One hallmark of the FCS since Congress bailed it out in 1987 has been consolidation within the system. Not only have associations consolidated geographically, but a number of Production Credit Associations have merged with the Federal Land Bank Association or the Federal Land Credit Association serving the PCA's territory to form a new type of entity, an Agricultural credit Association (ACA). The IRS has ruled that ACAs are subject to corporate income taxation, just like a Production Credit Association, even though ACAs do real estate lending.