Louisville, KY (August 31, 2009) – Eight farmers have been nominated to fill four Board of Director positions at Farm Credit Services of Mid-America (FCS), one of the largest agriculture lending cooperatives in the nation serving farmers and agribusinesses throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee. The cooperative’s 58,000 voting stockholders will be casting their ballots over the next several weeks.

 

During the summer, Farm Credit’s 92 offices hosted Customer Appreciation Events with the purpose of introducing candidates to the membership and providing membership updates. These events are wrapping up over the next few weeks, just prior to the mailing of the election ballots.

 

The board is comprised of 16 elected directors - four from each state that the association serves. Two independent directors also serve on the board. They meet monthly to set policy and provide overall direction for the association. Board terms are generally four years.

 

On the same ballot, voting stockholders will elect members to the 2010 FCS Nominating Committee. This committee is comprised of 20 members – five members from each state the association serves. Representatives of the Nominating Committee will meet next June to select candidates for the 2010 elected positions.

 

The eight board candidates (two from each state the cooperative serves) are listed below. More information about the candidates can be found on the cooperative’s website at www.e-farmcredit.com.

 

 

John Powell of Warsaw, Indiana, owns 81 acres and leases an additional 1,747 acres where he and his family produce corn, soybeans, wheat and seed corn. Additionally, the family grows out 200,000 ducks. He is a 50 percent owner of B-N-L Ducks, LLC. He is a member of the Farm Bureau, the Kosciusko County SWCD and the Farm Service Agency. John graduated from Purdue University with a bachelor of science in ag economics. He and his wife, Louise, have two daughters: Stacie Goon and Meredith Powell. John is a member of the Columbia City Advisory Committee and a member of the Columbia City FCS office.

 

Matt Walther of Centerville, Indiana, farms 2,011 acres of row crops and has a 50 head herd of commercial beef cattle. He is co-owner of Matt Walther Farms, LLC and served four years as a commercial credit analyst in the mid-‘90s. He is a past member of the Wayne County Extension Board and serves as deacon of Centerville Christian Church. He is a graduate of Centerview High School and received his bachelor of science in agricultural economics from Purdue University. He and his wife, Michelle, have two children: Bennett and Garrett. Matt is a Farm Credit board member where he serves as chair. Matt is a member of the Hagerstown (formerly Muncie) office.  Prior to his election to the board, Matt served on the Muncie Advisory Committee.

 

 

David Bates of Shepherdsville, Kentucky, farms 358 acres where he operates a 100 cow dairy, raising replacement heifers, corn, alfalfa, wheat and barley.  He is a member of the Kentucky Farm Bureau and the Milk Marketing Co-op.  David graduated from Shepherdsville High School and the University of Louisville. He and his wife, Sonia, have four children: David, Susan, Bryan and Kyle. David is currently a Farm Credit board member. Prior to his election to the board, David served on the Bardstown Advisory Committee and is a member of the Elizabethtown FCS office.

 

Rodney Dick of Nancy, Kentucky, owns 72 acres and leases an additional 84 acres where he raises feeder cattle and has a 35-head brood cow operation. He is a member of the Central Kentucky Young Farmers, the Pulaski County Cattlemen’s Association and the Pulaski County Agriculture Council. He serves on the board of the Pulaski County Farm Bureau and is currently employed by the Pulaski County Fiscal Court. He is a member of the Kentucky Ag Development Board and has worked with the Kentucky Ag Financing Corporation to move the beginning farmer and infrastructure loan programs forward. Rodney is a graduate of Nancy High School and Somerset Community College. He is married to Joann and has two step sons: Josh and Austin Morgan.  Rodney currently serves on the Somerset Advisory Committee and is a member of the Somerset FCS office.

 

 

Rusty Goebel of Stryker, Ohio, is a full time farmer who operates a 1,621-acre corn, soybean, wheat, beef cattle and hog operation.  Rusty is president of the Stryker Farmers Co-op Board and is a member of the Producers Livestock, the Ohio Farm Bureau, the Stryker Area Chamber of Commerce and First Lutheran Church. He is also a trustee of the Springfield Township and a member of the Food Resource Bank.Rusty is a graduate of Stryker High School. He and his wife, Sue, have two children: Lucas and Jackie. He is a member of the Archbold Advisory Committee and a member of the Archbold FCS office.

 

George Stebbins of Englewood, Ohio, farms 1,590 acres with his brother where they raise corn, soybeans and wheat as well buy 3,200 weaned pigs and finish them out. He is general manager of Stebbins Farm, LTD and WGTS Farms, LTD. He is past director and vice president of the Ohio Pork Producers Council, vice president of the Montgomery County Farm Bureau and swine superintendent of the Montgomery County Junior Livestock Committee. George is also a member of the Ohio Farm Bureau and Salem Church of the Brethren. He is a graduate of Northmonth High School and received his associate’s degree in ag business from Clark State College. He and his wife, Carol, have three grown children: Anna, Linda and Katie and four grandchildren.  George is a Farm Credit board member where he serves as secretary, on the audit committee and on the executive committee. Prior to his election to the board, George served on the Versailles Advisory Committee and is currently a member of the Versailles FCS office.

 

 

Dan Ashby of Maryville, Tennessee, owns 121 acres dedicated to beef, hay, fruit and timber. He is a member of the Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association and the Foothills Farmers Cooperative.  In addition to serving as a consultant and legal expert on commercial airline command and captain’s authority issues, he is also president of Rocky Top Farm and was named Master Beef Producer by the University of Tennessee. Dan is a graduate of Chamblee High School in Chamblee, Georgia and received his bachelor of science in business administration, logistics and economics from the University of Tennessee. He and his wife, Carmen Maria, reside in Maryville. Dan is a member of the Knoxville FCS office and serves on the Knoxville Advisory Committee.

 

Daryl Rowe of Limestone, Tennessee, owns 18 acres where he raises Holstein heifers, steers and alfalfa hay. Additionally, he has a tractor restoration business. Daryl is a director for the Farmers Mutual Fire Insurance Company and the Washington County Regional Planning Committee. Additionally, he is a member of the Dairy Farmers of America, the Washington County Farm Bureau, the Washington Farmers Co-op and the Greene Farmers Co-op.   He attended Washington College Academy and East Tennessee State University. He and his wife, Sandra, have four children: Darrin, Eric, Leslie and Lauren. Daryl is currently a Farm Credit board member where he serves on the Audit Committee. He is a member of the Johnson City FCS office.

 

For more information about Farm Credit or the nearest FCS office, call 1-800-444-FARM (3276). For more information about the candidates, please go online to www.e-farmcredit.com.

 

About FCS:

Farm Credit Services of Mid-America is an ag lending cooperative managing over $15.5 billion in assets and serving over 85,500 farmers, agribusinesses and rural residents in Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee. The association provides loans for all farm and rural living purposes including real estate, operating, equipment and housing and related services such as crop insurance and life insurance and vehicle, equipment and building leases. For more information about Farm Credit or the nearest FCS office, call 1-800-444-FARM (3276) or visit them on the web at www.e-farmcredit.com.