Statesville, NC (PRWEB) January 14, 2014 -- Vance C. Dalton, Jr., CEO of Carolina Farm Credit announces that the participants for the 5th Annual AgBiz Planner have been selected. The participants in this session are Robert Stas of Burlington, Jillian and Ross Mickens of Cedar Grove, Johnny Smith of Denver, Crystal and Edward Marshall of Union Grove and Lynn and Chuck Weinberg of Belmont. The program includes a total of 30 participants from five Farm Credit associations throughout North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland.
The Farm Credit University (FCU) AgBiz Planner program teaches young, beginning and small farmers new business skills to successfully manage and grow their operations. Those chosen are enrolled in a college-level, online course to learn how to develop business and financial plans, as well as budgeting and management skills essential to their operations’ success.
In addition to the online course, participants will have a close mentoring relationship with a Carolina Farm Credit loan officer that will serve as coach and facilitator as they work through the course, leading to the creation of a business plan for their farm. The mentors this year are Tonja Walker of the Graham Service Center, Tripp Smith of the Hillsborough Service Center, Ben Cabaniss of the Lincolnton Service Center, Brent Warren of the Statesville Service Center and Brian Hord of the Lincolnton Service Center.
The on-demand, 10-module AgBiz Planner computer course was designed for Farm Credit institutions by retired Virginia Tech agricultural finance and business management expert Dr. David Kohl. The course will wrap up with a face to face conference in Raleigh where the participants will get a chance meet and network with each other and Dr. Kohl.
Carolina Farm Credit is a stockholder-owned cooperative providing financing to full and part-time farmers and agricultural-related businesses and also provides financing for the construction and purchase of homes in 54 counties through 36 service centers. Other financial services available are credit life insurance, crop insurance, appraisal services, leasing programs and financial planning.
Carolina Farm Credit serves over 8,900 members with loans outstanding totaling more than $1.38 billion. The association’s territory covers the western half of North Carolina, with service centers located in Albemarle, Asheboro, Asheville, Boone, Browns Summit, Burnsville, Carthage, Concord, Ellerbe, Graham, Hendersonville, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton, Marshall, Mocksville, Monroe, Murphy, Newton, Pilot Mountain, Roxboro, Rural Hall, Salisbury, Shelby, Siler City, Sparta, Spindale, Statesville, Taylorsville, Wadesboro, Waynesville, Wilkesboro, Yadkinville, and Yanceyville.
Carolina Farm Credit was recognized as a 2013 Best Employer in North Carolina. The list of the Best Employers in North Carolina was created by Business North Carolina, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) – NC State Council and Best Companies Group.
Directors for Carolina Farm Credit are Mark A. Bray, Chairman, Lawsonville; L. Kim Starnes, Vice-Chairman, Salisbury; John M. Barnard, Statesville; E. Bernard Beck, Seagrove; W. Rex Bell, Statesville; David M. Coltrane, Pleasant Garden; Susie J. Gambill, Sparta; Joseph A. Lail, Shelby; W. Steve Love, Graham; Bobby J. “Bud” Matthews, East Bend; Clark M. Newlin, Haw River; Thomas E. Porter, Jr., Concord; Tony L. Ragan, Sanford; D. Kaleb Rathbone, Waynesville; Lewis E. Smith, Lincolnton; Vickie N. Smitherman, East Bend; Dr. Alton Thompson, Summerfield.
Beth Fox, Carolina Farm Credit, +1 (704) 761-2899, [email protected]
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