Connecting Rural America to Policy Makers

Ed Elfmann is the founder of Elfmann Strategies, an Illinois-based practice providing agricultural finance, public policy, and advocacy strategy. He helps clients navigate federal policy affecting agriculture, rural communities, and the financial institutions that serve them.

Elfmann spent 14 years at the American Bankers Association (ABA), most recently as Senior Vice President of Agricultural and Rural Banking Policy. There he worked with member banks and stakeholders to develop and advance policy for agricultural and rural banks, and he led ABA's advocacy on those issues on Capitol Hill and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He also oversaw the ABA Agricultural Bankers Conference and staffed the ABA Agricultural and Rural Bankers Committee. He joined ABA in 2012 as Vice President of Congressional Relations, advocating on agricultural finance, appropriations, and small business issues.

Elfmann serves on the Commodity Futures Trading Commission's Agricultural Advisory Committee, where he has been a member since 2014, and on CME Group's Agricultural Markets Advisory Committee. Over his career he has worked on numerous Farm Bills, as well as financial services legislation, tax policy, and CFTC-related legislation.

Before ABA, he was a legislative assistant for a Member of Congress on the House Agriculture Committee, covering agriculture and transportation policy. He has also worked at the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Corn Growers Association.

Elfmann grew up on a farm and has been connected to agriculture his entire life. He holds a Master's Degree in Political Management from George Washington University and attended Hamline University for his undergraduate studies.