AbstractThis article examines whether the agricultural loan ratios of rural subsidiaries of large bank holding companies differ from the ratios of other banks in the same rural counties. In each of the years 1975, 1980, and 1985, the ratio of agricultural loans to total assets is significantly lower for the subsidiaries of large bank holding companies. These results are interpreted as evidence that the subsidiaries of large bank holding companies have greater opportunities to diversify risk by lending to businesses in a variety of industries.