6,000
shares; Ms. Bartling and Messrs. DeBriyn, Everson and Raines,
8,000 shares each; Messrs. Cortese and Klippenstein,
12,000 shares each; Mr. Junkins, 18,000 shares; Messrs. Dailey and Kruse,
22,000 shares each; Ms. Daniel and Messrs. Brack and Johnson, 24,000 shares
each; and all directors and executive officers as a group,
1,625,474 shares.
The Board
of Directors has adopted a formal set of standards to form the basis for
determinations of director independence required by NYSE rules. To be
considered “independent” for purposes of these standards, the Board must
affirmatively determine that a director does not have a material relationship
with Farmer Mac other than as a director of Farmer Mac. The Board
broadly considers all relevant facts and circumstances in making an independence
determination, including the following criteria, among others, in determining
whether a director lacks a material relationship and therefore is
“independent”:
|
(a)
|
the
director is not and has not been employed by the Corporation within the
past three years;
|
|
(b)
|
the
director has not received more than $100,000 per year in direct
compensation from the Corporation, other than director and committee fees,
within the past three years;
|
|
(c)
|
the
director is not and has not been for the past three years a significant
advisor or consultant to the Corporation, and is not affiliated with a
company or a firm that is (revenue of the greater of 2% of the other
company’s consolidated gross revenues or $1 million is considered
significant);
|
|
(d)
|
the
director is not and has not been for the past three years a significant
customer or supplier of the Corporation nor affiliated with a company or
firm that is (revenue of the greater of 2% of the other company’s
consolidated gross revenues or $1 million is considered
significant);
|
|
(e)
|
the
director is not and has not been for the past three years employed by or
affiliated with an internal or external auditor of the company or firm
that provided services to the Corporation within the past three
years;
|
|
(f)
|
the
director is not and has not been for the past three years employed by
another company where any of the Corporation’s present executives serve on
that company’s compensation
committee;
|
|
(g)
|
the
director is not a spouse, parent, sibling, child, mother- or
father-in-law, son- or daughter-in-law or brother- or sister-in-law or any
person (other than household employees) who shares a residence with any
person described by (a) through
(f);
|
|
(h)
|
the
director is not and has not been for the past three years affiliated with
a tax-exempt entity that received significant contributions from the
Corporation (revenue of the greater of 2% of the entity’s consolidated
gross revenues or $1 million is considered significant);
and
|
|
(i)
|
the
director does not have any other relationships with the Corporation or the
members of management of the Corporation that the Board has determined to
be material not described in (a) through
(h).
|
The
criteria, which are included in Farmer Mac’s Corporate Governance Guidelines
available on the Corporation’s website, www.farmermac.com, in the “Corporate
Governance” portion of the “Investors” section, meet all requirements for
director independence contained in SEC and NYSE rules.
In April
2008, the Board considered all direct and indirect transactions and
relationships between each director (either directly or as a partner,
stockholder, officer or director of an entity that has a business relationship
with Farmer Mac) and the Corporation and its management to determine whether any
such transactions or relationships were inconsistent with a determination that
the director is independent. As a result of its review, the Board
affirmatively determined that each of the current directors meets the criteria
for director independence set forth above and, therefore, is
independent.
In
determining that each of the directors is independent, the Board considered that
because financial institutions are required to own Voting Common Stock to
participate in the Farmer Mac I program, transactions often occur in the
ordinary course of business between the Corporation and companies or other
entities at which some of Farmer Mac’s directors are or have been officers or
directors. In particular, with respect to each of the most recent
three completed fiscal years, the Board evaluated for each of Messrs. Brack,
Cortese, DeBriyn, Everson, Gerber, Hodges and Raines all transactions between
Farmer Mac and the company where he serves as an executive officer or director,
including sales of qualified loans and USDA-guaranteed portions and LTSPC and
swap transactions and the annual amount of guarantee and commitment fees paid to
Farmer Mac by that company and any servicing or other fees received by that
company from Farmer Mac. In each case, the transactions had terms and
conditions comparable to those applicable to entities unaffiliated with Farmer
Mac, and the amount paid to or received from each of these companies in each of
the last three years did not exceed the 2% of total revenue threshold in
the director independence criteria used to determine whether an entity
affiliated with a director is a significant customer or supplier of the
Corporation. The Board determined that none of these relationships it
considered impaired the independence of the named individuals. For
additional information about transactions between Farmer Mac and entities
affiliated with directors, see Note 3 to Farmer Mac’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.
The
following report of the Audit Committee shall not be deemed to be “soliciting
material,” or to be “filed” with the SEC, and will not be deemed to be
incorporated by reference into any filing by the Corporation under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as
amended (the “Exchange Act”), except to the extent that the Corporation
specifically requests that such information be treated as soliciting material or
specifically incorporates the report by reference into a document.
The Audit
Committee reviewed and recommended reaffirmation of the Audit Committee Charter,
which reaffirmation was approved by the full Board on February 7,
2008. The complete text of the charter, which reflects standards set
forth in SEC regulations and NYSE listing standards, is available on the
Corporation’s website, www.farmermac.com, in the “Corporate Governance” portion
of the “Investors” section. A print copy of the Audit Committee
Charter is available free of charge upon written request to Jerome G. Oslick,
Corporate Secretary, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, 1133
Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036. The
Audit Committee and the Board reviews and approves changes to the Audit
Committee Charter annually. The Board of Directors has determined
that: (1) all the directors who serve on the Audit Committee are
“independent,” as defined in Farmer Mac’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, SEC
rules and NYSE listing standards; and (2) Timothy F. Kenny, a member of the
Audit Committee since June 3, 2004, is an “audit committee financial expert,” as
defined in SEC rules. However, Mr. Kenny is not an auditor or
accountant for Farmer Mac, does not perform field work and is not an employee of
Farmer Mac. In accordance with the SEC’s safe harbor relating to
audit committee financial experts, a person designated or identified as an audit
committee financial expert will not be deemed to be an “expert” for purposes of
the federal securities laws. In addition, such designation or
identification does not impose on such person any duties, obligations or
liabilities that are greater than those imposed on such person as a member of
the Audit Committee and Board of Directors in the absence of such designation or
identification, and does not affect the duties, obligations or liabilities of
any other member of the Audit Committee or Board of Directors.
Audit
Committee Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2007
To Our
Stockholders:
Management
is primarily responsible for establishing and maintaining the financial public
reporting process, including the system of internal accounting controls, and for
the preparation of Farmer Mac’s consolidated financial statements in accordance
with accounting principles generally accepted in the United
States. The Audit Committee, on behalf of the Board, monitors Farmer
Mac’s financial reporting processes and systems of internal accounting control,
the independence and performance of the independent auditors and the performance
of the internal audit function. The Corporation’s independent
auditors are responsible for auditing those consolidated financial statements
and expressing an opinion as to their conformity with generally accepted
accounting principles and on management’s assessment of the effectiveness of the
Corporation’s internal control over financial reporting. In addition,
the independent auditors will express their own opinion on the effectiveness of
Farmer Mac’s internal control over financial reporting.
Management
has represented to the Audit Committee that Farmer Mac’s audited consolidated
financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles
generally accepted in the United States. The Audit Committee reviewed
and discussed Farmer Mac’s audited consolidated financial statements with both
management and the Corporation’s independent auditors prior to their
issuance. The Audit Committee has discussed with the independent
auditors their evaluation of the accounting principles, practices and judgments
applied by management, and the Audit Committee has discussed any items required
to be communicated to it by the independent auditors pursuant to rules and
regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Public
Company Accounting Oversight Board and the standards established by the American
Institute of Certified Public Accountants, including matters required to be
discussed pursuant to Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 (Communication With
Audit Committees).
With
respect to the Corporation’s independent auditors, the Audit Committee, among
other things, received from Deloitte & Touche LLP the written disclosures as
required by the Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1 (Independence
Discussions with Audit Committees) and discussed with them their independence
from the Corporation and its management. The Audit Committee has
reviewed and pre-approved the audit fees of the independent
auditors. It also has approved non-audit services and reviewed fees
for such services to assure compliance with applicable provisions of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and applicable rules and
regulations to assure compliance with the auditor independence requirements that
prohibit independent auditors from performing specified services that might
impair their independence as well as compliance with Farmer Mac’s and the Audit
Committee’s policies.
The Audit
Committee discussed with Farmer Mac’s independent auditors the overall scope of
and plans for its audit. Finally, the Audit Committee continued to
monitor the scope and adequacy of the Corporation’s internal auditing program,
including proposals for adequate staffing and to strengthen internal procedures
and controls where appropriate.
In
reliance upon these reviews and discussions, the Audit Committee recommended to
the Board of Directors that the Board approve the inclusion of the Corporation’s
audited consolidated financial statements in the Corporation’s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2007 for filing with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, as filed on March 17, 2008.
Audit
Committee
Paul
A. DeBriyn, Chairman
|
Timothy
F. Kenny
|
Julia
Bartling
|
John
Dan Raines
|
The
following table sets forth the names and ages of the current executive officers
of Farmer Mac, the principal positions held with the Corporation by such
executive officers, and the officers’ experience prior to joining the
Corporation.
Name
|
|
Age
|
|
Capacity in which
Served and Five-Year History
|
|
|
|
|
|
Henry
D. Edelman
|
|
59
|
|
President
and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation since
June 1, 1989. From November 1986 until he joined
Farmer Mac, Mr. Edelman was First Vice President for Federal Government
Finance of PaineWebber Incorporated, New York, New
York. Previously, Mr. Edelman was Vice President for Government
Finance at Citibank N.A., New York, New York and Director of Financing,
Investments and Capital Planning at General Motors Corporation in New
York, New York, where he served in various capacities on the Legal Staff
and Financial Staff for ten years.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nancy
E. Corsiglia
|
|
52
|
|
Executive
Vice President since June 7, 2007, Treasurer since
December 8, 1989 and Chief Financial Officer since
May 13, 1993. From June 1, 2000 until June 7, 2007
when she was appointed Executive Vice President, Ms. Corsiglia was Vice
President – Finance and from December 8, 1989 until June 1, 2000 she was
Vice President – Business Development. From 1988 until she
joined Farmer Mac, Ms. Corsiglia was Vice President for Federal Government
Finance at PaineWebber Incorporated, New York, New York. From
1984 to 1988, she served as a Senior Financial Analyst and a Manager on
the Financial Staff of General Motors Corporation, New York, New
York.
|
Tom
D. Stenson
|
|
57
|
|
Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer since June 7,
2007. From August 7, 1997 until June 7, 2007, Mr. Stenson
was Vice President – Agricultural Finance and from November 1996 until
August 7, 1997, he was Director – Agricultural Finance of the
Corporation. From 1993 until joining Farmer Mac in 1996, he was
Vice President – Agribusiness for ValliWide Bank, a “super-community” bank
in the San Joaquin Valley of California.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Timothy
L. Buzby
|
|
39
|
|
Vice
President – Controller since June 5, 2003. From July 1997 until
he joined Farmer Mac as Controller in December 2000, Mr. Buzby, a
certified public accountant since 1992, was Chief Financial Officer for
George Mason Mortgage Corporation, a regional residential mortgage lender,
from March 2000 to December 2000 and for Mortgage Edge Corporation, a
national mortgage lender, from July 1997 to February
2000. Prior to July 1997, Mr. Buzby was a Manager on the
Mortgage Consulting Staff of KPMG Peat Marwick, LLP.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
61
|
|
Vice
President – General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since February 1,
2000. From 1987 until he joined Farmer Mac as Assistant General
Counsel in February 1994, Mr. Oslick was an associate in the Washington,
D.C. office of the New York-based law firm of Brown &
Wood. From 1970 to 1987, he was an attorney and branch chief in
the Office of General Counsel, United States Department of
Agriculture.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mary
K. Waters
|
|
49
|
|
Vice
President – Corporate Relations since June 16, 2005. From May
2001 until April 2005, Ms. Waters was Assistant Secretary,
Congressional Relations at the United States Department of
Agriculture. From 1986 until her nomination to the position at
USDA in 2001, Ms. Waters served as Senior Director and Legislative Counsel
for ConAgra Foods.
|
The
Compensation Committee determines, subject to ratification by the Board of
Directors, the salaries, incentive plans and other compensation of directors and
officers of the Corporation. The current members of the Compensation
Committee are Messrs. Dailey, DeBriyn, Johnson, Junkins, Raines and Brack
(chairman). No member of Farmer Mac’s Compensation Committee is or
has been an officer or employee of the Corporation. As described in
more detail in “Director Independence,” the Board has determined that all
members of the Compensation Committee are “independent,” as defined in Farmer
Mac’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, SEC rules and NYSE listing
standards.
The
Compensation Committee reviewed and recommended reaffirmation of the
Compensation Committee Charter, which reaffirmation was approved by the full
Board on February 7, 2008. The complete text of the charter, which
reflects standards set forth in SEC and NYSE rules, is available on the
Corporation’s website, www.farmermac.com, in the “Corporate Governance” portion
of the “Investors” section. A print copy of the Compensation
Committee Charter is available free of charge upon written request to Jerome G.
Oslick, Corporate Secretary, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, 1133
Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036.
The
Committee makes recommendations to the Board of Directors as to the actual
levels of compensation to be awarded. The chief executive officer is
not present, nor is any other named executive officer, during deliberations on
his or her compensation by the Committee or the Board. The
compensation of all other named executive officers is determined by the
Committee after consultation with the chief executive officer and is based
primarily upon the evaluation of their performance during the business plan year
as determined by the chief executive officer assisted by the compensation
consultant, and as revised in consultation with the Committee. The
Compensation Committee does not delegate any of its authority to other
persons.
During
2007, the Committee engaged Hewitt Associates (“Hewitt”) as its independent
compensation consultant. Hewitt was accountable to and reported directly to the
Committee. The Committee asked Hewitt to provide (1) market data on executive
and director compensation using a mutually agreed upon methodology, (2) tally
sheets for the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer positions,
and (3) trends information. Hewitt also assisted with the development
of the Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan and the drafting of the executive
compensation sections of this proxy statement. The Committee met with
Hewitt during the year, both in general committee session and in executive
session without management present.
General Compensation Goals and Pay
Elements
Farmer
Mac’s general compensation and benefits goals are to operate a compensation
program that will attract and retain talented and dedicated employees and
motivate them to act in our best interests. To accomplish those
goals, the compensation program is designed to reward the execution of
strategies that:
|
·
|
accomplish
our Congressional mission as measured by increases in business volume and
net income (adjusted for non-economic accounting
conventions);
|
|
·
|
maintain
and enhance effective internal controls;
and
|
|
·
|
enhance
stockholder value.
|
The
compensation program is designed to:
|
·
|
attract,
retain and motivate highly qualified executive
officers;
|
|
·
|
pay
for performance by linking a significant amount of compensation to an
executive’s overall individual contribution to our growth and to the
achievement of pre-established performance goals;
and
|
|
·
|
align
the interests of executive officers with the interests of
stockholders.
|
Executive
compensation at Farmer Mac is designed to provide further that the levels and
proportions of salary, annual cash incentive awards and long-term incentive
award values are consistent with the value and effectiveness of the named
executive officers’ execution of Board-approved strategies, with due
consideration given to the competitive market.
The total
compensation package for named executive officers consists of the following
elements, provided with a view to offering a balanced compensation
package:
|
·
|
annual
cash incentive pay;
|
|
·
|
long-term
non-cash incentive pay; and
|
|
·
|
retirement
and other benefits, most of which are similarly provided to all other
full-time employees.
|
Farmer
Mac was created by Congress to establish a secondary market for agricultural and
rural housing mortgages that would increase the availability of credit for
agricultural producers, provide greater liquidity and lending capacity for
agricultural lenders and facilitate intermediate- and long-term agricultural
funding.
From the
outset, Farmer Mac’s Board of Directors and its Compensation Committee
recognized that the accomplishment of Farmer Mac’s mission would require that it
attract, retain and motivate highly qualified personnel capable of addressing
the tasks necessary to develop and operate a secondary market for agricultural
mortgage loans where none had previously existed, and to persevere in their
efforts through what would include difficult and uncertain years. The
Board believes this approach continues to be sound, as Farmer Mac must compete
in the general market for the services of individuals with the education,
experience and prior achievements necessary to enhance the financial results and
safety and soundness of Farmer Mac’s expanding and increasingly complex
operations.
Accordingly,
the Board and the Committee have undertaken to compensate Farmer Mac’s named
executive officers in a manner consistent with compensation for executives in
other comparable businesses that involve similar duties and
responsibilities. The outcome intended is that compensation
opportunities for named executive officers should be comparable to those
received by persons with similar qualifications and experience, but not
necessarily the same position and title, at similar companies.
Farmer
Mac’s charter, particularly as revised in 1996, casts it in the mold of the
other mortgage loan secondary market government-sponsored enterprises (“GSEs”),
Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) and the Federal Home Loan
Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), which have established a mature secondary
market for housing mortgages. A third reference point has been SLM
Corporation (“Sallie Mae”), a company that began as a government-sponsored
enterprise. The Committee has viewed these three GSEs as the
appropriate peer group (the “Peer Group Companies”) for base salary
purposes. Due to the large size of the Peer Group Companies relative
to Farmer Mac, the positions considered comparable to them are one level lower
than the similar Farmer Mac position. For instance, for purposes of
determining market base salaries, Farmer Mac’s chief executive officer position
is considered comparable to a Business Unit Chief Executive or corporate Chief
Financial Officer at the Peer Group Companies.
No GSE
data tends to be available for Mr. Stenson’s position. Instead, in
2007 proxy data and published survey data (from Wm. M. Mercer and Executive
Compensation Services surveys) was used for comparable positions from comparably
sized commercial banks and financial institutions to develop the base salary
market data for that position.
Target
short-term incentive opportunity and long-term incentive opportunity for each
named executive officer were set at or near the median opportunity applying to
similar base salaries at complex financial organizations. This data
is developed by the Committee’s consultant by base salary level and expressed as
a percent of base salary. In 2007, the group of companies (the “Financial
Services Companies”) whose data was available for this analysis encompassed 141
financial services companies in a wide size range, with revenues ranging from
under $1 billion to greater than $100 billion. While the
Financial Services Companies varied widely from Farmer Mac in size, the use of
base salary level as the determinant of incentive opportunity had the impact of
neutralizing company size.
By using
this methodology, our compensation program in effect targets pay at the
size-adjusted 50th
percentile for each component. The designs of the incentive programs
then ensure significantly greater potential compensation for performance
significantly above defined levels and lower compensation for performance below
defined levels. This methodology is intended to ensure that the
Corporation’s compensation structure is sufficiently competitive to attract and
retain highly qualified executives and tie their ultimate pay to Farmer Mac’s
performance.
Market Posture and How Amounts Were
Determined
Each
component of pay was determined primarily based on market data, with
consideration also given to individual performance and potential, and succession
planning considerations.
Component
of Pay
|
|
|
Practice
|
Base
salary
|
|
·
|
In
total, base salaries for named executive officers prior to 2007
adjustments were within 1% of market, and each Farmer Mac named executive
officer’s base salary was within 10% of the applicable market
figure.
|
|
|
·
|
Base
salary increases for 2007 for the named executive officers were 3.8%
except for Mr. Stenson, who received a 13.8% increase due to his promotion
to Chief Operating Officer.
|
Annual
cash incentive
|
|
·
|
In
total, 2007 target bonuses were within 2% of the applicable market and
each Farmer Mac named executive officer’s 2007 target bonus percent was
within 15% of the applicable market.
|
|
|
·
|
No
increases to target bonus percents were made in 2007.
|
Stock
option grants
|
|
·
|
Farmer
Mac named executive officer 2007 stock option grants as a percent of base
salary varied with respect to market; in the aggregate, grants were within
3% of market.
|
|
|
·
|
No
increases to long-term incentive opportunities (expressed as a percent of
base salary) were made in 2007.
|
Mix
of Total Compensation
|
|
·
|
The
mix of 2007 total compensation was determined primarily by the previously
described market mix of the elements above for each position. No
particular mix of pay was targeted beyond that which the market data
suggested.
|
The
purpose of each element of the pay program is discussed in more detail
below.
Base
Salary. Base salary is paid to provide current and prospective
executives with a predictable core amount of compensation, regardless of our
financial results, so long as they perform their duties in a competent,
professional manner. This element is set at a level that, by itself,
would provide executives with a level of financial security commensurate with
the competitive market, but not at a level expected to be adequate alone to
retain executives or motivate outstanding performance.
Base
salary is reviewed annually by the Committee each June, at the end of the
July-through-June business plan year, as well as at the time of executive
promotions or other changes in responsibilities. Increases in salary
normally take effect on July 1, and did so in 2007.
The
Committee determines the base salary for the chief executive officer and
recommends to the Board the base salary for each of the other named executive
officers based on an evaluation of each executive’s performance, experience,
level of responsibilities, level of base salary and peer group market data
provided by the Committee’s consultant. For each named executive
officer other than the president and chief executive officer, the Committee
bases its determinations on recommendations of the chief executive officer in
addition to the factors listed in the previous sentence.
Annual Cash Incentive
Pay. Annual cash incentive pay is provided as a means of
motivating and rewarding outstanding performance by an executive against his or
her short-term goals, typically those slated for accomplishment in the current
year of the business plan.
For the
July 2006 through June 2007 planning year, each individual whose individual
performance was rated 60% or higher earned varying percentages of his or her
annual cash incentive pay targeted bonus, determined formulaically pursuant to
the table set forth below. Farmer Mac reached or exceeded all of the
targets set forth in the “Maximum” column with respect to corporate performance
measures during the 2006-07 year. Accordingly, Annual Cash Incentive
Pay for the named executive officers was awarded based on the 200% target level
with respect to the 70% weight related to the achievement of corporate
performance measures.
In
measuring performance against defined levels based upon business plan objectives
and results, the Committee makes comparisons to performance criteria established
by the Board and management in the business plan. Individual
performance (total 30% weight) is assessed in three categories:
|
·
|
Accountabilities – How
well the incumbent performed the principal day-to-day accountabilities of
the position. All officers are responsible for maintaining
appropriate internal controls in their
areas.
|
|
·
|
Problem Handling – How
well the incumbent handled or responded to problems and unplanned or
changed assignments, projects, conditions and other similar
situations.
|
|
·
|
Managerial Skills – An
assessment of managerial skills, including forecasting, budgeting,
establishing and implementing appropriate polices and procedures,
interaction, teamwork and
communication.
|
Measure
|
Weight
|
Threshold
(Pays
50%)
|
Target
(Pays
100%)
|
Maximum
(Pays
200%)
|
Earnings
before FAS 133, FAS 123R, loan losses and yield
maintenance
|
28%
|
$13.9 million
(75%
of Business Plan)
|
$18.5 million
(100%
of Business Plan)
|
$21.5 million
(115%
of Business Plan)
|
New
total mission volume
|
28%
|
$1.0 billion
(80%
of Business Plan)
|
$1.25 billion
(100
% of Business Plan)
|
$2.25 billion
(180%
of Business Plan)
|
Delinquency
rate and net charge-offs
|
14%
|
<1.5%
90-day delinquencies
Charge-offs
= 200% of Business Plan
|
<1%
90-day delinquencies
Charge-offs
= 100% of Business Plan
|
<0.6%
90-day delinquencies
Charge-offs
= 50% of Business Plan
|
Individual
rating
|
30%
|
Rating
of 60%
|
Rating
of 80%
|
Rating
of 100%
|
Total
|
100%
|
|
|
|
For the
2007-08 year, each individual whose individual performance is rated 60% or
higher will earn varying percentages of his or her targeted bonus, determined
formulaically pursuant to the following table, with higher goals than those for
the 2006-07 year:
Measure
|
Weight
|
Threshold
(Pays
50%)
|
Target
(Pays
100%)
|
Maximum
(Pays
200%)
|
Earnings
before FAS 133, FAS 123R, loan losses and yield
maintenance
|
28%
|
75%
of
Business
Plan
|
100%
of
Business
Plan
|
140%
of
Business
Plan
|
New
total mission volume
|
28%
|
75%
of
Business
Plan
|
100%
of
Business
Plan
|
195%
of
Business
Plan
|
Delinquency
rate and net charge-offs
|
14%
|
<1.0%
90-day delinquencies;
Charge-offs
= 200% of Business Plan
|
<0.6%
90-day delinquencies;
Charge-offs
= 100% of Business Plan
|
<0.3%
90-day delinquencies;
Charge-offs
= 0
|
Individual
rating
|
30%
|
Rating
of 60%
|
Rating
of 80%
|
Rating
of 100%
|
Total
|
100%
|
|
|
|
In both
years, performance between any two of the target points is interpolated on a
straight-line basis. The Board retains discretion to award no annual
cash incentive pay in appropriate circumstances regardless of the achievement of
corporate performance targets.
Long-Term Incentive
Pay. Long-term incentive pay, in the form of at-the-market
options on Class C Non-Voting Common Stock, is provided as a means of paying for
performance and aligning the interests of executive officers with the interests
of stockholders. Market-level grants also serve to retain executives
in our employ over the longer term.
Option
awards are made at the Board meeting held in conjunction with the annual meeting
of stockholders, and the exercise price is the closing price on the date of
award. The number of options granted in 2007 was initially calculated for each
named executive officer as base salary multiplied by the long-term incentive
guideline (expressed as a percent of base salary), divided by the value of a
single option. The value of a single option was calculated as the 90-day average
stock price preceding the date of grant times the calculated Black-Scholes value
of an option as a percent of stock price determined by the Committee’s
independent consultant. However, the number of options actually
granted was reduced for each executive to take into account the number of shares
available in the share pool. Options vest one-third per year
commencing one year from the grant date.
The
purpose of Farmer Mac’s stock option plans is to encourage stock ownership by
directors, officers and other key employees, to provide an incentive for such
individuals to expand and improve the business of Farmer Mac and to assist
Farmer Mac in attracting and retaining key personnel. The use of
stock options is an attempt to align more closely the long-term interests of
employees and directors with those of Farmer Mac’s stockholders by providing
those individuals with the opportunity to acquire an equity interest in Farmer
Mac. Farmer Mac’s stock option plans are administered by the
Compensation Committee of the Board. Because individuals are
prohibited by law from owning shares of Farmer Mac’s Voting Common Stock, the
Corporation uses unrestricted Class C Non-Voting Common Stock for the purpose of
granting options under its stock option plans. Under the plans, the
option price is required to be paid in cash, and no option holder has any rights
as a stockholder with respect to shares subject to an option until the option
price has been paid and the shares are issued upon exercise of the
option.
Option
awards are made at the Board meeting held in conjunction with the annual meeting
of stockholders and the exercise price is the closing price on the date of
award. The number of options granted in 2007 was a function of the market data,
the 90-day average stock price preceding the date of grant, and the calculated
Black-Scholes value of a single option as a percent of stock
price. Options vest one-third per year commencing one year from the
grant date.
Retirement
Plans. Farmer Mac provides retirement benefits for all
employees through a Money Purchase Plan, pursuant to which the Corporation
annually contributes 13.2% of each employee’s base compensation up to the Social
Security wage base (which in 2007 was $97,500), and 18.9% of each employee’s
base compensation above the Social Security wage base, up to the compensation
limit set by the Internal Revenue Service, which in 2007 was
$225,000. Farmer Mac also offers a 401(k) plan to which
employees may make retirement contributions, but to which the Corporation makes
no contributions. Farmer Mac does not maintain any supplemental
retirement plan for executives.
Other
Benefits. The Corporation contractually provides a term life
insurance policy with a face amount approximately equal to two years’ base
compensation for the chief executive officer and one year’s base compensation
for each of the other named executive officers, as well as long-term disability
insurance. Named executive officers also participate in Farmer Mac’s
other benefit plans on the same terms as other employees. These plans
include medical and dental insurance and a $50,000 group term life insurance
policy.
Payments in Connection with a Change-in-Control
Farmer
Mac’s Congressional charter is written in a way that substantially precludes any
change-in-control through voting rights associated with its Class A and B voting
common stock. Accordingly, no provision is made for payments to named
executive officers in connection with any change-in-control.
Post-Employment Compensation
Mr.
Edelman and Ms. Corsiglia have employment contracts that provide severance pay
should they be terminated involuntarily not for cause, die or become
disabled. These provisions recognize the regulatory and political
environment in which Farmer Mac operates, with consequent job
insecurity.
The
severance amount is the lesser of (a) two times base salary or (b) base salary
paid through the contract termination date (July 1, 2012 in the case of Mr.
Edelman and July 1, 2011 in the case of Ms. Corsiglia). Upon
disability, severance would be reduced by any disability payments already
received. Noncompete and nonsolicitation provisions
apply.
Impact of Accounting and Tax Treatments on Compensation
Awards
Farmer
Mac has not historically taken into consideration the impact of accounting and
tax treatments of compensation to named executive officers in determining their
compensation. Farmer Mac’s compensation program does, however,
discount the impact of FAS 133 and FAS 123R in the determination of income for
compensation purposes.
Farmer Mac’s Policies Regarding Stock Ownership and
Trading
Farmer
Mac has no policies that require a particular level of stock ownership by named
executive officers. Farmer Mac has a policy on insider trading by all
employees, including named executive officers, that requires compliance with
securities laws and Farmer Mac policies on insider trading (including “windows”
for sale of stock and the adoption of Rule 10b5-1 plans) and prohibits trading
in options on Farmer Mac securities.
Notwithstanding
anything to the contrary set forth in any of Farmer Mac’s documents with respect
to the offer or sale of securities (“Offering Circulars”) or any previous
corporate filings under the Securities Act of 1933 or Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the Compensation Committee Report on Executive Compensation will not be
deemed to be incorporated by reference into any Offering Circular or any filing
under the Securities Act of 1933 or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except
to the extent Farmer Mac specifically incorporates such information by
reference, and will not otherwise be deemed to have been or to be filed under
such Acts.
The Compensation Committee has
reviewed and discussed the Compensation Discussion and Analysis contained herein
with management, and, based on that review and discussion, has recommended to
the Board of Directors that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included
in the proxy statement and annual report.
Compensation
Committee
Dennis
L. Brack, Chairman
|
Fred
L. Dailey
|
Paul
A. DeBriyn
|
Mitchell
A. Johnson
|
Lowell
Junkins
|
John
Dan Raines
|
Directors
Brack, Dailey, DeBriyn, Johnson, Junkins and Raines comprise our Compensation
Committee. None of these directors is, or has been, a Farmer Mac
officer or employee, and none had any relationship requiring disclosure by
Farmer Mac as a “related person transaction” under SEC rules. None of
Farmer Mac’s executive officers serve, or have served, as a member of the Board
or the Compensation Committee or as a director of another entity.
—
Compensation of Executive
Officers
The
following table sets forth certain information with respect to the compensation
awarded to, earned by, or paid to Farmer Mac’s chief executive officer, chief
financial officer and each of Farmer Mac’s three other most highly compensated
executive officers (the “named executive officers”) for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007.
Name
|
|
Fiscal
Year
|
|
Salary
|
|
|
Option
Awards9
|
|
|
Non-Equity
Incentive Compensation
|
|
|
All
Other Compensation10
|
|
|
Total
|
|
Henry
D. Edelman
|
|
2007
|
|
$ |
550,622 |
|
|
$ |
1,243,013 |
|
|
$ |
896,180 |
|
|
$ |
78,649 |
|
|
$ |
2,768,464 |
|
President
& CEO
|
|
2006
|
|
|
526,174 |
|
|
|
787,940 |
|
|
|
410,605 |
|
|
|
69,419 |
|
|
|
1,794,138 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nancy
E. Corsiglia
|
|
2007
|
|
|
353,229 |
|
|
|
588,579 |
|
|
|
415,211 |
|
|
|
52,109 |
|
|
|
1,409,128 |
|
Executive
Vice President – CFO
|
|
2006
|
|
|
337,545 |
|
|
|
382,978 |
|
|
|
192,376 |
|
|
|
50,960 |
|
|
|
963,859 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tom
D. Stenson
|
|
2007
|
|
|
303,434 |
|
|
|
443,942 |
|
|
|
318,875 |
|
|
|
64,702 |
|
|
|
1,130,953 |
|
Executive
Vice President – COO
|
|
2006
|
|
|
276,350 |
|
|
|
274,884 |
|
|
|
146,999 |
|
|
|
58,852 |
|
|
|
757,085 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Timothy
L. Buzby
|
|
2007
|
|
|
243,358 |
|
|
|
235,612 |
|
|
|
193,225 |
|
|
|
66,561 |
|
|
|
738,756 |
|
Vice
President –Controller
|
|
2006
|
|
|
232,224 |
|
|
|
150,371 |
|
|
|
91,757 |
|
|
|
65,024 |
|
|
|
539,376 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
2007
|
|
|
267,313 |
|
|
|
97,245 |
|
|
|
100,603 |
|
|
|
65,202 |
|
|
|
530,363 |
|
Vice
President – General Counsel
|
|
2006
|
|
|
260,066 |
|
|
|
18,865 |
|
|
|
21,646 |
|
|
|
64,542 |
|
|
|
365,119 |
|
_____________________
9 The valuation
of the option awards for fiscal years 2007 and 2006 follows SFAS 123(R) (without
any reduction for risk of forfeiture), and were determined based on applying the
assumptions used in Note 9 to the financial statements on page 122 of Farmer
Mac’s Form 10-K filed on March 17, 2008.
10 Includes
contributions to the Corporation’s defined contribution pension plan in the
amount of $36,968 for 2007 and $36,211 for 2006 on behalf of each of the named
executive officers, as well as health, disability and life insurance premium
payments paid on behalf of each of the named executive officers. See
“Employment Agreements.”
Grants of Plan-Based Awards Table
The table
below sets forth, as to each of the named executive officers, the following
information with respect to option grants during 2007: (1) the grant
date of options granted during 2007; (2) the number of shares of Class C
Non-Voting Common Stock underlying options granted during 2007; (3) the
exercise price of such options; and (4) the grant date fair value of such
options under the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
Name
|
|
Grant
Date
|
|
Number
of Securities Underlying Options11
(#)
|
|
|
Exercise
Price of
Option
Awards
($/Share)
|
|
|
Grant
Date
Fair
Value of Option Awards12
|
|
Henry
D. Edelman
|
|
June
7, 2007
|
|
|
149,778 |
|
|
$ |
29.33 |
|
|
$ |
1,585,420 |
|
Nancy
E. Corsiglia
|
|
June
7, 2007
|
|
|
69,661 |
|
|
|
29.33 |
|
|
|
737,371 |
|
Tom
D. Stenson
|
|
June
7, 2007
|
|
|
56,058 |
|
|
|
29.33 |
|
|
|
593,382 |
|
Timothy
L. Buzby
|
|
June
7, 2007
|
|
|
28,134 |
|
|
|
29.33 |
|
|
|
297,802 |
|
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
June
7, 2007
|
|
|
18,178 |
|
|
|
29.33 |
|
|
|
192,910 |
|
___________________
11 Options
granted in 2007 expire 10 years from the grant date and are exercisable in
installments: one-third vests on each of May 31, 2008, May 31, 2009
and May 31, 2010, except that those granted to Mr. Oslick vest one-half on each
of May 31, 2008 and May 31, 2009.
12 The
fair value at grant date of options granted during 2007 has been estimated using
the Black-Scholes option pricing model with the following
assumptions: a dividend yield of 1.4%; an expected volatility of
36.0%; a risk-free interest rate of 4.8%; and an expected life of 7 years,
resulting in a per share value of approximately $10.59.
The
following table sets forth certain information relating to stock options
previously granted to the named executive officers as of December 31,
2007.
Name
|
|
Number
of Shares Underlying Unexercised Options
#
Exercisable
|
|
|
Number
of Shares Underlying Unexercised Options
#
Unexercisable13
|
|
|
Option
Exercise Price
|
|
Option
Expiration Date
|
Henry
D. Edelman
|
|
|
103,686 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
$ |
22.0833 |
|
6/3/2009
|
|
|
|
90,387 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
31.2400 |
|
6/7/2011
|
|
|
|
84,866 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
29.1000 |
|
6/6/2012
|
|
|
|
120,111 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
22.4000 |
|
6/5/2013
|
|
|
|
33,255 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
19.8600 |
|
8/11/2014
|
|
|
|
101,365 |
|
|
|
50,683 |
|
|
|
20.6100 |
|
6/16/2015
|
|
|
|
40,437 |
|
|
|
80,875 |
|
|
|
26.3600 |
|
6/1/2016
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
149,778 |
|
|
|
29.3300 |
|
6/7/2017
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Nancy
E. Corsiglia
|
|
|
33,378 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
22.0833 |
|
6/3/2009
|
|
|
|
40,220 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
31.2400 |
|
6/7/2011
|
|
|
|
35,769 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
29.1000 |
|
6/6/2012
|
|
|
|
50,356 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
22.4000 |
|
6/5/2013
|
|
|
|
32,505 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
19.8600 |
|
8/11/2014
|
|
|
|
47,686 |
|
|
|
23,843 |
|
|
|
20.6100 |
|
6/16/2015
|
|
|
|
19,018 |
|
|
|
38,037 |
|
|
|
26.3600 |
|
6/1/2016
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
69,661 |
|
|
|
29.3300 |
|
6/7/2017
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tom
D. Stenson
|
|
|
26,951 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
31.2400 |
|
6/7/2011
|
|
|
|
25,901 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
29.1000 |
|
6/6/2012
|
|
|
|
35,970 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
19.8600 |
|
8/11/2014
|
|
|
|
34,604 |
|
|
|
17,303 |
|
|
|
20.6100 |
|
6/16/2015
|
|
|
|
14,115 |
|
|
|
28,230 |
|
|
|
26.3600 |
|
6/1/2016
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
56,058 |
|
|
|
29.3300 |
|
6/7/2017
|
____________________________
13
Unexercisable options that expire in 2015 vest May 31, 2008; unexercisable
options that expire in 2016 vest one-half on each of May 31, 2008 and 2009;
unexercisable options that expire in 2017 vest one-third on each of May 31,
2008, 2009 and 2010.
Name
|
|
Number
of Shares Underlying Unexercised Options
#
Exercisable
|
|
|
Number
of Shares Underlying Unexercised Options
#
Unexercisable14
|
|
|
Option
Exercise Price
|
|
Option
Expiration Date
|
Timothy
L. Buzby
|
|
|
4,627 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
31.0200 |
|
6/13/2011
|
|
|
|
13,975 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
29.1000 |
|
6/6/2012
|
|
|
|
14,023 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
22.4000 |
|
6/5/2013
|
|
|
|
12,916 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
19.8600 |
|
8/11/2014
|
|
|
|
19,203 |
|
|
|
9,602 |
|
|
|
20.6100 |
|
6/16/2015
|
|
|
|
7,681 |
|
|
|
15,362 |
|
|
|
26.3600 |
|
6/1/2016
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
28,134 |
|
|
|
29.3300 |
|
6/7/2017
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
|
22,483 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
31.2400 |
|
6/7/2011
|
|
|
|
18,410 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
29.1000 |
|
6/6/2012
|
|
|
|
25,750 |
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
22.4000 |
|
6/5/2013
|
|
|
|
3,363 |
|
|
|
6,728 |
|
|
|
26.3600 |
|
6/1/2016
|
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
18,178 |
|
|
|
29.3300 |
|
6/7/2017
|
The
following table sets forth certain information relating to stock options
exercised during 2007 by the named executive officers.
Name
|
|
Number
of Shares Acquired
on
Exercise
(#)
|
|
|
Value
Realized on Exercise
($)
|
|
Henry
D. Edelman
|
|
|
141,543 |
|
|
$ |
1,727,084 |
|
Nancy
E. Corsiglia
|
|
|
47,750 |
|
|
|
586,918 |
|
Tom
D. Stenson
|
|
|
35,852 |
|
|
|
268,890 |
|
Timothy
L. Buzby
|
|
|
16,470 |
|
|
|
128,743 |
|
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
|
— |
|
|
|
— |
|
______________________________
14
Unexercisable options that expire in 2015 vest May 31, 2008; unexercisable
options that expire in 2016 vest one-half on each of May 31, 2008 and 2009;
unexercisable options that expire in 2017 vest one-third on each of May 31,
2008, 2009 and 2010, except that Mr. Oslick’s unexercisable options that expire
in 2017 vest one-half on each of May 31, 2008 and May 31, 2009.
The
following table sets forth certain information relating to compensation plans
under which equity securities are authorized to be issued as of December 31,
2007.
Plan
category
|
|
Number
of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding
options
|
|
|
Weighted
average exercise price of outstanding options (per share)
|
|
|
Number
of securities remaining available for future issuance under equity
compensation plans
|
|
Equity
compensation plans not approved by stockholders
|
|
|
2,218,199 |
|
|
$ |
25.48 |
|
|
|
4,001 |
|
1997
Plan. In 1997, the Board adopted the 1997 Incentive Plan (the
“1997 Plan”), a broad-based option plan for directors, officers and non-officer
employees. The 1997 Plan, as amended, provides for the issuance of a
maximum of 3,750,000 nonqualified stock options on Class C Non-Voting Common
Stock at an option price determined as of the grant date, with a term of not
more than ten years from such date. The plan provides for the
automatic annual grant to directors of five-year options to purchase 6,000
(split-adjusted) shares of Class C Non-Voting Common Stock, with each grant to
occur on the day of the annual meeting (including the Meeting), with the option
price to be determined as of such day. Through 2003, options granted
under the 1997 Plan vested one-third on the date of grant, one-third the
following year and one-third the second following year. Beginning in
2004, options granted under the 1997 Plan generally vest one-third in each of
the first three years following the date of option grant. The Board
and management have determined that granting options to qualified non-officer
employees would promote a sense of corporate ownership in the best interest of
the Corporation. Accordingly, the 1997 Plan permits the grant of
options to all employees (not just officers) based on their annual evaluations
and to newly-hired employees.
If an
option holder’s employment with Farmer Mac terminates for any reason, including
by reason of retirement, the option holder’s rights to exercise any option under
the 1997 Plan terminate on the earlier of the option expiration date or 90 days
after termination (one year in the case of death or disability). Upon
a termination for “cause,” the options expire immediately. Following
the termination of a director’s service, vested options will remain exercisable
until the earlier of the option expiration date or two years following
termination. The 1997 Plan also provides for accelerated vesting of
unvested options in the event of an option holder’s death or
disability.
As of
December 31, 2007, options covering 3,745,999 shares (net of cancellations) have
been granted under the 1997 Plan, of which 2,218,199 remain
outstanding. As of December 31, 2007, 4,001 shares of Class C
Non-Voting Common Stock remained available for future issuance of option grants
under the 1997 Plan, excluding the shares underlying outstanding
options. Options granted under the 1997 Plan during 2007 have
exercise prices ranging from $27.77 to $32.77 per share.
Potential Payments upon Termination (Employment
Agreements with Officers)
The
Corporation has entered into employment agreements (the “Agreements”) with the
members of senior management (for purposes of this section, the “officers”),
including the named executive officers, in order to provide them with a
reasonable level of job security, while limiting the Corporation’s ultimate
financial exposure. Significant terms of the Agreements address each
officer’s scope of authority and employment, base salary and incentive
compensation (shown as “bonus” in the Summary Compensation Table), benefits,
conditions of employment, termination of employment and the term of
employment. Although the Agreements generally expire on dates
approximately three to four years from the present,15 the Corporation’s
exposure to severance pay and other costs of termination are capped on the basis
of the lesser of two years (eighteen months in the case of dissolution) or the
remaining term of each Agreement.
Under the
Agreements, the officers are entitled to a base salary and discretionary
incentive compensation. Base compensation for all officers is paid
bi-weekly over the course of each year. The current base salaries for
the named executive officers who, as of April 21, 2008, are: Mr.
Edelman, $558,700; Ms. Corsiglia, $358,411; Mr. Buzby, $246,928; Mr.
Oslick, $271,235; and Mr. Stenson, $321,702. Awards of incentive
compensation are considered annually at the end of the business planning year
and are determined and payable under the circumstances discussed above in
“Compensation Discussion and Analysis.”
The
Agreements provide that each officer is entitled to certain benefits, such as
disability insurance, health insurance, dental insurance and life insurance,
which with respect to disability and life insurance, are above the levels
provided to employees generally. See the Summary Compensation Table
for information on other benefits extended to the named executive
officers.
The
Agreements also provide that an officer’s employment may be terminated “without
cause” upon payment of severance pay consisting of all base salary scheduled to
be paid over the lesser of the remaining term of the Agreement or two
years. If the Board of Directors adopts a resolution authorizing a
dissolution of the Corporation, the Agreements also may be terminated upon
payment of severance pay consisting of all base salary scheduled to be paid
until the later of the final date of dissolution or one and one-half years
following the effective date of the dissolution. Upon termination of
employment due to an officer’s death or disability, the officer will generally
be entitled to benefits on the same basis as “without cause”; however, the
Corporation’s obligations in such instances are substantially covered by
insurance. The Agreements may be terminated by Farmer Mac for cause,
in which event the officer will be paid only accrued compensation to the date of
termination.
_________________________
15 The
Agreements with the named executive officers expire on July 1 of the following
years: Henry D. Edelman, 2012; Timothy L. Buzby,
Nancy E. Corsiglia and Tom D. Stenson, 2011.
The
following table shows the total that would be payable to the named executive
officers in the event of a termination without cause.
Name
|
|
Termination
Payment
|
|
Henry
D. Edelman
|
|
$ |
1,127,243.13 |
|
Nancy
E. Corsiglia
|
|
|
726,995.77 |
|
Tom
D. Stenson
|
|
|
597,471.04 |
|
Timothy
L. Buzby
|
|
|
507,702.99 |
|
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
|
N/A |
|
—
Certain Relationships and Related Person
Transactions
Review of Related Person Transactions
The Board
of Directors has adopted a written Related Person Transactions Approval Policy
that is administered by the Corporate Governance Committee. This
policy applies to any transaction or series of transactions in which Farmer Mac
is a participant, the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and a “related person”
has a direct or indirect material interest. The policy requires each
director or executive officer involved in such a transaction to notify the
General Counsel of each such transaction. Farmer Mac reviews all
relationships and transactions in which the Corporation and its directors and
executive officers or their immediate family members are participants to
determine whether such persons have a direct or indirect material
interest. The Corporation’s legal staff is primarily responsible for
the development and implementation of processes and controls to obtain
information from the directors and executive officers with respect to related
person transactions. Under the policy, the General Counsel will
determine whether a transaction meets the requirements of a “related person
transaction” requiring review by the Corporate Governance
Committee. Transactions that fall within this definition will be
referred to the Committee for approval, ratification or other
action. Based on its consideration of all of the relevant facts and
circumstances, the Corporate Governance Committee will decide whether or not to
approve the transaction and will approve only those transactions that are in the
best interests of the Corporation. If the Corporation becomes aware
of an existing related persons transaction that has not been approved under this
policy, the matter will be referred to the Corporate Governance Committee, which
will then evaluate all options available, including ratification, revision or
termination of the transaction. A related person transaction entered
into without the Committee’s pre-approval will not violate this policy, or be
invalid or unenforceable, so long as the transaction is brought to the Committee
as promptly as reasonably practical after it is entered into or after it becomes
reasonably apparent that the transaction is covered by this
policy. Transactions that are determined to be directly or indirectly
material to Farmer Mac or a related person are disclosed in the Corporation’s
proxy statement as required under SEC rules.
From time
to time, Farmer Mac purchases or commits to purchase qualified loans and
USDA-guaranteed portions from, or enters into other business relationships with,
institutions that own five percent or more of a class of Farmer Mac’s Voting
Common Stock or that have an officer or director who is also a member of Farmer
Mac’s Board of Directors. These transactions are conducted in the
ordinary course of business, with terms and conditions comparable to those
applicable to entities unaffiliated with Farmer Mac. Although Farmer
Mac entered into transactions with related persons in 2007, it was determined
that none of those transactions resulted in a related person having a direct or
indirect material interest that would require disclosure as a “related person
transaction” under SEC rules. For additional information about
transactions between Farmer Mac and related persons, see Note 3 to Farmer Mac’s
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2007.
Item No. 2: Selection of Independent
Auditors
The
By-Laws of the Corporation provide that the Audit Committee shall select the
Corporation’s independent auditors “annually in advance of the Annual Meeting of
Stockholders and [that selection] shall be submitted for ratification or
rejection at such meeting.” In addition, the Audit Committee reviews
the scope and results of the audits, the accounting principles being applied,
and the effectiveness of internal controls. The Audit Committee also
ensures that management fulfills its responsibilities in the preparation of the
Corporation’s financial statements. During the fiscal year ended
December 31, 2007, the Audit Committee, which is composed of Messrs. DeBriyn
(Chairman), Kenny and Raines and Ms. Bartling, met ten times.
In
accordance with the By-Laws, the Audit Committee has unanimously selected and
recommended to the stockholders Deloitte & Touche LLP as the
Corporation’s independent auditors for the fiscal year ending December 31,
2008. This proposal is put before the stockholders as provided in the
By-Laws and in conformity with the current practice of seeking stockholder
approval of the selection of independent auditors. The ratification
of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Corporation’s
independent public accountants requires the affirmative vote of a majority of
the shares represented in person or by proxy at the Meeting and entitled to be
voted.
Representatives
of Deloitte & Touche LLP are expected to attend the
Meeting. They will have the opportunity to make a statement if they
desire to do so and will be available to answer appropriate questions from
stockholders present at the Meeting.
The Board
of Directors recommends a vote FOR the proposal to ratify the selection of
Deloitte & Touche LLP as independent auditors for the Federal
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation for 2008. Proxies solicited by the Board of
Directors will be so voted unless holders of the Corporation’s Voting Common
Stock specify to the contrary on their proxies, or unless authority to vote is
withheld.
Deloitte
& Touche LLP billed Farmer Mac an aggregate $1,490,536 and $1,363,215
for professional services rendered for the audit of Farmer Mac’s annual
financial statements, the audit of management’s assessment of the effectiveness
of internal control over financial reporting under Section 404 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, and the reviews of the financial statements included
in Farmer Mac’s quarterly reports on Form 10-Q for 2007 and 2006,
respectively.
Deloitte
& Touche LLP billed Farmer Mac an aggregate $41,013 and $595,224 for the
issuance of comfort letters, various accounting consultations and other
technical issues for assurance and related services that were reasonably related
to the performance of the audit of Farmer Mac’s annual financial statements and
the reviews of the financial statements included in Farmer Mac’s quarterly
reports on Form 10-Q in 2007 and 2006, respectively, and are not reported in
“Audit
Fees.” Of the billed fees for 2006, $512,967 were fees related
to Farmer Mac’s restatement of its financial statements on Form 10-K/A as of
December 31, 2005, Form 10-Q/A as of March 31, 2006 and Form 10-Q/A as of
June 30, 2006.
Deloitte
& Touche LLP billed Farmer Mac an aggregate $168,453 and $38,500 for
professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning
for 2007 and 2006, respectively. Of the billed fees for 2007,
$119,973 were fees related to Farmer Mac’s adoption of FIN 48 as of January 1,
2007. All other fees were for the preparation of Farmer Mac’s federal
tax returns.
Deloitte
& Touche LLP did not bill Farmer Mac for any other fees in 2007 or 2006
other than the audit and review fees, audit-related fees and tax fees referred
to above.
Audit Committee Pre-Approval Policies
Pursuant
to the Audit Committee Charter and consistent with SEC policies regarding
auditor independence, the Audit Committee considers and pre-approves, as
appropriate, all auditing and permissible non-auditing services provided Farmer
Mac’s independent auditor prior to the engagement of the independent auditors
with respect to such services. One hundred percent of the
services provided by Deloitte & Touche LLP in 2006 and 2007 were
pre-approved by the Audit Committee.
Item No. 3: Approval of Farmer Mac Omnibus Incentive
Compensation Plan
On April
3, 2008, the Board of Directors adopted the Farmer Mac Omnibus Incentive
Compensation Plan (the “Plan”), subject to stockholder approval. If
approved by the Corporation’s stockholders, the Plan will be effective as of the
date of such approval. The Board recommends stockholders approve the
Plan.
The Plan
will replace the 1997 Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended and restated, that
was approved by the Board of Directors and provided for the issuance only of
stock options.
Farmer
Mac is seeking approval of the new plan, in part, so that the Corporation can
satisfy the requirements of Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986,
as amended. Section 162(m) requires stockholder approval of
certain provisions of the incentive compensation plans every five years so that
companies can deduct all performance-based compensation.
The Plan
will provide the Corporation with flexibility to award key personnel both short-
and long-term equity-based and cash incentives. The Board of
Directors believes that this flexibility in awarding various types of incentive
compensation is important for several reasons: first, it allows for
greater use of performance-based incentives, which, in the Board’s judgment,
promotes a better alignment of the interests of key personnel and the
Corporation’s stockholders. Second, the added flexibility under the
Plan will enable the Corporation to adapt its compensation programs for key
personnel in a manner which is commensurate with the design of compensation
programs being offered by the Corporation’s competitors and peers, thereby
attracting key personnel and encouraging them to stay with the
Corporation.
The stock
referred to under the Plan is Farmer Mac’s Class C Non-Voting Common Stock which
is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol AGM.
A
copy of the Plan is attached as Annex A and the following summary is qualified
in its entirety by reference thereto.
Purpose. The purpose of the
Plan is to provide a means whereby employees and directors of Farmer Mac develop
a sense of proprietorship and personal involvement in the development and
financial success of, and to encourage them to devote their best efforts to the
business of Farmer Mac, thereby advancing the interests of Farmer Mac and its
shareholders. A further purpose of this Plan is to provide a means
through which Farmer Mac may attract able individuals to become employees or
directors and to provide a means whereby those individuals upon whom the
responsibilities of the successful administration and management of Farmer Mac
are of importance, can acquire and maintain stock ownership, thereby
strengthening their concern for the welfare of Farmer Mac.
Key
features of the Plan include:
|
·
|
Options
may not be repriced without prior approval of stockholders of the
Corporation.
|
|
·
|
Options
will not be replaced for cash at any time, without prior approval of the
stockholders.
|
|
·
|
Options
will not be regranted through cancellation without the approval of the
stockholders; and will not be regranted by lowering the exercise price of
a previously granted Option.
|
|
·
|
The
exercise price per share of stock under an option must be not less than
the fair market value of the common stock of the Corporation on the date
of grant.
|
|
·
|
The
shares of stock and cash which may be granted to any individual are
limited in any one plan year, subject to adjustment for certain specified
events.
|
|
·
|
Performance
goals are used for performance based
awards.
|
Authority of
Committee. Awards under the Plan are generally granted by the
Compensation Committee of the Board (the “Committee”). The Committee has the
authority, among other things, to (i) select the persons to be granted awards;
(ii) determine the form of awards, or combinations thereof, and whether such
awards are to operate on a tandem basis or otherwise in conjunction with other
awards; (iii) determine the number of shares of common stock, units or other
rights covered by an award; and (iv) determine the other terms and conditions of
awards, including any restrictions on transfer, any performance goals, any
vesting schedules and any deferral or forfeiture provisions, and any
acceleration or waiver thereof.
Awards
granted under the Plan are not assignable or transferable except by the laws of
descent and distribution or as may be permitted by the Committee.
Eligibility. Employees
of the Corporation and members of the board of directors are eligible to be
granted Awards. It is not possible to estimate the total number of
persons who may be eligible to be granted awards under the Plan, although it is
likely that the number will not be greater than 75.
Types of
Awards. Awards authorized under the Plan include:
|
(i)
|
options
to purchase shares of common stock, including incentive stock options
(“ISOs”) and non-qualified stock options, which will be granted at not
less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of
grant;
|
|
(ii)
|
stock
appreciation rights (“SARs”), whether in conjunction with the grant of
stock options or independent of such grant, which will be granted at not
less than 100% of the fair market value of the common stock on the date of
grant;
|
|
(iii)
|
common
stock subject to restrictions on transferability and other restrictions,
with respect to which a participant will generally have the rights of a
stockholder during the period of restriction (“restricted
stock”);
|
|
(iv)
|
common
stock to be delivered after the expiration of a deferral period, with
respect to which the participant will generally not have the rights of a
stockholder during the period of
deferral;
|
|
(v)
|
common
stock granted as a bonus or in lieu of Corporation obligations to pay cash
under other plans or compensatory
arrangements;
|
|
(vi)
|
dividend
equivalents, which will not apply to stock options, consisting of a right
to receive cash, common stock, other awards or other property equal in
value to dividends paid with respect to a specified number of shares of
common stock; and
|
|
(vii)
|
other
awards, including awards that are payable, in whole or in part, in shares
of common stock or the value of which are based, in whole or in part, on
the value of shares of common stock (“other stock-based awards”), and
awards to be settled, in whole or in part, in cash or other property other
than common stock (“cash-based
awards”).
|
Shares Available for Grant Under the
Plan. Subject to adjustment, the total number of shares of
common stock reserved and available for delivery pursuant to awards under the
Plan will be:
|
(i)
|
1,500,000
shares of common stock; plus;
|
|
(ii)
|
any
shares subject to outstanding awards under the 1997 Plan that cease for
any reason to be subject to such awards (other than by reason of exercise
or settlement of the awards to the extent they are exercised for or
settled in vested and nonforfeitable shares) up to an aggregate maximum of
1,000,000 shares.
|
Under the
Plan, the number of shares of common stock delivered pursuant to the exercise of
ISOs may not exceed 1,500,000, subject to adjustment.
As of
April 12, 2008, there were 8 current and former executive officers, 21 current
employees and 16 current and former directors participating in the 1997
Plan. After June 1, 2008, no further awards will be granted under the
1997 Plan.
Under the
Plan, no participant may be granted stock option awards relating to more than
300,000 shares of common stock during any calendar year, and may be granted no
more than 150,000 shares each of restricted stock, performance shares,
performance units or other stock-based awards. The maximum aggregate amount
awarded or credited with respect to cash-based awards to any one participant in
any one plan year may not exceed the value of $2,000,000 dollars determined as
of the date of vesting or payout, as applicable.
On April
12, 2008, the closing price per share of non-voting common stock reported on the
New York Stock Exchange was $28.37. Shares subject to any award which
is canceled, expired, forfeited, settled in cash or otherwise terminated without
delivery of shares of common stock will again be available for awards, including
shares of restricted stock that are forfeited and shares withheld or surrendered
in payment of the exercise price of an award or taxes related to an
award.
Performance Based
Awards. The terms of the Plan are intended to, among other
things, permit the Committee to impose performance goals with respect to any
award, thereby requiring forfeiture of all or part of any award if such
performance goals are not met, or linking the time or amount of exercisability,
vesting, payment or settlement of an award to the achievement of performance
goals. The Plan provides that the performance goals will be based on
certain specified business criteria which are intended to encompass a wide range
of financial and operational activities of the Corporation on a consolidated
basis and/or for specified subsidiaries or business units of the
Corporation. For example, the business criteria used by the Committee
in establishing the performance goals for such awards includes, but is not
limited to:
|
(a)
|
Net
earnings or net income (before or after taxes, the impact of changes in
the fair value of derivatives, stock plan expenses, yield maintenance
and/or loan losses) or any other measure that uses all or part of such
components;
|
|
(c)
|
Revenues
or mission volume or growth
therein;
|
|
(d)
|
Net
operating profit;
|
|
(e)
|
Return
measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital,
invested capital, equity, sales, or
revenue);
|
|
(f)
|
Cash
flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow,
cash flow return on equity, and cash flow return on
investment);
|
|
(g)
|
Earnings
before or after taxes, interest, depreciation, and/or
amortization;
|
|
(h)
|
Gross
or operating margins;
|
|
(j)
|
Share
price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total
shareholder return);
|
|
(m)
|
Operating
efficiency;
|
|
(o)
|
Customer
satisfaction;
|
|
(p)
|
Working
capital targets;
|
|
(s)
|
Economic
value added or EVA (net operating profit after tax minus the sum of
capital multiplied by the cost of
capital).
|
Any
performance measure(s) may be used to measure the performance of the Corporation
as a whole or any business unit of the Corporation, or any combination thereof,
as the Committee may deem appropriate, or any of the above performance measures
as compared to the performance of a group of comparator companies, or published
or special index that the Committee, in its sole discretion, deems appropriate,
or the Corporation may select performance measure (j) above as compared to
various stock market indices. The Committee also has the authority to provide
for accelerated vesting of any award based on the achievement of performance
goals pursuant to the performance measures.
Performance
goals may differ for awards to different participants. The Committee
will specify the weighting to be given to each business criterion for purposes
of determining the final amount payable with respect to an award. All
determinations by the Committee as to the attainment of performance goals will
be in writing. The Committee may not delegate any responsibility with
respect to an award that is intended to qualify as “performance-based
compensation” under Internal Revenue Code section 162(m).
Effectiveness, Amendment and
Termination. The Plan may be amended, altered, suspended,
discontinued or terminated by the Board of Directors without stockholder
approval unless the Board seeks to increase the number of shares of common stock
subject to the Plan or stockholder approval is required by law or regulation or
under the rules of any stock exchange or automated quotation system on which the
common stock is then listed or quoted. Stockholder approval will not
be deemed to be required under laws or regulations that condition favorable tax
treatment on such approval, although the Board may, in its discretion, seek
stockholder approval in any circumstances in which it deems such approval
advisable. The Plan will be effective as of the date of its approval
by stockholders and will continue in effect for ten years from such date, unless
sooner terminated by the Board of Directors.
Other
Matters. Awards that may in the future be granted to the
Corporation’s Chief Executive Officer, to the four other most highly compensated
executive officers or to other groups of persons, and the number of persons in
such groups, are discretionary and therefore cannot be determined at this
time.
The
following is a brief description of the federal income tax consequences
generally arising with respect to awards granted under the Plan. This
discussion is intended for the information of stockholders considering how to
vote on approval of the Plan, and not as tax guidance to participants in the
Plan.
The grant
of an option, SAR or other stock-based award in the nature of a purchase right
will create no tax consequences for the participant or the
Corporation. Upon exercising an ISO, a participant will not have
taxable income (except that the alternative minimum tax may apply), and the
Corporation will receive no deduction at that time. Upon exercising
an option other than an ISO (including an other stock-based award in the nature
of a purchase right), the participant generally must recognize ordinary income
equal to the difference between the exercise price and the fair market value of
the freely transferable and nonforfeitable shares of common stock
received. In each case, the Corporation will generally be entitled to
a deduction equal to the amount recognized as ordinary income by the
participant.
A
participant’s disposition of shares of common stock acquired upon the exercise
of an option, SAR or other stock-based award in the nature of a purchase right
generally will result in capital gain or loss measured by the difference between
the sale price and the participant’s tax basis in such shares (or the exercise
price of the option in the case of shares acquired by exercise of an ISO and
held for the applicable ISO holding period). Generally, there will be
no tax consequences to the Corporation in connection with a disposition of
shares acquired upon exercise of an option or other award, except that the
Corporation will generally be entitled to a deduction (and the participant will
recognize ordinary income) if shares acquired upon exercise of an ISO are
disposed of before the applicable ISO holding periods have been
satisfied.
With
respect to awards granted under the Plan that may be settled in cash, common
stock, other awards or other property that is either not restricted as to
transferability or not subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture, the
participant must generally recognize ordinary income equal to the cash or the
fair market value of the shares, other awards or other property so
received. The Corporation will generally be entitled to a deduction
for the same amount. With respect to awards involving shares, other
awards or other property that are restricted as to transferability and subject
to a substantial risk of forfeiture, the participant must generally recognize
ordinary income equal to the fair market value of such shares, other awards or
other property received at the first time the shares, other awards or other
property becomes transferable or not subject to a substantial risk of
forfeiture, whichever occurs earlier. The Corporation will generally
be entitled to a deduction in an amount equal to the ordinary income recognized
by the participant. A participant may elect to be taxed at the time
of receipt of such shares, other awards or other property rather than upon lapse
of restrictions on transferability or substantial risk of forfeiture, and, if
the participant so elects, the Corporation will be entitled to a deduction at
such time. If the participant subsequently forfeits such shares,
other awards or other property, the participant would not be entitled to any
deduction, including a capital loss, for the value of the shares, other awards
or other property on which he previously paid tax. Such election must
be made and filed with the Internal Revenue Service within thirty days after the
receipt of the restricted shares, other awards or other
property. Different tax rules may apply in other kinds of
transactions under the Plan, including those involving payment of the exercise
price of an option by surrender of previously acquired shares.
Compliance with Section 162(m) of
the Internal Revenue Code. Internal Revenue Code Section
162(m) generally disallows a deduction to a public company for annual
compensation to the chief executive officer and the four other most highly
compensated executive officers in excess of $1 million. However,
compensation that qualifies as “performance-based compensation” is excluded from
the $1 million limitation and, therefore, remains fully deductible by the
Corporation. The Corporation intends that options, SARs and
other awards designated as such, the exercisability, vesting, payment or
settlement of which is expressly conditioned upon achievement of performance
goals based on one or more of the business criteria described above, may qualify
as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of Code Section 162(m),
although other awards under the Plan may not so qualify. The Board is
seeking stockholder approval of the Plan partly in order to qualify all
compensation to be paid under the Plan for the maximum income tax deductibility
under Section 162(m) of the Code.
Code Section
409A. If any award granted under the Plan is considered
deferred compensation under Internal Revenue Code Section 409A, then certain
requirements must be met to have the deferral be effective for federal tax
purposes. These requirements include: ensuring that any election to
defer made by participants is done within the time period(s) permitted by
Internal Revenue Code Section 409A; limitations on distributions; and, the
prohibition of accelerating the time or schedule of any payment of deferred
amounts except in circumstances permitted under guidance issued by the U.S.
Treasury Department. If these requirements are not met, a participant
will be immediately taxable on such purportedly deferred amounts, a penalty of
20% of such amounts deferred after December 31, 2004 will be imposed, and
penalty interest will accrue at the underpayment rate plus 1%.
Vote Needed for
Passage of Proposal
To be
approved, this proposal must receive more votes cast in favor of the proposal
than the number of votes cast against the proposal.
The board
of directors recommends a vote “FOR” the approval of the Farmer Mac Omnibus
Incentive Compensation Plan.
Section 16(a) Beneficial Ownership Reporting
Compliance
Section
16(a) of the Exchange Act requires Farmer Mac’s officers and directors, and
persons who beneficially own more than 10% of a registered class of Farmer Mac’s
equity securities, to file reports of ownership and changes in ownership on
Forms 3, 4 and 5 with the SEC. Officers, directors and greater
than 10% stockholders are required by SEC regulation to furnish Farmer Mac with
copies of all Forms 3, 4 and 5 filed.
Based
solely on Farmer Mac’s review of its corporate records, which include copies of
forms it has received, and written representations from certain reporting
persons that they were not required to file a Form 5 for specified fiscal years,
Farmer Mac believes that all of its officers, directors and beneficial owners of
greater than 10% of any class of equity securities complied with all Section
16(a) filing requirements and timely filed all reports applicable to them for
transactions during 2007.
To our
knowledge, as of the date of this Proxy Statement, the following institutions
are the beneficial owners of either (i) 5 percent or more of the
outstanding shares of Farmer Mac’s Class A Voting Common Stock or Class B Voting
Common Stock, or (ii) 5 percent or more of the total number of outstanding
shares of Farmer Mac’s Voting Common Stock (both Class A and Class
B).
Name and Address
|
|
Number
of
Shares
Beneficially Owned
|
|
Percent
of Total
Voting
Shares
Outstanding*
|
|
|
Percent
of Total
Shares
Held
By
Class**
|
|
AgFirst
Farm Credit Bank16
|
|
84,024
shares of Class B
|
|
|
5.49 |
% |
|
|
16.79 |
% |
1401
Hampton Street
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Columbia,
SC 29202
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
AgriBank,
FCB
|
|
201,621
shares of Class B
|
|
|
13.17 |
% |
|
|
40.30 |
% |
375
Jackson Street
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
St.
Paul, MN 55101
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CoBank,
ACB
|
|
62,980
shares of Class B
|
|
|
4.11 |
% |
|
|
12.59 |
% |
5500
South Quebec Street
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Greenwood
Village, CO 80111
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Farm
Credit Bank of Texas17
|
|
38,503
shares of Class B
|
|
|
2.52 |
% |
|
|
7.70 |
% |
6210
Highway 290 East
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Austin,
TX 78761
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Matthew
25 Management Corp.
|
|
70,500
shares of Class A
|
|
|
4.60 |
% |
|
|
6.84 |
% |
607
West Avenue
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jenkintown,
PA 19046
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
U.S.
AgBank, FCB
|
|
100,273
shares of Class B
|
|
|
6.55 |
% |
|
|
20.04 |
% |
245
North Waco
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wichita,
KS 67201
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Vanguard Group, Inc.
|
|
56,295
shares of Class A
|
|
|
3.68 |
% |
|
|
5.46 |
% |
P.O.
Box 1110
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Valley
Forge, PA 19482
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Whitebox
Advisors, LLC
|
|
53,900
shares of Class A
|
|
|
3.52 |
% |
|
|
5.23 |
% |
3033
Excelsior Boulevard
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Minneapolis,
MN 55416
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Zions
First National Bank
|
|
322,100
shares of Class A
|
|
|
21.04 |
% |
|
|
31.25 |
% |
One
South Main Street
|
|
Voting
Common Stock
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Salt
Lake City, UT 84111
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
____________________________
*The percentage is
determined by dividing the number of shares of Class A or Class B Voting Common
Stock owned by the total of the number of shares of Class A and Class B Voting
Common Stock outstanding.
**The percentage is
determined by dividing the number of shares of the class of Voting Common Stock
owned by the number of shares of that class of Voting Common Stock
outstanding.
16 John
Dan Raines, currently a member of the Board of Directors and a Class B Nominee,
is a member of the board of directors of AgFirst Farm Credit Bank.
17 Ralph W.
Cortese, currently a member of the Board of Directors and a Class B Nominee, is
the chairman of the board of directors of Farm Credit Bank of
Texas.
The
Corporation will pay the cost of the Meeting and the costs of soliciting
proxies, including the cost of mailing the proxy material. The
Corporation has retained Georgeson Inc. to act as the Corporation’s proxy
solicitation firm for a fee of approximately $5,000. In addition to
solicitation by mail, employees of Georgeson Inc. may solicit proxies by
telephone, electronic mail, telegram or personal interview. Brokerage
houses, nominees, fiduciaries and other custodians will be requested to forward
solicitation material to the beneficial owners for shares held of record by them
and will be reimbursed for their reasonable expenses by the
Corporation.
In
addition to the scheduled items of business set forth in this Proxy Statement,
the enclosed proxy confers on the Proxy Committee discretionary authority to
vote the shares represented thereby in accordance with the members’ best
judgment with respect to all matters that may be brought before the Meeting or
any adjournment or postponement thereof and matters incident to the
Meeting. The Board of Directors does not know of any other matter
that may properly be presented for action at the Meeting. If any
other matters should properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment or
postponement thereof, the Proxy Committee named in the accompanying proxy
intends to vote such proxy in accord with its best judgment.
Upon
written request, Farmer Mac will furnish, without charge, to each person whose
proxy is being solicited a copy of its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal
year ended December 31, 2007, as filed with the SEC, including financial
statements thereto. Written requests should be directed to Jerome G.
Oslick, Corporate Secretary, Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, 1133
Twenty-First Street, N.W., Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036. A copy
of Farmer Mac’s most recent Form 10-K is also available on the Corporation’s
website, www.farmermac.com, in the “SEC Filings” portion of the
“Investors—Equity” section of the website. Please note that all
references to www.farmermac.com in this proxy statement are inactive textual
references only and that the information contained on Farmer Mac’s website is
not incorporated by reference into this proxy statement.
_____________________________
The
giving of your proxy will not affect your right to vote your shares personally
if you do attend the Meeting. In any event, it is important that you
complete, sign and return the enclosed proxy card promptly to ensure that your
shares are voted.
|
By
order of the
|
|
Board
of Directors,
|
|
|
|
/s/
Jerome G. Oslick |
|
|
|
Jerome
G. Oslick
|
|
Corporate
Secretary
|
April 28, 2008
Washington,
D.C
ANNEX A
Federal
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
2008
Omnibus Incentive Plan
Effective June 5, 2008
As
Approved by the Board of Directors April 3, 2008
For
Submission for Approval by the Stockholders
Article 1. Establishment, Purpose, and
Duration
|
A-2
|
Article 2. Definitions
|
A-2
|
Article 3. Administration
|
A-6
|
Article 4. Shares Subject to This Plan and Maximum
Awards
|
A-7
|
Article 5. Eligibility and
Participation
|
A-9
|
Article 6. Stock Options
|
A-9
|
Article 7.
Stock Appreciation Rights
|
A-13
|
Article 8. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock
Units
|
A-15
|
Article 9. Performance Units/Performance
Shares
|
A-17
|
Article 10. Cash-Based Awards and Other
Stock-Based Awards
|
A-18
|
Article 11. Transferability of
Awards
|
A-19
|
Article 12. Performance
Measures
|
A-19
|
Article 13. Nonemployee Director
Awards
|
A-20
|
Article 14. Dividend
Equivalents
|
A-21
|
Article 15. Beneficiary
Designation
|
A-21
|
Article 16. Rights of
Participants
|
A-21
|
Article 17. Amendment, Modification,
Suspension, and
Termination
|
A-22
|
Article 18. Withholding
|
A-23
|
Article 19. Successors
|
A-23
|
Article 20. General
Provisions
|
A-23
|
Federal
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation
2008
Omnibus Incentive Plan
Article
1. Establishment, Purpose, and Duration
1.1 Establishment. Federal
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, a federally chartered instrumentality of the
United States (hereinafter referred to as the “Company”), establishes an
incentive compensation plan to be known as the Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation 2008 Omnibus Incentive Plan
(hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”), as set forth in this
document.
This Plan
permits the grant of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options, Stock
Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units, Performance
Shares, Performance Units, Cash-Based Awards, and Other Stock-Based
Awards.
This Plan
shall become effective upon shareholder approval (the “Effective Date”) and
shall remain in effect as provided in Section 1.3 hereof.
1.2 Purpose of this Plan. The
purpose of this Plan is to provide a means whereby Employees and Directors of
the Company develop a sense of proprietorship and personal involvement in the
development and financial success of the Company, and to encourage them to
devote their best efforts to the business of the Company, thereby advancing the
interests of the Company and its shareholders. A further purpose of this Plan is
to provide a means through which the Company may attract able individuals to
become Employees or Directors of the Company and to provide a means whereby
those individuals upon whom the responsibilities of the successful
administration and management of the Company are of importance, can acquire and
maintain stock ownership, thereby strengthening their concern for the welfare of
the Company.
1.3 Duration of this Plan. No
Awards may be granted under the Plan after the date that is ten (10) years after
the Effective Date. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no Incentive Stock Options
may be granted more than ten (10) years after the earlier of: (a) adoption of
this Plan by the Board, or (b) the Effective Date.
Article
2. Definitions
Except as
otherwise provided in an applicable Award Agreement, the following capitalized
terms shall have the meanings set forth below for purposes of the Plan and any
Award.
|
2.1
|
“Annual Award Limit” or
“Annual Award
Limits” have the meaning set forth in Section
4.3.
|
|
2.2
|
“Award” means a grant
under this Plan of Nonqualified Stock Options, Incentive Stock Options,
Stock Appreciation Rights, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Units,
Performance Shares, Performance Units, Covered Employee annual incentive
awards, Cash-Based Awards, or Other
Stock-Based Awards (or any combination thereof), in each case subject to
the terms of this Plan.
|
|
2.3
|
“Award Agreement” means
a written agreement (including in electronic form) setting forth the terms
and provisions applicable to an Award granted under this Plan, including
any amendment or modification
thereof.
|
|
2.4
|
“Board” or “Board of Directors”
means the Board of Directors of
the Company.
|
|
2.5
|
“Cash-Based Award” means
an Award, settled in cash, granted pursuant to
Article 10.
|
|
2.6
|
“Code” means the U.S.
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the applicable rulings,
regulations and guidance
thereunder.
|
|
2.7
|
“Committee” means the
Compensation Committee of the Board or a subcommittee thereof, or any
other committee designated by the Board to administer this Plan. The
members of the Committee shall be appointed from time to time by and shall
serve at the discretion of the Board. The Committee shall consist solely
of two (2) or more Directors, each of whom shall qualify as (i) a
“nonemployee director” as defined in Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the
Exchange Act and (ii) an “outside director” for purposes of Code Section
162(m). If the Committee does not exist or cannot function for any reason,
the Board may take any action under the Plan that would otherwise be the
responsibility of the Committee.
|
|
2.8
|
“Company” means Federal
Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, a federally chartered instrumentality
of the United States, and any successor thereto as provided in
Article 19 herein.
|
|
2.9
|
“Covered Employee” means
any key Employee who is or
may become a “Covered Employee,” as defined in Code Section 162(m), and
who is designated, either as an individual Employee or class of Employees,
by the Committee within the shorter of: (a) ninety (90) days after the
beginning of the Performance Period, or (b) twenty-five percent (25%) of
the Performance Period has elapsed, as a “Covered Employee” under this
Plan for such applicable Performance
Period.
|
|
2.10
|
“Director” means any
individual who is a member of the Board of Directors of the
Company.
|
|
2.11
|
“Effective Date” has the
meaning set forth in Section 1.1.
|
|
2.12
|
“Employee” means any
individual designated as an employee of the Company or its Subsidiaries on
the payroll records thereof. An Employee shall not include any individual
during any period he or she is classified or treated by the Company or a
Subsidiary as an independent contractor, a consultant, a nonemployee
Director or any employee of an employment, consulting, or temporary agency
or any other entity other than the Company or a Subsidiary, without regard
to whether such individual is subsequently determined to have been or is
subsequently retroactively reclassified as a common-law employee of the
Company or any Subsidiary during such
period.
|
|
2.13
|
“Exchange Act” means the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the applicable rulings
and regulations thereunder.
|
|
2.14
|
“Fair Market Value” or
“FMV” means, as of
any date, the value of a Share that is based on the closing price of a
Share reported on the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) or other
established stock exchange (or exchanges) on the applicable date, the
preceding trading day, the next succeeding trading day, or an average of
trading days, as determined by the Committee in its discretion. Unless the
Committee determines otherwise, Fair Market Value shall be deemed to be
equal to the reported closing price of a Share on the most recent date on
which Shares were publicly traded. In the event Shares are not publicly
traded at the time a determination of their value is required to be made
hereunder, the determination of their Fair Market Value shall be made by
the Committee in such manner as it deems appropriate. For purposes of any
Nonqualified Stock Option or Stock Appreciation Right that is intended to
be exempt from Code Section 409A pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section
1.409A-1(b)(5), FMV shall not be less than the fair market value of a
Share determined in accordance with the requirements of Treasury
Regulation Section
1.409A-1(b)(5)(iv).
|
|
2.15
|
“Full-Value Award” means
an Award other than in the form of an ISO, NQSO, or SAR, and which is
settled by the delivery of Shares.
|
|
2.16
|
“Grant Price” means the
FMV at the time of grant of an SAR pursuant to Article 7, used to
determine the amount of any payment due to the Participant upon exercise
of the SAR.
|
|
2.17
|
“Incentive Stock Option”
or “ISO” means an
Option granted to an Employee to purchase Shares pursuant to Article 6,
which Option is designated as an Incentive Stock Option intended to
satisfy the requirements of Code Section 422, or any successor provision
thereto.
|
|
2.18
|
“Nonemployee Director”
means a Director who is not an Employee.
|
|
2.19
|
“Nonemployee Director Award”
means any NQSO, SAR, or Full-Value Award granted, whether singly,
in combination, or in tandem, to a Participant who is a Nonemployee
Director pursuant to such applicable terms, conditions, and limitations as
the Board may establish in accordance with this
Plan.
|
|
2.20
|
“Nonqualified Stock
Option” or “NQSO” means
an Option granted to an Employee to purchase Shares pursuant to
Article 6, which Option is not intended to meet the requirements of Code
Section 422, or that otherwise does not meet such
requirements.
|
|
2.21
|
“Option” means an
Incentive Stock Option or a Nonqualified Stock Option, as described
in Article 6.
|
|
2.22
|
“Option Price” means the
price at which a Share may be purchased by a Participant pursuant to an
Option.
|
|
2.23
|
“Other Stock-Based Award”
means an equity-based or equity-related Award not otherwise
described by the terms of this Plan, granted pursuant to Article
10.
|
|
2.24
|
“Participant” means any
eligible individual as set forth in Article 5 to whom an Award is
granted.
|
|
2.25
|
“Performance-Based
Compensation” means compensation under an Award that is intended to
satisfy the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for certain
performance-based compensation paid to Covered Employees. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, nothing in this Plan shall be construed to mean that an
Award which does not satisfy the requirements for performance-based
compensation under Code Section 162(m) does not constitute
performance-based compensation for other purposes, including Code
Section 409A.
|
|
2.26
|
“Performance Measures”
means measures as described in Article 12 on which the performance goals
are based and which are approved by the Company’s shareholders pursuant to
this Plan in order to qualify Awards as Performance-Based
Compensation.
|
|
2.27
|
“Performance Period”
means the period of time during which the performance goals must be met in
order to determine the degree of exercisability, vesting, distribution,
and/or payment with respect to an
Award.
|
|
2.28
|
“Performance Share”
means an Award under Article 9 herein and subject to the terms of
this Plan, denominated in Shares, the value of which at the time it is
payable is determined as a function of the extent to which corresponding
performance criteria have been
achieved.
|
|
2.29
|
“Performance Unit” means
an Award under Article 9 herein and subject to the terms of this Plan,
denominated in United States dollars, the value of which at the time it is
payable is determined as a function of the extent to which corresponding
performance criteria have been
achieved.
|
|
2.30
|
“Period of Restriction”
means the period when Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units are
subject to a substantial risk of forfeiture for purposes of Code Section
83 (based on the performance of services, the achievement of performance
goals, or upon the occurrence of other events as determined by the
Committee, in its discretion), as provided in Article
8.
|
|
2.31
|
“Plan” means this
Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation 2008 Omnibus Incentive
Plan, as amended from time to time.
|
|
2.32
|
“Plan Year” means the
calendar year.
|
|
2.33
|
“Prior Plan” means the
Company’s 1997 Incentive Plan, as amended and
restated.
|
|
2.34
|
“Restricted Stock” means
an Award of Shares granted or sold to a Participant pursuant to Article
8.
|
|
2.35
|
“Restricted Stock Unit”
means a right, granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 8, to receive
on a future date Shares or an amount in cash equal to the FMV of such
Shares.
|
|
2.36
|
“Share” means a share of
Class C Non-Voting common stock of the Company, $1.00 par value per
share.
|
|
2.37
|
“Stock Appreciation
Right” or “SAR” means a right,
granted to a Participant pursuant to Article 7, to receive upon exercise
of such right, in cash or Shares (or a combination thereof), an amount
equal to the increase in the FMV of a number of Shares over the Grant
Price.
|
|
2.38
|
“Subsidiary” means any
corporation or other entity in which the Company has or obtains, directly
or indirectly, a proprietary interest of more than fifty percent (50%) by
reason of stock ownership or
otherwise.
|
Article
3. Administration
3.1 General. The Committee shall
be responsible for administering this Plan, subject to the provisions of this
Plan. The Committee may engage attorneys, consultants, accountants, agents, and
other individuals, any of whom may be an Employee, and the Committee, the
Company, and its officers and Directors shall be entitled to rely upon the
advice, opinions, or valuations of any such individuals. All actions taken and
all interpretations and determinations made by the Committee shall be final,
binding and conclusive upon the Participants, the Company, and all other
interested parties.
3.2 Authority of the Committee.
The Committee shall have full and exclusive discretionary power to interpret the
terms and the intent of this Plan and any Award Agreement or other agreement or
document ancillary to or in connection with this Plan, to determine eligibility
for Awards, and to adopt such rules, regulations, forms, instruments, and
guidelines for administering this Plan as the Committee may deem necessary or
proper. Such authority shall include, but not be limited to, selecting Award
recipients, establishing all Award terms and conditions, including the terms and
conditions set forth in Award Agreements, granting Awards as an alternative to
or as the form of payment for grants or rights earned or due under compensation
plans or arrangements of the Company, construing any provision of the Plan or
any Award Agreement, and, subject to Article 17, adopting modifications and
amendments to this Plan or any Award Agreement.
3.3 Delegation. To the extent
permitted by applicable law, regulation or rule, the Board or the Committee may
designate one or more officers of the Company, Employees, or agents to assist
with administration of the Plan and may grant authority to one or more officers
of the Company to execute Award Agreements or other documents on behalf of the
Company. Any authority granted to an officer of the Company, Employee, or agent
by the Board or the Committee pursuant to this Section 3.3 shall be subject to
such restrictions and limitations as the Board or the Committee may specify from
time to time, and the Board or the Committee may at any time rescind the
authority so delegated or appoint one or more other officers of the Company,
Employees, or agents to assist with administration of the Plan. An officer of
the Company, Employee, or agent appointed under this Section 3.3 to assist with
the administration of the Plan shall serve in such capacity at the pleasure of
the Board or the Committee.
3.4 Nonemployee Director Awards.
The Board shall be responsible for administering this Plan with respect to
Awards to Nonemployee Directors, subject to the provisions of this Plan. With
respect to the administration of the Plan as it relates to Awards granted to
Nonemployee Directors, references in this Plan to the “Committee” shall refer to
the Board.
Article
4. Shares Subject to This Plan and Maximum Awards
4.1 Number
of Shares Available for Awards.
|
(a)
|
Subject
to adjustment as provided in Section 4.4, the maximum number of
Shares available for delivery to Participants and approved by shareholders
under this Plan (the “Share Authorization”) shall
be:
|
|
(i)
|
One
million five hundred thousand (1,500,000) Shares,
plus
|
|
(ii)
|
Any
Shares subject to outstanding awards under the Company’s Prior Plan as of
the Effective Date that on or after the Effective Date cease for any
reason to be subject to such awards (other than by reason of exercise or
settlement of the awards to the extent they are exercised for or settled
in vested and nonforfeitable Shares) up to an aggregate maximum of
one million (1,000,000)
Shares.
|
|
(b)
|
The
maximum number of Shares of the Share Authorization that may be delivered
pursuant to ISOs under this Plan shall be one million five hundred
thousand (1,500,000) Shares.
|
4.2 Share Usage. Shares covered by
an Award shall only be counted as used to the extent they are actually
delivered. Any Shares related to Awards which terminate by expiration,
forfeiture, cancellation, or otherwise without the delivery of such Shares, are
settled in cash in lieu of Shares, or are exchanged with the Committee’s
permission, prior to the delivery of Shares, for Awards not involving Shares,
shall be available again for grant under this Plan. Moreover, if the Option
Price of any Option granted under this Plan or the tax withholding requirements
with respect to any Award granted under this Plan are satisfied by tendering
Shares to the Company (by either actual delivery or by attestation), or if an
SAR is exercised, only the number of Shares delivered, net of the Shares
tendered, if any, will be deemed delivered for purposes of determining the
maximum number of Shares available for delivery under this Plan. The Shares
available for delivery under this Plan may be authorized and unissued Shares or
treasury Shares.
4.3 Annual Award Limits. Unless
and until the Committee determines that an Award to a Covered Employee shall not
be designed to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the following limits
(each an “Annual Award Limit” and, collectively, “Annual Award Limits”) shall
apply to grants of such Awards under this Plan:
|
(a)
|
Options: The maximum
aggregate number of Shares subject to Options granted in any one Plan Year
to any one Participant shall be
300,000.
|
|
(b)
|
SARs: The maximum number
of Shares subject to Stock Appreciation Rights granted in any one Plan
Year to any one Participant shall be
300,000.
|
|
(c)
|
Restricted Stock or Restricted
Stock Units: The maximum aggregate grant with respect to Awards of
Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units in any one Plan Year to any one
Participant shall be 150,000.
|
|
(d)
|
Performance Units or
Performance Shares: The maximum aggregate Award of Performance
Units or Performance Shares that a Participant may receive in any one Plan
Year shall be 150,000 Shares, or equal to the value of 150,000 Shares
determined as of the date of vesting or payout, as
applicable.
|
|
(e)
|
Cash-Based Awards: The
maximum aggregate amount awarded or credited with respect to Cash-Based
Awards to any one Participant in any one Plan Year may not exceed the
value of $2,000,000 dollars determined as of
the date of vesting or payout, as
applicable.
|
|
(f)
|
Other Stock-Based
Awards: The maximum aggregate grant with respect to Other
Stock-Based Awards pursuant to Section 10.2 in any one Plan Year to any
one Participant shall be 150,000.
|
4.4 Adjustments in Authorized
Shares. In the event of any corporate event or transaction, including,
but not limited to, a change in the Shares or the capitalization of the Company,
a merger, consolidation, reorganization, recapitalization, separation, partial
or complete liquidation, stock dividend, stock split, reverse stock split, split
up, spin-off, or other distribution of stock or property of the Company,
combination of Shares, exchange of Shares, dividend in-kind, or other like
change in capital structure, number of outstanding Shares or distribution (other
than normal cash dividends) to shareholders of the Company, or any similar
corporate event or transaction, the Committee, in order to prevent dilution or
enlargement of Participants’ rights under this Plan and outstanding Awards,
shall substitute or adjust, as applicable, the number and kind of Shares (or
cash) that may be delivered under this Plan or under particular forms of Awards,
the number and kind of Shares (or cash) subject to outstanding Awards, the
Option Price or Grant Price applicable to outstanding Awards, the Annual Award
Limits, and the terms and conditions of outstanding Awards. Notwithstanding
anything herein to the contrary, the Committee may not take any such action
described in this Section 4.4 that would cause an Award that is otherwise exempt
from Code Section 409A to become subject to Code Section 409A, or cause an Award
that is subject to the requirements of Code Section 409A to fail to comply with
such requirements.
The
Committee shall also make appropriate adjustments in the terms of any Awards
under this Plan to reflect or related to such changes or distributions and to
modify any other terms of outstanding Awards, including modifications of
performance goals and changes in the length of Performance Periods. The
determination of the Committee as to the foregoing adjustments, if any, shall be
final, conclusive and binding on the Company and its Subsidiaries, and all
Participants and other parties having any interest in an Award under this
Plan.
Subject
to the provisions of Article 17 and notwithstanding anything else herein to the
contrary, without affecting the number of Shares reserved or available
hereunder, the Committee may authorize the issuance or assumption of benefits,
or grant of substitute Awards under this Plan in connection with any merger,
consolidation, acquisition of property or stock, or reorganization upon such
terms and conditions as it may deem appropriate (including, but not limited to,
a conversion of equity awards into Awards under this Plan in a manner consistent
with paragraph 53 of FASB Interpretation No. 44), subject to compliance with the
rules under Code Sections 409A, 422, and 424, and other applicable law, rules or
regulations.
Article
5. Eligibility and Participation
5.1 Eligibility. Individuals
eligible to participate in this Plan include all Employees and
Directors.
5.2 Actual Participation. Subject
to the provisions of this Plan, the Committee may, from time to time, select
from all eligible individuals, those individuals to whom Awards shall be granted
and shall determine, in its sole discretion, the nature of, any and all terms
permissible by law, and the amount of each Award.
Article
6. Stock Options
6.1 Grant of Options. Subject to
the terms and provisions of this Plan, Options may be granted to Participants in
such number, and upon such terms, and at any time and from time to time as
shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole discretion; provided that ISOs
may be granted only to eligible Employees of the Company or its Subsidiaries (as
permitted under Code Sections 422 and 424). However, an Employee who is employed
by a Subsidiary and is subject to Code Section 409A may only be granted
Options to the extent the Shares corresponding to the Options qualify as
“service recipient stock” for purposes of Code Section 409A.
6.2 Option Award Agreement. Each
Option Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the
Option Price, the maximum duration of the Option, the number of Shares to which
the Option pertains, the conditions upon which an Option shall become vested and
exercisable, and such other provisions as the Committee shall determine which
are not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan. The Award Agreement also shall
specify whether the Option is intended to be an ISO or an NQSO.
6.3 Option Price. The Option Price
for each grant of an Option under this Plan shall be determined by the Committee
in its sole discretion and shall be specified in the Award Agreement; provided, however, the Option
Price must be at least equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the FMV of the
Shares as determined on the date of grant.
6.4 Term of Options. Each Option
granted to a Participant shall expire at such time as the Committee shall
determine at the time of grant; provided, however, no Option
shall be exercisable later than the tenth (10th)
anniversary date of its grant.
6.5 Exercise of Options. Options
granted under this Article 6 shall be exercisable at such times and be
subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Committee shall in each
instance approve, which terms and restrictions need not be the same for each
grant or for each Participant.
6.6 Payment. Subject to the
provisions of the applicable Award Agreement, Options granted under this Article
6 shall be exercised by the delivery of a notice of exercise to the Company or
an agent designated by the Company in a form specified or accepted by the
Committee, or by complying with any alternative procedures which may be
authorized by the Committee, setting forth the number of Shares with respect to
which the Option is to be exercised, accompanied by full payment for the
Shares.
A
condition of the delivery of the Shares as to which an Option shall be exercised
shall be the payment of the Option Price. The Option Price of any Option shall
be payable to the Company in full either: (a) in cash or its equivalent;
(b) by tendering (either by actual delivery or attestation) previously acquired
Shares having an aggregate fair market value at the time of exercise equal to
the Option Price; (c) by a cashless (broker-assisted) exercise; (d) by
withholding Shares otherwise deliverable in connection with the exercise of the
Option; (e) by any other method approved or accepted by the Committee in its
sole discretion; or (f) by a combination of any of the foregoing, subject to
such terms and conditions as the Committee, in its discretion, may
impose.
Subject
to any governing rules or regulations, as soon as practicable after receipt of
written notification of exercise and full payment (including satisfaction of any
applicable tax withholding), the Company shall deliver to the Participant
evidence of book entry Shares, or upon the Participant’s request, Share
certificates in an appropriate amount based upon the number of Shares purchased
under the Option(s).
Unless
otherwise determined by the Committee, all cash payments shall be made in United
States dollars.
6.7 Restrictions. The Committee
may impose such restrictions on any Shares acquired pursuant to the exercise of
an Option granted under this Article 6 as it may deem advisable, including,
without limitation, minimum holding period requirements, restrictions under
applicable federal and state laws, blackout periods or under the requirements of
any stock exchange or market upon which such Shares are then listed
and/or traded.
6.8 Termination of
Employment. Each Participant’s Award
Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall have the
right to exercise the Option following termination of the Participant’s
employment or provision of services to the Company or its Subsidiaries. Such
provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be
included in the Award Agreement, need not be uniform among all Options granted
pursuant to this Article 6, and may reflect distinctions based on the reason for
termination.
Except as
provided in the Award Agreement and as provided below, if a Participant ceases
for any reason to be employed by the Company or its Subsidiaries (unless such
termination of employment was for “Cause”), the Participant may, at any time
within ninety (90) days after the effective date of such termination of
employment, exercise his or her Options to the extent that he or she would be
entitled to exercise them on such date, but in no event shall any Option be
exercisable more than ten (10) years from the date it was granted; provided, however,
that the Committee shall have the discretion to determine whether Options not
yet exercisable at the date of termination of employment shall become
immediately exercisable for ninety (90) days thereafter. The Committee shall
determine, subject to applicable law, whether a leave of absence shall
constitute a termination of service.
If a
Participant ceases to be employed by the Company or its Subsidiaries for
“Cause,” the Participant’s unexercised Options shall terminate immediately. For
purposes of this Section 6.8, “Cause” shall be defined as in the employment
agreement, if any, between the Company or its Subsidiaries and such Participant,
or, if there is no employment agreement, shall mean: (a) the willful failure of
the Participant substantially to perform his or her duties, other than any such
failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness, or (b) the
willful engagement by the Participant in activities contrary to the best
interests of the Company.
Unless
otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, if a Participant dies while employed
by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or within ninety (90) days after having
retired with the consent of the Company or its Subsidiaries, the Shares which
the Participant was entitled to exercise on the date of the Participant’s death
under an Option or Options granted under the Plan may be exercised at any time
after the Participant’s death by the Participant’s beneficiary; provided, however,
that no Option may be exercised after the earlier of: (a) one (1) year after the
Participant’s death, or (b) the expiration date specified for the particular
Option in the Award Agreement; and provided, further, that any unvested Option
or Options shall immediately vest upon the death of a Participant while employed
by the Company or its Subsidiaries and may be exercised as provided in this
Section 6.8.
Unless
otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, if a Participant terminates
employment by reason of Disability (as defined below), any unexercised Option
held by the Participant shall, if unvested, immediately vest and shall expire
one (1) year after the Participant has a termination of employment because of
such “Disability” and such Option may only be exercised by the Participant or
his or her beneficiary to the extent that the Option was exercisable on the date
of termination of employment because of such “Disability;” provided, however, no
Option may be exercised after the expiration date specified for the particular
Option in the Award Agreement. “Disability” shall mean: (a) in the case of a
Participant whose employment with the Company or a Subsidiary is subject to the
terms of an employment agreement between such Participant and the Company
or Subsidiary, which employment agreement includes a definition of
“Disability,” the term “Disability” as used in this Plan or any Award Agreement
shall have the meaning set forth in such employment agreement during the period
that such employment agreement remains in effect; and (b) in all other cases,
the term “Disability” as used in this Plan or any Award Agreement shall mean a
condition that (in the opinion of an independent medical consultant) has
rendered the Participant mentally or physically incapable of performing the
services required to be performed by the Participant and has resulted in the
termination of the directorship or employment relationship, as the case may
be.
6.9 Notification of Disqualifying
Disposition. If any Participant shall make any disposition of Shares
delivered pursuant to the exercise of an ISO under the circumstances described
in Code Section 421(b) (relating to certain disqualifying dispositions), such
Participant shall notify the Company of such disposition within ten (10) days
thereof.
6.10 No Other Feature of Deferral.
No Option granted pursuant to this Plan shall provide for any feature for the
deferral of compensation subject to Code Section 409A, unless such deferral
complies with the requirements of Code Section 409A.
6.11 Right of First Refusal. The
Committee may, in its discretion, include in any Award Agreement relating to an
Option granted under the Plan a condition that the Participant shall agree to
grant the Company a Right of First Refusal, which, if so included, shall have
the following terms and conditions:
|
(a)
|
The
Participant shall give the Company written notice (the “Offer Notice”) of
the Participant’s intention to sell any Shares acquired (or to be
acquired) upon exercise of an Option (the “Offered Shares”). The Company
shall have three (3) business days (the “Exercise Period”) following
receipt of the Offer Notice to determine whether to exercise its Right of
First Refusal, which may be exercised either as to all or as to none of
the Offered Shares. By the end of the Exercise Period, the Company shall
have given written notice to the Participant of its election to exercise
(the “Acceptance Notice”) or not to exercise (the “Rejection Notice”) its
Right of First Refusal. The Participant shall tender the Offered Shares to
the Company within ten (10) business days after receipt of an Acceptance
Notice. Upon receipt of a Rejection Notice, the Participant may sell the
Offered Shares free and clear of such Right of First
Refusal.
|
|
(b)
|
The
price to be paid by the Company for the Offered Shares shall be the Fair
Market Value of the Company’s Shares.
|
Article
7. Stock Appreciation Rights
7.1 Grant of SARs. Subject to the
terms and conditions of this Plan, SARs may be granted to Participants at any
time and from time to time as shall be determined by the Committee. However, an
Employee who is employed by a Subsidiary and is subject to Code Section 409A may
only be granted SARs to the extent the Shares corresponding to the SARs qualify
as “service recipient stock” for purposes of Code Section 409A.
Subject
to the terms and conditions of this Plan, the Committee shall have complete
discretion in determining the number of SARs granted to each Participant and in
determining the terms and conditions pertaining to such SARs which are not
inconsistent with the terms of this Plan.
The Grant
Price for each grant of an SAR shall be determined by the Committee and shall be
specified in the Award Agreement; provided, however,
the Grant Price on the date of grant must be at least equal to one hundred
percent (100%) of the FMV of the Shares as determined on the date of
grant.
7.2 SAR Award Agreement. Each SAR
Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Grant
Price, the term of the SAR, and such other provisions as the Committee shall
determine which are not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan.
7.3 Term of SAR. The term of an
SAR granted under this Plan shall be determined by the Committee, in its sole
discretion, and except as determined otherwise by the Committee and specified in
the SAR Award Agreement, no SAR shall be exercisable later than the tenth
(10th)
anniversary date of its grant.
7.4 Exercise of SARs. SARs may be
exercised upon whatever terms and conditions the Committee, in its sole
discretion, imposes.
7.5 Settlement of SARs. Upon the
exercise of an SAR, a Participant shall be entitled to receive payment from the
Company in an amount determined by multiplying:
|
(a)
|
The
excess of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of exercise over
the Grant Price; by
|
|
(b)
|
The
number of Shares with respect to which the SAR is
exercised.
|
At the
discretion of the Committee, the payment upon SAR exercise may be in cash,
Shares, or any combination thereof, or in any other manner approved by the
Committee in its sole discretion. The Committee’s determination regarding the
form of SAR payout shall be set forth in the Award Agreement pertaining to the
grant of the SAR.
7.6 Termination of Employment.
Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall
have the right to exercise the SAR following termination of the Participant’s
employment with or provision of services to the Company or its Subsidiaries.
Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the Committee,
shall be included in the Award Agreement, need not be uniform among all SARs
granted pursuant to this Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reason
for termination.
Except as
provided in the Award Agreement and as provided below, if a Participant ceases
for any reason to be employed by the Company or its Subsidiaries (unless such
termination of employment was for “Cause”), the Participant may, at any time
within ninety (90) days after the effective date of such termination of
employment, exercise his or her SARs to the extent that he or she would be
entitled to exercise them on such date, but in no event shall any SAR be
exercisable more than ten (10) years from the date it was granted; provided, however,
that the Committee shall have the discretion to determine whether SARs not yet
exercisable at the date of termination of employment shall become immediately
exercisable for ninety (90) days thereafter. The Committee shall determine,
subject to applicable law, whether a leave of absence shall constitute a
termination of service.
If a
Participant ceases to be employed by the Company or its Subsidiaries for
“Cause,” the Participant’s unexercised SARs shall terminate immediately. For
purposes of this Section 7.6, “Cause” shall be defined as in the employment
agreement, if any, between the Company or its Subsidiaries and such Participant,
or, if there is no employment agreement, shall mean: (a) the willful failure of
the Participant substantially to perform his or her duties, other than any such
failure resulting from incapacity due to physical or mental illness, or (b) the
willful engagement by the Participant in activities contrary to the best
interests of the Company.
Unless
otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, if a Participant dies while employed
by the Company or its Subsidiaries, or within ninety (90) days after having
retired with the consent of the Company or its Subsidiaries, the Shares which
the Participant was entitled to exercise on the date of the Participant’s death
under an SAR or SARs granted under the Plan may be exercised at any time after
the Participant’s death by the Participant’s beneficiary; provided, however,
that no SAR may be exercised after the earlier of: (a) one (1) year after the
Participant’s death, or (b) the expiration date specified for the particular SAR
in the Award Agreement; and provided, further, that any unvested SAR or SARs
shall immediately vest upon the death of a Participant while employed by the
Company or its Subsidiaries and may be exercised as provided in this Section
7.6.
Unless
otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, if a Participant terminates
employment by reason of Disability (as defined below), any unexercised SAR held
by the Participant shall, if unvested, immediately vest and shall expire one (1)
year after the Participant has a termination of employment because of such
“Disability” and such SAR may only be exercised by the Participant or his or her
beneficiary to the extent that the SAR was exercisable on the date of
termination of employment because of such “Disability;” provided, however, no
SAR may be exercised after the expiration date specified for the particular SAR
in the Award Agreement. “Disability” shall mean: (a) in the case of a
Participant whose employment with the Company or a Subsidiary is subject to the
terms of an employment agreement between such Participant and the Company
or Subsidiary, which employment agreement includes a definition of
“Disability,” the term “Disability” as used in this Plan or any Award Agreement
shall have the meaning set forth in such employment agreement during the period
that such employment agreement remains in effect; and (b) in all other cases,
the term “Disability” as used in this Plan or any Award Agreement shall mean a
condition that (in the opinion of an independent medical consultant) has
rendered the Participant mentally or physically incapable of performing the
services required to be performed by the Participant and has resulted in the
termination of the directorship or employment relationship, as the case may
be.
7.7 Restrictions. The Committee
shall impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares received
upon exercise of an SAR granted pursuant to this Plan as it may deem advisable
or desirable. These restrictions may include, but shall not be limited to, a
requirement that the Participant hold the Shares received upon exercise of an
SAR for a specified period of time, restrictions under applicable federal and
state laws, blackout periods or under the requirements of any stock exchange or
market upon which such Shares are then listed and/or traded.
7.8 No Other Feature of Deferral.
No SAR granted pursuant to this Plan shall provide for any feature for the
deferral of compensation subject to Code Section 409A unless such deferral
complies with the requirements of Code Section 409A.
Article
8. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units
8.1 Grant of Restricted Stock or
Restricted Stock Units. Subject to the terms and provisions of this Plan,
the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Shares of Restricted
Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units to Participants in such amounts as the
Committee shall determine.
8.2 Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock
Unit Award Agreement. Each Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Unit
Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the Period(s)
of Restriction, the number of Shares of Restricted Stock or the number of
Restricted Stock Units granted, and such other provisions as the Committee shall
determine which are not inconsistent with the terms of this Plan.
8.3 Restrictions. The Committee
shall impose such other conditions and/or restrictions on any Shares of
Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Plan as it
may deem advisable including, without limitation, a requirement that
Participants pay a stipulated purchase price for each Share of Restricted Stock
or each Restricted Stock Unit, restrictions based upon the achievement of
specific performance goals, service-based restrictions on vesting following the
attainment of the performance goals, service-based restrictions, and/or
restrictions under applicable laws or under the requirements of any stock
exchange or market upon which such Shares are listed or traded, or holding
requirements or sale restrictions placed on the Shares by the Company upon
vesting of such Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units.
To the
extent deemed appropriate by the Committee, the Company may retain the
certificates representing Shares of Restricted Stock in the Company’s possession
until such time as all conditions and/or restrictions applicable to such Shares
have been satisfied or lapse.
Except as
otherwise provided in this Article 8, Shares of Restricted Stock subject to each
Restricted Stock Award shall become freely transferable by the Participant after
all conditions and restrictions applicable to such Shares have been satisfied or
lapse (including satisfaction of any applicable tax withholding obligations),
and Restricted Stock Units shall be paid in cash, Shares, or a combination
of cash and Shares as the Committee, in its sole discretion, shall
determine.
8.4 Certificate Legend. In
addition to any legends placed on certificates pursuant to Section 8.3,
each certificate representing Shares of Restricted Stock granted pursuant to
this Plan may bear a legend such as the following or as otherwise determined by
the Committee in its sole discretion:
The sale
or transfer of Shares of stock represented by this certificate, whether
voluntary, involuntary, or by operation of law, is subject to certain
restrictions on transfer as set forth in the Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation 2008 Omnibus Incentive Plan,
and in the associated Award Agreement. A copy of this Plan and such Award
Agreement may be obtained from Federal Agricultural Mortgage
Corporation.
8.5 Voting Rights. Shares
corresponding to Awards under this Plan have no voting rights.
8.6 Termination of Employment.
Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall
have the right to retain Restricted Stock and/or Restricted Stock Units
following termination of the Participant’s employment with or provision of
services to the Company or its Subsidiaries. Such provisions shall be determined
in the sole discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award
Agreement entered into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all
Shares of Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units delivered pursuant to this
Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons for
termination.
8.7 Section 83(b) Election. The
Committee may provide in an Award Agreement that the Award of Restricted Stock
is conditioned upon the Participant making or refraining from making an election
with respect to the Award under Code Section 83(b). If a Participant makes an
election pursuant to Code Section 83(b) concerning a Restricted Stock Award, the
Participant shall be required to file promptly a copy of such election with the
Company.
8.8 No Other Feature of Deferral.
No Restricted Stock Unit granted pursuant to this Plan shall provide for any
feature for the deferral of compensation subject to Code Section 409A unless
such deferral complies with the requirements of Code Section 409A.
Article
9. Performance Units/Performance Shares
9.1 Grant of Performance
Units/Performance Shares. Subject to the terms and provisions of this
Plan, the Committee, at any time and from time to time, may grant Performance
Units and/or Performance Shares to Participants in such amounts and upon such
terms as the Committee shall determine.
9.2 Performance Unit and Performance
Share Award Agreement. Each Performance Unit and/or Performance Share
Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the number of
Performance Units and/or Performance Shares granted, the performance goals, and
the applicable Performance Period, and such other provisions as the Committee
shall determine which are not inconsistent with the terms of this
Plan.
9.3 Value of Performance
Units/Performance Shares. Each Performance Unit shall have an
initial value that is established by the Committee at the time of grant. Each
Performance Share shall have an initial value equal to the Fair Market Value of
a Share on the date of grant. The Committee, in its discretion, shall set
performance goals for each Performance Period which, depending on the extent to
which they are met, will determine the value and/or number of Performance
Units/Performance Shares that will be paid out or distributed to the
Participant.
9.4 Earning of Performance
Units/Performance Shares. Subject to the terms of this Plan, after
the applicable Performance Period has ended, the holder of Performance
Units/Performance Shares shall be entitled to receive payout of the value and/or
distribution of the number of Performance Units/Performance Shares earned by the
Participant over the Performance Period, to be determined as a function of the
extent to which the corresponding performance goals have been
achieved.
9.5 Form and Timing of Distribution or
Payment of Performance Units/Performance Shares. Distribution of Shares
or payment of the value earned pursuant to Performance Units/Performance Shares
shall be as determined by the Committee and as evidenced in the Award Agreement.
Subject to the terms of this Plan, the Committee, in its sole
discretion, may pay earned Performance Units/Performance Shares in the form
of cash or in Shares (or in a combination thereof) equal to the value of the
earned Performance Units/Performance Shares at the close of the applicable
Performance Period, unless the terms of the Award require payment at some later
date. Any Shares delivered pursuant to Performance Share Awards may be subject
to any restrictions deemed appropriate by the Committee. The determination of
the Committee with respect to the form of payout of such Awards shall be set
forth in the Award Agreement pertaining to the grant of the Award.
9.6 Termination of Employment.
Each Award Agreement shall set forth the extent to which the Participant shall
have the right to retain Performance Units and/or Performance Shares following
termination of the Participant’s employment with or provision of services to the
Company or its Subsidiaries. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole
discretion of the Committee, shall be included in the Award Agreement entered
into with each Participant, need not be uniform among all Awards of Performance
Units or Performance Shares granted pursuant to this Plan, and may reflect
distinctions based on the reasons for termination.
Article
10. Cash-Based Awards and Other Stock-Based Awards
10.1 Grant of Cash-Based Awards.
Subject to the terms and provisions of the Plan, the Committee, at any time
and from time to time, may grant Cash-Based Awards to Participants in such
amounts and upon such terms as the Committee may determine.
10.2 Other Stock-Based Awards. The
Committee may grant other types of equity-based or equity-related Awards not
otherwise described by the terms of this Plan (including the grant or offer for
sale of unrestricted Shares) in such amounts and subject to such terms and
conditions as the Committee shall determine. Such Awards may involve the
transfer of actual Shares to Participants, or payment in cash or otherwise of
amounts based on the value of Shares, and may include, without limitation,
Awards designed to comply with or take advantage of the applicable local laws of
jurisdictions other than the United States.
10.3 Cash-Based and Other Stock-Based
Award Agreements. Each Cash-Based and/or Other Stock-Based Award shall be
evidenced by an Award Agreement that shall specify the payment amount or the
number of Shares granted, the performance goals and the Performance Period, if
applicable, the time and form of payment or distribution, and such other
provisions as the Committee shall determine which are not inconsistent with the
terms of this Plan.
10.4 Value of Cash-Based and Other
Stock-Based Awards. Each Cash-Based Award shall specify a payment amount
or formula for calculating the payment amount, as determined by the Committee.
Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be expressed in terms of Shares or units
based on Shares, as determined by the Committee. The Committee may establish
performance goals in its discretion. If the Committee exercises its discretion
to establish performance goals, the number and/or value of Cash-Based Awards or
Other Stock-Based Awards that will be paid out to the Participant will depend on
the extent to which the performance goals are met.
10.5 Payment of Cash-Based Awards and
Other Stock-Based Awards. Payment, if any, with respect to a Cash-Based
Award or an Other Stock-Based Award shall be made in accordance with the terms
of the Award, in cash or Shares as the Committee determines.
10.6
Termination of
Employment. The Committee shall determine the extent to which the
Participant shall have the right to receive payment or distribution under any
Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards following termination of the
Participant’s employment with or provision of services to the Company or its
Subsidiaries. Such provisions shall be determined in the sole discretion of the
Committee, may be included in an agreement entered into with each Participant,
but need not be uniform among all Awards of Cash-Based Awards or Other Stock-Based Awards
granted pursuant to the Plan, and may reflect distinctions based on the reasons
for termination.
Article
11. Transferability of Awards
11.1 Transferability. Except as
provided in Section 11.2 below, during a Participant’s lifetime, his or her
Awards shall be exercisable only by the Participant. Awards shall not be sold,
transferred, pledged, assigned, or otherwise alienated or hypothecated other
than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; no Awards shall be
subject, in whole or in part, to attachment, execution, or levy of any kind; and
any purported transfer in violation hereof shall be null and void. The Committee
may establish such procedures as it deems appropriate for a Participant to
designate a beneficiary to whom any amounts payable or Shares deliverable in the
event of, or following, the Participant’s death, may be provided.
11.2 Committee Action. The
Committee may, in its discretion, determine that notwithstanding Section 11.1,
any or all Awards other than ISOs shall be transferable to and exercisable by
such transferees, and subject to such terms and conditions as the Committee may
deem appropriate.
Article
12. Performance Measures
12.1 Performance Measures. The
performance goals upon which the payment or vesting of an Award to a Covered
Employee that is intended to qualify as Performance-Based Compensation shall be
limited to the following Performance Measures:
|
(a)
|
Net
earnings or net income (before or after taxes, the impact of changes in
the fair value of derivatives, stock plan expenses, yield maintenance
and/or loan losses) or any other measure that uses all or part of such
components;
|
|
(c)
|
Revenues
or mission volume or growth
therein;
|
|
(d)
|
Net
operating profit;
|
|
(e)
|
Return
measures (including, but not limited to, return on assets, capital,
invested capital, equity, sales, or
revenue);
|
|
(f)
|
Cash
flow (including, but not limited to, operating cash flow, free cash flow,
cash flow return on equity, and cash flow return on
investment);
|
|
(g)
|
Earnings
before or after taxes, interest, depreciation, and/or
amortization;
|
|
(h)
|
Gross
or operating margins;
|
|
(j)
|
Share
price (including, but not limited to, growth measures and total
shareholder return);
|
|
(m)
|
Operating
efficiency;
|
|
(o)
|
Customer
satisfaction;
|
|
(p)
|
Working
capital targets;
|
|
(s)
|
Economic
value added or EVA (net operating profit after tax minus the sum of
capital multiplied by the cost of
capital).
|
Any
Performance Measure(s) may be used to measure the performance of the Company
and/or Subsidiary as a whole or any business unit of the Company and/or
Subsidiary, or any combination thereof, as the Committee may deem appropriate,
or any of the above Performance Measures as compared to the performance of a
group of comparator companies, or published or special index that the Committee,
in its sole discretion, deems appropriate, or the Company may select Performance
Measure (j) above as compared to various stock market indices. The Committee
also has the authority to provide for accelerated vesting of any Award based on
the achievement of performance goals pursuant to the Performance Measures
specified in this Article 12.
12.2 Evaluation of Performance. The
Committee may provide in any such Award that any evaluation of performance may
include or exclude any of the following events that occurs during a Performance
Period: (a) asset write-downs; (b) litigation or claim judgments or settlements;
(c) the effect of changes in tax laws, accounting principles, or other laws or
provisions affecting reported results; (d) any reorganization and restructuring
programs; (e) extraordinary nonrecurring items as described in Accounting
Principles Board Opinion No. 30 and/or in management’s discussion and analysis
of financial condition and results of operations appearing in the Company’s
annual report to shareholders for the applicable year; (f) acquisitions or
divestitures; and (g) foreign exchange gains and losses. To the extent such
inclusions or exclusions affect Awards to Covered Employees, they shall be
prescribed in a form that meets the requirements of Code Section 162(m) for
deductibility.
12.3 Adjustment of Performance-Based
Compensation. Awards that are intended to qualify as Performance-Based
Compensation may not be adjusted upward. The Committee shall retain the
discretion to adjust such Awards downward, either on a formula or discretionary
basis, or any combination as the Committee determines.
12.4 Committee Discretion. In the
event that applicable tax and/or securities laws change to permit Committee
discretion to alter the governing Performance Measures without obtaining
shareholder approval of such changes, the Committee shall have sole discretion
to make such changes without obtaining shareholder approval. In addition, in the
event the Committee determines that it is advisable to grant Awards that shall
not qualify as Performance-Based Compensation, the Committee may make such
grants without satisfying the requirements of Code Section 162(m) and base
vesting on Performance Measures other than those set forth in
Section 12.1.
Article
13. Nonemployee Director Awards
Nonemployee
Directors may only be granted Nonemployee Director Awards under the Plan in
accordance with this Article 13. From time to time, the Board shall set the
amount(s) and type(s) of equity awards that shall be granted to all Nonemployee
Directors on a periodic basis pursuant to the Plan. The Board shall grant such
Nonemployee Director Awards to Nonemployee Directors as it shall from time to
time determine.
Article
14. Dividend Equivalents
Any
Participant selected by the Committee may be granted dividend equivalents based
on the dividends declared on Shares that are subject to any Award, to be
credited as of dividend payment dates, during the period between the date the
Award is granted and the date the Award is exercised, vests, or expires, as
determined by the Committee. Such dividend equivalents shall be converted to
cash or additional Shares by such formula and at such time and subject to such
limitations as may be determined by the Committee when the decision to grant the
Award is made, unless the Award is not deferred compensation for purposes of
Code Section 409A.
Article
15. Beneficiary Designation
Each
Participant under this Plan may, from time to time, name any beneficiary or
beneficiaries (who may be named contingently or successively) to whom any
benefit under this Plan is to be paid in case of his death before he receives
any or all of such benefit. Each such designation shall revoke all prior
designations by the same Participant, shall be in a form prescribed by the
Committee, and will be effective only when filed by the Participant in writing
with the Company during the Participant’s lifetime. In the absence of any such
beneficiary designation, benefits remaining unpaid or rights remaining
unexercised at the Participant’s death shall be paid to or exercised by the
Participant’s executor, administrator, or legal representative.
Article
16. Rights of Participants
16.1 Employment. Nothing in this
Plan or an Award Agreement shall interfere with or limit in any way the right of
the Company or its Subsidiaries to terminate any Participant’s employment or
service on the Board or to the Company or its Subsidiaries at any time or for
any reason not prohibited by law, nor confer upon any Participant any right to
continue his employment or service as a Director for any specified period of
time.
Neither
an Award nor any benefits arising under this Plan shall constitute an employment
contract with the Company or its Subsidiaries and, accordingly, subject to
Articles 3 and 17, this Plan and the benefits hereunder may be terminated
at any time in the sole and exclusive discretion of the Committee without giving
rise to any liability on the part of the Company or its
Subsidiaries.
16.2 Participation. No individual
shall have the right to be selected to receive an Award under this Plan, or,
having been so selected, to be selected to receive a future Award.
16.3 Rights as a Shareholder.
Except as otherwise provided herein, a Participant shall have none of the rights
of a shareholder with respect to Shares covered by any Award until the
Participant becomes the record holder or beneficial owner of such
Shares.
Article
17. Amendment, Modification, Suspension, and Termination
17.1
Amendment, Modification,
Suspension, and Termination. Subject to Section 17.3, the Board or the
Committee may, at any time and from time to time, alter, amend, modify,
suspend, or terminate this Plan and any Award Agreement in whole or in
part; provided,
however, that without the prior approval of the Company’s shareholders
and except as provided in Section 4.4, Options or SARs granted under this Plan
will not be repriced, replaced, or regranted through cancellation, or by
lowering the Option Price of a previously granted Option or the Grant Price of a
previously granted SAR, nor will any outstanding Options having an Option Price
or SARs having a Grant Price less than the current FMV be canceled in exchange
for cash or other Awards, and no material amendment of this Plan
shall be made without shareholder approval if shareholder approval is required
by law, regulation, stock exchange rule or otherwise.
17.2 Adjustment of Awards Upon the
Occurrence of Certain Unusual or Nonrecurring Events. The Committee may
make adjustments in the terms and conditions of, and the criteria included in,
Awards in recognition of unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without
limitation, the events described in Section 4.4 hereof) affecting the Company or
the financial statements of the Company or of changes in applicable laws,
regulations, or accounting principles, whenever the Committee determines that
such adjustments are appropriate in order to prevent unintended dilution or
enlargement of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available
under this Plan. The determination of the Committee as to the foregoing
adjustments, if any, shall be conclusive and binding on Participants under this
Plan.
17.3 Awards Previously Granted.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary (other than
Section 17.4), no termination, amendment, suspension, or modification of this
Plan or an Award Agreement shall adversely affect in any material way any
Award previously granted under this Plan, without the written consent of the
Participant holding such Award.
17.4 Amendment to Conform to Law.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Plan to the contrary, the Board or
the Committee may unilaterally amend the Plan or an Award Agreement in
accordance with the following:
|
(a)
|
The
Board or the Committee may amend the Plan or an Award Agreement to take
effect retroactively or otherwise, as deemed necessary or advisable for
the purpose of conforming the Plan or an Award Agreement to any present or
future law relating to plans of this or similar nature, and to the
administrative regulations and rulings promulgated thereunder. By
accepting an Award under this Plan, a Participant agrees to any amendment
made pursuant to this Section 17.4 to any Award granted under the Plan
without further consideration or
action.
|
|
(b)
|
The
Board or the Committee may amend the Plan or an Award Agreement to:
(i) exempt the Award from the requirements of Code Section 409A or
preserve the intended tax treatment of the benefits provided with respect
to the Award, or (ii) comply with the requirements of Section 409A of
the Code.
|
Article
18. Withholding
18.1 Tax Withholding. The Company
shall have the power and the right to deduct or withhold, or require a
Participant to remit to the Company, the minimum statutory amount to satisfy
federal, state, and local taxes, required by law or regulation to be withheld
with respect to any taxable event relating to an Award.
18.2 Share Withholding. With
respect to withholding required upon the exercise of Options or SARs, upon the
lapse of restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, or upon
the achievement of performance goals related to Performance Shares, or any other
taxable event arising as a result of an Award granted hereunder, Participants
may elect, subject to the approval of the Committee, to satisfy the withholding
requirement, in whole or in part, by having the Company withhold Shares having a
fair market value on the date the tax is to be determined equal to the minimum
statutory total tax that could be imposed on the transaction. All such elections
shall be irrevocable, made in writing, and signed by the Participant, and shall
be subject to any restrictions or limitations that the Committee, in its sole
discretion, deems appropriate.
Article
19. Successors
All
obligations of the Company under this Plan with respect to Awards granted
hereunder shall be binding on any successor to the Company, whether the
existence of such successor is the result of a direct or indirect purchase,
merger, consolidation, or otherwise, of all or substantially all of the business
and/or assets of the Company.
Article
20. General Provisions
20.1 Forfeiture Events. The
Committee may specify in an Award Agreement that the Participant’s rights,
payments, and benefits with respect to an Award shall be subject to reduction,
cancellation, forfeiture, or recoupment upon the occurrence of certain specified
events, in addition to any otherwise applicable vesting or performance
conditions of an Award.
20.2 Legend. The certificates for
Shares may include any legend which the Committee deems appropriate to reflect
any restrictions on transfer of such Shares.
20.3 Gender and Number. Except
where otherwise indicated by the context, any masculine term used herein also
shall include the feminine, the plural shall include the singular, and the
singular shall include the plural.
20.4 Severability. In the event any
provision of this Plan shall be held illegal or invalid for any reason, the
illegality or invalidity shall not affect the remaining parts of this Plan, and
this Plan shall be construed and enforced as if the illegal or invalid provision
had not been included.
20.5 Requirements of Law. The granting of Awards
and the delivery of Shares under this Plan shall be subject to all applicable
laws, rules, and regulations, and to such approvals by any governmental agencies
or national securities exchanges as may be required.
20.6 Delivery of Title. The Company shall have
no obligation to issue or deliver evidence of title for Shares granted pursuant
to this Plan prior to:
|
(a)
|
Obtaining
any approvals from governmental agencies that the Company determines are
necessary or advisable; and
|
|
(b)
|
Completion
of any registration or other qualification of the Shares under any
applicable federal or state law or ruling of any governmental body that
the Company determines to be necessary or
advisable.
|
20.7 Inability to Obtain
Authority. The inability of the
Company to obtain authority from any regulatory body having jurisdiction, which
authority is deemed by the Company’s counsel to be necessary to the lawful
delivery or sale of any Shares hereunder, shall relieve the Company of any
liability in respect of the failure to deliver or sell such Shares as to which
such requisite authority shall not have been obtained.
20.8 Uncertificated Shares. To the
extent that this Plan provides for issuance of certificates to reflect the
transfer of Shares, the transfer of such Shares may be effected on a
noncertificated basis, to the extent not prohibited by applicable law or the
rules of any stock exchange.
20.9 Unfunded Plan. Participants shall have
no right, title, or interest whatsoever in or to any investments that the
Company or its Subsidiaries may make to aid it in meeting its obligations under
this Plan. Nothing contained in this Plan, and no action taken pursuant to its
provisions, shall create or be construed to create a trust of any kind, or a
fiduciary relationship between the Company and its Subsidiaries and any
Participant, beneficiary, legal representative, or any other individual. To the
extent that any individual acquires a right to receive payments from the Company
or its Subsidiaries under this Plan, such right shall be no greater than the
right of an unsecured general creditor of the Company or a Subsidiary, as the
case may be. All payments to be made hereunder shall be paid from the general
funds of the Company or a Subsidiary, as the case may be, and no special or
separate fund shall be established and no segregation of assets shall be made to
assure payment of such amounts except as expressly set forth in this
Plan.
20.10 No Fractional Shares. No
fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to this Plan or any
Award. The Committee shall determine whether cash, Awards, or other property
shall be delivered or paid in lieu of fractional Shares or whether such
fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be forfeited or otherwise
eliminated.
20.11 Retirement and Welfare Plans.
Neither Awards made under this Plan nor Shares or cash paid pursuant to such
Awards may be included as “compensation” for purposes of computing the benefits
payable to any Participant under the Company’s or any Subsidiary’s retirement
plans (both qualified and nonqualified) or welfare benefit plans unless such
other plan expressly provides that such compensation shall be taken into account
in computing a Participant’s benefit.
20.12 Code Section 409A.
Notwithstanding any provision in this Plan or any Award Agreement to the
contrary, if any provision of this Plan or any Award Agreement contravenes any
regulations or guidance promulgated under Code Section 409A or could cause any
Award to be subject to additional taxes, accelerated taxation, interest or
penalties under Code Section 409A, the Company may, in its sole discretion and
without the Participant’s consent, modify this Plan or any Award Agreement: (i)
to comply with, or avoid being subject to, Code Section 409A, or to avoid the
imposition of any taxes, accelerated taxation, interest or penalties under Code
Section 409A, and (ii) to maintain, to the maximum extent practicable, the
original intent of the applicable provision without contravening the provisions
of Code Section 409A. This section does not create an obligation on the part of
the Company to modify this Plan or any Award Agreement and does not guarantee
that the Awards will not be subject to interest or penalties under Code Section
409A.
20.13 Nonexclusivity of this Plan.
The adoption of this Plan shall not be construed as creating any limitations on
the power of the Board or Committee to adopt such other compensation
arrangements as it may deem desirable.
20.14 No Constraint on Corporate
Action. Nothing in this Plan shall be construed to: (a) limit,
impair, or otherwise affect the Company’s or a Subsidiary’s right or power to
make adjustments, reclassifications, reorganizations, or changes of its capital
or business structure, or to merge or consolidate, or dissolve, liquidate, sell,
or transfer all or any part of its business or assets; or (b) limit the right or
power of the Company or a Subsidiary to take any action which such entity deems
to be necessary or appropriate.
20.15 Governing Law, Exclusive
Jurisdiction, and Venue. The Plan and each Award Agreement shall be
governed by federal law, to the extent federal law incorporates state law, that
law shall be the laws of the District of Columbia, excluding any conflicts or
choice of law rule or principle that might otherwise refer construction or
interpretation of this Plan to the substantive law of another jurisdiction.
Unless otherwise provided in the Award Agreement, recipients of an Award under
this Plan are deemed to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the
federal courts in the District of Columbia, to resolve any and all issues that
may arise out of or relate to this Plan or any Award Agreement.
20.16 Indemnification. Subject to
requirements of federal law, each individual who is or shall have been a member
of the Board, or a Committee appointed by the Board, or an officer of the
Company to whom authority was delegated in accordance with Article 3, shall be
indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost,
liability, or expense that may be imposed upon or reasonably incurred by him or
her in connection with or resulting from any claim, action, suit, or proceeding
to which he or she may be a party or in which he or she may be involved by
reason of any action taken or failure to act under this Plan and against and
from any and all amounts paid by him or her in settlement thereof, with the
Company’s approval, or paid by him or her in satisfaction of any judgment in any
such action, suit, or proceeding against him or her, provided he or she shall
give the Company an opportunity, at its own expense, to handle and defend the
same before he or she undertakes to handle and defend it on his/her own behalf,
unless such loss, cost, liability, or expense is a result of his/her own willful
misconduct or except as expressly provided by statute.
The
foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of any other rights of
indemnification to which such individuals may be entitled under the Company’s
Certificate of Incorporation or Bylaws, as a matter of law, or otherwise, or any
power that the Company may have to indemnify them or hold them
harmless.
ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF
FEDERAL
AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION
CLASS A
COMMON STOCK
June 5,
2008
Please
sign, date and mail
envelope
provided as soon
as
possible.
|
Please
detach along perforated line and mail in the envelope
provided.
|
|
20530030000000000000 4
|
060508
|
PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE. PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN HERE S
1.
Election of Directors: |
|
FOR
|
AGAINST
|
ABSTAIN
|
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR ALL NOMINEES.” |
2.
Proposal to approve the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as
independent auditors for the Corporation for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2008.
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
|
FOR ALL NOMINEES
|
NOMINEES:
m Dennis L. Brack
m Dennis A. Everson
m Mitchell A. Johnson
m Timothy F. Kenny
m Charles E. Kruse
|
_______
_______ _______ _______ _______
|
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR" proposal 2.
|
|
WITHHOLD AUTHORITY FOR
ALL NOMINEES
|
|
|
|
|
|
(See
instructions below)
|
3.
Proposal to approve the Corporation's 2008 Omnibus Incentive
Plan.
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
|
|
|
|
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR" proposal 3.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INSTRUCTIONS: To withold authority to vote for any
individual nominee(s), mark "FOR ALL EXCEPT" and fill in the
circle next to each nominee you wish to withhold, as shown here: ˜
If
you do withhold authority to vote for any nominee(s), your votes will be
allocated equally among the remaining nominees unless you specify a
different allocation in the space above.
*TO
CUMULATE YOUR VOTE, SEE INSTRUCTION AT RIGHT.
|
INSTRUCTIONS TO
CUMULATE YOUR VOTE: To
cumulate your vote for one or more of the listed nominees, write the
manner in which such votes shall be cumulated by indicating the allocation
by percentage or number of votes in the space to the right of the nominee
name(s). The cumulative number of votes you have is 5 times the number of
shares of Class A Voting Common Stock you owned on April 16, 2008. All of
your votes may be cast for a single nominee or may be distributed among
any number of nominees. If you are cumulating your vote,
do not mark the
circle to the left of the name of the nominee(s) for whom you are
voting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To change the address on your
account, please check the box at right and indicate your new address in
the address space above. Please note that changes to the registered
name(s) on the
account may not be submitted via this method.
|
£
|
|
|
|
|
Signature
of Stockholder
|
|
Date:
|
|
Signature
of Stockholder
|
|
Date:
|
|
|
Note:
|
Please
sign exactly as your name or names appear on this Proxy. When shares are
held jointly, each holder should sign. When signing as executor,
administrator attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as
such. If the signer is a corporation, please sign full corporate name by
duly authorized officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a
partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized
person.
|
|
FEDERAL
AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION
PROXY
FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, JUNE 5, 2008
This
Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors
The undersigned hereby appoints Henry
D. Edelman, Jerome G. Oslick, and Timothy L. Buzby, and any of them, as Proxies
for the undersigned and to vote all of the shares of Class A Voting Common Stock
of the FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION (the "Corporation") that the
undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the
Corporation to be held on June 5, 2008, and at any and all adjournments
thereof:
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote
FOR
the election of all nominees, FOR proposal 2 and FOR proposal
3.
In
their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote on such other matters as
may properly come before the meeting. THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS and, when properly executed, will be voted as instructed
herein. If no instructions are given, this proxy will be voted FOR the election
of all nominees, FOR proposal 2 and FOR proposal 3.
PLEASE
VOTE, DATE AND SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE.
|
14475
|
ANNUAL
MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF
FEDERAL
AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION
CLASS B
COMMON STOCK
June 5,
2008
Please
sign, date and mail
envelope
provided as soon
as
possible.
|
Please
detach along perforated line and mail in the envelope
provided.
|
|
20530030000000000000 4
|
060508
|
PLEASE SIGN, DATE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE. PLEASE MARK YOUR VOTE IN BLUE OR BLACK INK AS SHOWN HERE S
1.
Election of Directors: |
|
FOR
|
AGAINST
|
ABSTAIN
|
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR ALL NOMINEES.” |
2.
Proposal to approve the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as
independent auditors for the Corporation for the fiscal year ending
December 31, 2008.
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
|
FOR ALL NOMINEES
|
NOMINEES:
m Ralph W, "Buddy" Cortese
m Paul A. DeBriyn
m Michael A. Gerber
m Ernest M. Hodges
m John Dan Raines
|
_______ _______
_______
_______
_______
|
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR" proposal 2.
|
|
WITHHOLD AUTHORITY FOR
ALL NOMINEES
|
|
|
|
|
|
FOR ALL EXCEPT
(See
instructions below)
|
3.
Proposal to approve the Corporation's 2008 Omnibus Incentive
Plan.
|
£
|
£
|
£
|
|
|
|
|
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote "FOR" proposal 3.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
INSTRUCTIONS: To withold authority to vote for any
individual nominee(s), mark "FOR ALL EXCEPT" and fill in the
circle next to each nominee you wish to withhold, as shown here: ˜
If
you do withhold authority to vote for any nominee(s), your votes will be
allocated equally among the remaining nominees unless you specify a
different allocation in the space above.
*TO
CUMULATE YOUR VOTE, SEE INSTRUCTION AT RIGHT.
|
INSTRUCTIONS TO
CUMULATE YOUR VOTE: To cumulate your
vote for one or more of the listed nominees, write the manner in which
such votes shall be cumulated by indicating the allocation by percentage
or number of votes in the space to the right of the nominee name(s). The
cumulative number of votes you have is 5 times the number of shares of
Class B Voting Common Stock you owned on April 16, 2008. All of your
votes may be cast for a single nominee or may be distributed among any
number of nominees. If you are cumulating your vote, do not mark the
circle to the left of the name of the nominee(s) for whom you are
voting.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
To change the address on your
account, please check the box at right and indicate your new address in
the address space above. Please note that changes to the registered
name(s) on the
account may not be submitted via this method.
|
£
|
|
|
|
|
Signature
of Stockholder
|
|
Date:
|
|
Signature
of Stockholder
|
|
Date:
|
|
|
Note:
|
Please
sign exactly as your name or names appear on this Proxy. When shares are
held jointly, each holder should sign. When signing as executor,
administrator attorney, trustee or guardian, please give full title as
such. If the signer is a corporation, please sign full corporate name by
duly authorized officer, giving full title as such. If signer is a
partnership, please sign in partnership name by authorized
person.
|
|
FEDERAL
AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION
PROXY
FOR ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS, JUNE 5, 2008
This
Proxy is Solicited on Behalf of the Board of Directors
The undersigned hereby appoints Henry
D. Edelman, Jerome G. Oslick, and Timothy L. Buzby, and any of them, as Proxies
for the undersigned and to vote all of the shares of Class B Voting Common
Stock of the FEDERAL AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION (the “Corporation”) that the
undersigned is entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the
Corporation to be held on June 5, 2008, and at any and all adjournments
thereof:
The
Board of Directors recommends a vote
FOR
the election of all nominees, FOR proposal 2 and FOR proposal
3.
In
their discretion, the Proxies are authorized to vote on such other matters as
may properly come before the meeting. THIS PROXY IS SOLICITED ON BEHALF OF THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS and, when properly executed, will be voted as instructed
herein. If no instructions are given, this proxy will be voted FOR the election
of all nominees, FOR proposal 2 and FOR proposal 3.
PLEASE
VOTE, DATE AND SIGN ON REVERSE SIDE AND RETURN PROMPTLY IN THE ENCLOSED
ENVELOPE.
|
14475
|