Statesville, NC (PRWEB) November 07, 2014 -- Vance C. Dalton, Jr., CEO of Carolina Farm Credit announces that the participants for the 6th Annual Ag Biz Planner program have been selected. The participants in this session are Debra Bridges and Jenny Bridges Price of Shelby, Jeffrey and Beth Farlow of Apex, Tim Gallaugher and Andrea Van Gunst of Marshall, Paige and Brad Garland of Julian, Jon and Brittany Klimstra of Rutherfordton, Micah Orfield of Jefferson, and Lauren and Michael Rayburn of Bernardsville.
The Farm Credit University (FCU) Ag Biz Planner program teaches young, beginning and small farmers new business skills to successfully manage and grow their farms. The Ag Biz Planner curriculum includes financial and business planning, budgeting and other money matters essential to a farm’s success.
Carolina Farm Credit is offering the Farm Credit University on-line program in conjunction with several other Farm Credit Associations in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia including AgCarolina Farm Credit, Cape Fear Farm Credit, Farm Credit of the Virginias, Colonial Farm Credit, Arbor One Farm Credit, and Altria. Participants will have the opportunity to interact and benchmark with producers from the other associations throughout the program.
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 Bruce Arrington of the Asheville branch, Kim Jamerson of the Marshall branch, Kamron Kerr of the Spindale branch, Blair Robertson of the Siler City branch, Suzette Smith of the Shelby branch, and Raynia White of the Asheville branch.
The on-demand, 10-module Ag Biz 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 in May 2015 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 branch offices. Other financial services available are credit life insurance, crop insurance, appraisal services, leasing programs and financial planning.
Carolina Farm Credit serves over 9,200 members with loans outstanding totaling more than $1.4 billion. The association’s territory covers the western half of North Carolina, with branch offices located in Albemarle, Asheboro, Asheville, Boone, Browns Summit, Burnsville, Carthage, Concord, Conover, Ellerbe, Graham, Hendersonville, Hillsborough, Jefferson, Lenoir, Lexington, Lincolnton, Marshall, Mocksville, Monroe, Murphy, 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; 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
Kerie Hildreth, Carolina Farm Credit, +1 (704) 761-2878, [email protected]
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