Inside AgCarolina
April 2015
A monthly newsletter for friends of AgCarolina Farm Credit
Inside this issue:
Branch Feature—Halifax
Behind the Biostar
Halifax Testimonials
40 Years of Service
Dave’s Notes
Patronage Day is PayDay!
It’s PayDay at AgCarolina! No, not employee payday...
it’s Member PayDay! On April 3, 2015, AgCarolina
Farm Credit will distribute patronage refund checks
to members for the 27th consecutive year. Stop by
and pick up your CHECKS on Patronage PayDay!
Members will receive their “normal” amount of
patronage, as well as a “bonus” check on Patronage
PayDay. Earnings in 2014 were above average and
AgCarolina is passing the rewards to the members
of the cooperative. Remember, it pays to partner
with AgCarolina Farm Credit for your ag and rural
financing needs!
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Featured Branch of the Month
Halifax
AgCarolina Farm Credit is proud to feature our Halifax
branch as our Branch of the Month for April 2015! The
Halifax Branch proudly serves Halifax County. Cliff
Rose, Garrett Williams, Deborah Bryant, and Cheryl
Morris provide high quality customer service as they
meet the needs of their area. Halifax County has a rich
history in agriculture and it is our pleasure to serve
the financial needs of its citizens.
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Behind the Biostar
Halifax Branch Staff
The Halifax Branch staff embodies many of
the common traits associated with AgCarolina
employees. Growing up in eastern NC provides many
opportunities for young people to have a part time
job in a field learning the importance of hard work,
dependability, and appreciation of the land.
Branch Manager Cliff Rose (NCSU ’88) grew up
working in the tobacco fields around Fremont, a
northern Wayne County town. Those experiences
have stayed with him through his life. Rose explains
further the role of AgCarolina employees and
representatives of the ag finance community. “The
ag community is the fabric that holds together our
communities. Ag drives the local economy, especially
in our area here in Halifax County,” states Rose, a 17year employee of AgCarolina.
The staff provides a great mix of experience and
believes in the mission of agriculture. “Everyone here
takes pride in providing the best customer service
possible,” states Deborah Bryant, a Customer Service
Representative in Halifax and a 21-year employee of
AgCarolina Farm Credit.
With the upcoming patronage day on April 3rd, Cliff is
excited about sharing our profits with our members.
“Patronage shows our commitment to maximize
our member’s investment in their cooperative. Our
specialty is ag and we have a vested interest in the
success of our farmers. Returning these dollars to
eastern NC is a true pleasure each and every year,”
Rose says.
returned back to eastern NC farmers over the course
of the last 27 years.
Garrett Williams is a loan officer in the Halifax
Branch and has some advice he has been sharing with
members so far this year. “With lower commodity
prices, producers are focusing on efficiency with
crop inputs to produce the highest yield. By being
conservative with capital expenditures and building
and maintaining working capital, our farmers can
alleviate some of the risks of the cycles in agriculture,”
says Williams.
Being a part of the community and helping others
is a hallmark of the members of the Halifax Branch.
“AgCarolina understands community. We understand
agriculture. We know our role is to be here in good
times and tough times. Our backgrounds and
experiences allow us to be a good sounding board
both to our fellow employees, and to our members as
we strive for future successes,” Rose states.
With people like Rose, Bryant, Morris, and Williams,
the members of the Halifax Branch can be assured
they will have their needs met by some of the best
AgCarolina has to offer.
“Patronage PayDay is a fun day because it is a big
celebration of a lot of hard work,” states Cheryl
Morris, a Customer Service Representative in Halifax.
A celebration that has seen over $200 million
Halifax Testimonials
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I like that they come to my farm to do business.
Member—Littleton, NC
Receiving a patronage dividend.
Member— Enfield, NC
They are professional and prompt.
Member—Littleton, NC
They specialize in agriculture.
Member— Littleton, NC
AgCarolina knows what is going on in my fields.
Member—Roanoke Rapids, NC
Great service when you walk in the office!
Cliff Rose has been a great leader.
Member - Halifax, NC
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40 Years of Service
Each year, AgCarolina has an Employee Recognition
Banquet in honor of our employees, their
achievements, and their families. On February 7, 2015,
we held our annual banquet at Rose Hill Plantation in
Nashville, NC. It was a special evening as we were able
to shine the spotlight on three individuals who are
celebrating their 40th anniversary of excellence with
AgCarolina Farm Credit!
Judy Winslow of Elizabeth City serves as a Customer
Service Representative and has long provided quality
customer service to those in northeastern NC. “Forty
years may seem like an extremely long time to most.
Working for Farm Credit and having the people I have
worked with has made my work experience extremely
pleasurable. AgCarolina is a great company to work
for,” says Judy.
Linda Strickland serves as the Senior VP of Marketing
in the Raleigh Administrative Office. She states,
“Forty years has gone by in a flash! Growing up on
a farm instilled in me a real appreciation for those
who work so hard to produce food and fiber for our
nation. I have been very blessed to have a career
with an organization that provided the opportunity
to continue to work with our farmers and others in
agriculture. When you enjoy what you do, the people
you work with, and those you serve, time flies!”
Tony Taylor serves as the Branch Manager in
Williamston. Tony was also presented with our
President’s Award at our banquet for his illustrious
career in serving the ag lending needs of Eastern
NC, as well as training many of our employees to be
successful in their careers. Tony states, “There have
been numerous name, policy, and procedural changes
that have taken place during my 40 year career with
Farm Credit. While we keep our eyes on all the changes
in agriculture through the years, the constant has been
our goal to provide quality service and products to
our customers.”
Congratulations to Judy, Linda, and Tony for their
achievements over the course of their careers. Dave
Corum, President of AgCarolina, states “Having team
members like these three are what makes Farm Credit
a great place to be. They constantly seek to serve our
members and aid employees in being the best they can
be. We are very thankful for their efforts.”
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Dave’s Notes
Operating as a cooperative gives both our members
and our organization a distinct advantage in the
marketplace. When we are profitable, you reap the
rewards. This is our 27th consecutive year of patronage
and over $200 million has been put back in eastern
North Carolina!
In 2014, we had a good year financially and with our
patronage refund we stand behind our promise to
share our profits with you. For the second consecutive
year, we are proud to distribute TWO patronage checks
to our members! For 27 consecutive years, we have
distributed one patronage check to our members. This
year marks the second year of “bonus” patronage.
While it is not something we expected to happen
again, we don’t pay our dividends to investors, we
pay them back to our members. This means that over
the course of the last two years, our members have
received nearly 30% of their
interest dollars back.
Partnering the agricultural
community with experts in
ag lending and a dynamic
selection of products and
services has been a recipe for success in the past.
We will continue this mission for eastern NC and
thank you for your contributions to agriculture and
Farm Credit! Happy PayDay!
Dave Corum
President & CEO
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Inside AgCarolina
©2015 AgCarolina Farm Credit. All rights reserved.
AgCarolina Farm Credit seeks to enhance the quality of life for those in
the rural communities of North Carolina by providing exceptional value
and service. We strive to be the premier choice for delivering valueadded financing and services to Eastern North Carolina.
If you wish to have further information regarding the services
we offer, do not hesitate to call 1(800) 951-3276 or email
[email protected].
Ahoskie: 888-881-3276
Elizabeth City: 252-335-0582
Greenville: 888-833-3276
Halifax: 252-583-1331
La Grange: 866-974-3276
Louisburg: 888-807-3276
New Bern: 888-989-3276
www.AgCarolina.com
Raleigh Branch: 919-250-0202
Raleigh Corporate: 800-951-3276
Rocky Mount: 888-813-3276
Smithfield: 888-808-3276
Swan Quarter: 888-840-3276
Williamston: 888-837-3276