• AgriLand Farm Credit Announces 10th Annual Marsha Martin Scholarship Program
  
  

  TYLER, Texas – AgriLand Farm Credit established an agricultural scholarship program in memory of Marsha Martin, a Paris, Texas, native who died of cancer in 2000. Marsha made her mark on the agricultural industry and was the first woman to hold the position of vice president in the Farm Credit Bank of Texas, and serve as the chairman and chief executive officer of the Farm Credit Administration. Read more...
  

          News Archives

• AgriLand Farm Credit Reports Solid Financial Results
  
  

  TYLER, Texas – AgriLand Farm Credit AgriLand Farm Credit Services reported net income during the first quarter of 2009 that was nearly double the 2008 first-quarter net income.

  At quarter-end, the lending cooperative reported net income totaling $1.15 million, an increase of $581 thousand from the amount reported during the same three-month period in 2008. Loan volume was $395 million at March 31, 2009, a 3 percent increase from the $384 million reported at Dec. 31, 2008, and a 12 percent increase from the volume declared at March 31, 2008.

  Credit quality decreased slightly due to weak economic conditions in the poultry and dairy industries.

  “The volatility in the national economy continues to shape a future of uncertainty for the financial industry,” says Roger Brist, AgriLand Farm Credit chief executive officer. “However, we do not anticipate any significant long-term impact to our business objectives, provided the economic downturn does not become a long-term hindrance. We are optimistic this downward trend will end.”
  

• AgriLand Farm Credit Expands to Twelve Locations
  
  TYLER, Texas – AgriLand Farm Credit recently opened a new branch office in Linden. The office is located at 101 E. Kildare Road, and is currently open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. It will be staffed by Judy Mustin, a loan officer with the lending cooperative. She can be reached at (903) 756-5433.
• AgriLand Announces the Election of New Board Members
  
  TYLER, Texas - The balloting for AgriLand's 2008 Election of Directors and Nominating Committee Members was tabulated by Henry & Peters, a CPA firm in Tyler, Texas. The results of the election are as follows:
  
  

  Region 1 Position 1:	Michael Lee Blackburn
  Region 2 Position 2:	Wayne Ryser
  Region 3 Position 2:	Dennis Walker
  Region 3 Position 3:	Richard A. DeVillier

  
  We are proud to present your 2009 AgriLand Board of Directors:
  
  

  Dennis Walker, Chairman	James Dawley, Vice Chairman
  Michael Blackburn, Director	Bob Christophersen, Director
  Mickey Crow, Director	Richard A. DeVillier, Director
  David Hill, Director	Bobby Hobson, Director
  Wayne Ryser, Director	Ralph Preuss, Appointed Outside Director

  
  Additionally, the 2009 Nominating Committee was also elected and approved as presented:
  
  

  Region 1	Region 2	Region 3
  Position 1	Position 1	Position 1
  Pat DeVoss	Jerry Chilcoat	John Olan Turner
  Position 2	Position 2	Position 2
  Scott Lindeman	Bill Stelzer	Keith Ragland
  Position 3	Position 3	Position 3
  Felix Doug Blackard	Shea Phillips	Harold Clubb
  Alternate	Alternate	Alternate
  Larry Dale Raney	William Simms	Kenneth Lewis

  
  
  
• AgriLand Sponsors Women in the Outdoors Retreat
  
  

  Through the National Wild Turkey Federation, women are learning new skills in the outdoors. Read entire article.
  

• AgriLand Reports Strong Loan Growth for the First Quarter
  
  TYLER, Texas - AgriLand Farm Credit, ACA, a local rural financing cooperative, recently reported strong loan growth and earnings for the first quarter of 2008.
  
  

  Loan volume for the quarter increased by 4.5 percent from $337.4 million reported at December 31, 2007, to $352.7 million at March 31, 2008. This is a 7.5 percent growth from a year earlier, when loan volume totaled $327 million.
  
  Net income for the first three months of 2008 was $573,000, which includes a large provision for loan losses, which offsets final net earnings. First quarter earnings were down from the first quarter of 2007, due to a provision established on a large participation loan. 
  
  “In April, AgriLand distributed $3.9 million in patronage to customers based on 2007 earnings. Since 1994, we have distributed a portion of our earnings as patronage. This is a tradition that we value as a customer-owned cooperative, and which we are committed to continuing,” said AgriLand CEO Roger Brist.
  
  Headquartered in Tyler with 10 branch offices throughout East and Northeast Texas, AgriLand is the largest Farm Credit lending cooperative serving this region. Lending offices are located in Athens, Bonham, Clarksville, Fairfield, Gainesville, Nacogdoches, Paris, Sulphur Springs, Tyler and Beaumont.
  
  AgriLand finances farms and ranches, land real estate, country homes, equipment purchases, agribusiness firms, and agricultural and livestock operations. It is part of the nationwide Farm Credit System.
  

• AgriLand Reports Strong Earnings, Large Patronage Refund
  
  TYLER, Texas - AgriLand Farm Credit, ACA, a local rural financing cooperative, recently reported outstanding 2007 financial results, highlighted by strong earnings of nearly $4.8 million and a hefty patronage refund.
  
  

  As a result of the strong earnings last year, AgriLand achieved an 11.5 percent return on average stockholders’ equity and will return $3.9 million in earnings to customers in the form of patronage.
  
  The AgriLand Farm Credit Board of Directors approved the patronage distribution, which consists of $.7 million in cash and $3.2 million in allocated equities scheduled for disbursement in April.  
  
  AgriLand is the only farm credit association in Texas that has continuously offered patronage refunds to customers since 1996. Patronage refunds effectively lower the interest rate paid by the co-op’s borrowers.
  
  “Our mission is to enhance the economic health of agriculture and rural America communities through constructive financing of their needs.  We accomplish this with quality service and competitive interest rates.  Our patronage program is an additional benefit to our customers. “, said AgriLand Chief Executive Officer Roger Brist.
  
  At December 31, 2007, AgriLand reported loan volume of $336 million, up $24 million from the $313 million reported at year-end 2006. This 7 percent increase in loan growth is attributed to new business.  And the quality of AgriLand’s loan portfolio also remained extremely strong in 2007. In 2007, AgriLand implemented enhancements to its operations to reinforce its commitment to customer service. “Customers will begin to realize the benefits of these enhancements throughout 2008 and future years,” Brist said.
  
  AgriLand Farm Credit, ACA is a $353 million customer-owned cooperative established in 1933. Headquartered in Tyler with 10 branch offices throughout East and Northeast Texas, AgriLand is the largest Farm Credit association serving this region. Lending offices are located in Athens, Bonham, Clarksville, Fairfield, Gainesville, Nacogdoches, Paris, Sulphur Springs, Tyler and Beaumont.
  
  AgriLand finances farms and ranches, land real estate, country homes, equipment purchases, agribusiness firms, and agricultural and livestock operations. It is part of the nationwide Farm Credit System.
  
  
  

• AgriLand Scholarship Program - 05/01/08
  
  TYLER, Texas - AgriLand Farm Credit, ACA, offers annual scholarships to local high school graduates. This year's application process is now closed.
  
  DOWNLOAD APPLICATION
  
  
  
• AgSweep Express: A New Cash Management Solution
  
  No more worries about overdrafts on your bank account and no more idle balances--it's an ideal banking combination that is available through AgSweep Express, a new product offered by AgriLand Farm Credit and Wachovia Bank.
  
  With AgSweep Express, your bank account is linked to your line of credit. Your balance is kept constant each day. If you do not have enough funds in the account to cover your expenses, Wachovia will automatically draw money from your line of credit loan with AgriLand. If you have excess cash that day, it will pay money toward your loan.
  
  In other words, you have less to worry about and your money is always working for you.
  
  "AgriLand already offered AgSweep, which is very beneficial for customers with large businesses that have numerous cash transactions every day," says Roger Brist, AgriLand chief executive officer. "But we also saw the need for a lower-cost, streamlined version that would be useful to customers who have fewer banking requirements. That's why we now offer AgSweep Express."
  
  AgSweep Express allows for bill-paying and QuickBooks downloads. It also provides the ablity for you to view your account activity, view check images, link personal accounts, receive market alerts, view bank statements and make deposits via remote deposit scanner.
  
  
  
  
• AgriLand Launches Bond Program
      Aims to Enhance Quality of Life in Rural Communities
  
  Farmers and ranchers rely on the economic vitality of their rural communities for off-farm jobs, markets, farm-related businesses and public services for their families. Unfortunately, rural communities are often underserved by traditional sources of capital.
  
  That is why AgriLand has launched the Rural America Bond Program. This new program is designed to help meet the growing and changing needs of agricultural enterprises and rural communities by providing a flow of money to rural areas.
  
  Under this new program, AgriLand may invest in activities that sustain, revitalize and develop rural communities by underwriting bonds on qualifying products. Rural America Bonds are a timely and alternative source of financing for rural communities, with an economic development focus.
  
  Qualifying Projects
  AgriLand can invest in two major types of projects: those that support rural commnities and those that support agriculture and agribusiness.
  
  Some eligible purpose include:
  
  --Infrastructure for agricultural production, such as a farmers' market or grain-storage facilities
  --Commercial enterprises that create or maintain jobs in rural areas
  --Essential community services, such as public administrative facilities like police and fire halls, schools, hospitals
     and other health-care facilities
  --Rural housing for low- and moderate-income families
  --Agribusinesses, regardless of throughput or ownership
  --Alternative energy
  --Rural community redevelopment and revitalization projects
  
  For the purposes of the Rural America Bond Program, a rural area is defined as an area outside a standard metropolitan statistical area or within a community that has a population of 50,000 or less.