Gary Black, Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture
“While banking has changed in the last generation, one thing that has not changed is the importance of a strong relationship with your banker. Community bankers coach their customer’s children, teach their customer’s Sunday school class, and ensure that the same family has a mortgage and line of credit for their business. It is indeed a noble calling,” commented Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black. “Georgia’s community banks are the leading providers of credit and other vital banking services to the state’s treasured farmers. The importance of the symbiotic relationship between Georgia’s farmers and their local community banks cannot be overstated,” said John McNair, President & CEO of Community Bankers Association of Georgia (CBA). Stephen Lewis, Senior Lender at First National Bank of Coffee County, Douglas, and CBA Agriculture Committee Chair took a group of bankers last fall on a tour of a Premium Peanut and Coffee County Cotton Gin in Douglas. According to Stephen, the mainlines of agriculture his bank is involved with is poultry, cotton, peanuts, corn, timber, and blueberries. “Right now, cotton prices are weak. Peanuts, corn, and timber appear stable. Blueberry prices were slightly off, but yields were good this year.”
Community bankers tour Coffee County Cotton Gin in Douglas last fall.
Perry White, Vice President- Commercial Lender, Community Bank of Georgia in Baxley, primarily serves customers with timber, cotton, peanuts, corn, soybeans, tobacco, blueberries, pecans, blackberries, cattle, poultry, and pine straw. “Agriculture is suffering a depressed pricing environment, primarily due to trade challenges worldwide. Some of these areas of agriculture mentioned have been subsidized by the government to help support the pricing. With innovations in technology and support from Extension and chemical companies, there have been advancements that have enabled the farmer to operate more efficiently,” explained Perry. “Relationships with these farmers is the key part of Ag lending. Being able to sit down and work out a 2,3,5,10-year plan with your borrower on what your mutual goals are is a major part of what helps a farmer succeed,” said Perry. “There are hills and valleys of Ag Lending. There have been times when a farmer’s request gets turned down, but 12 months later that farmer comes back and thanks his banker for looking out for him, to help him see the risks that were involved. Communication between both parties are what makes for a great lending relationship.” Peanuts, cattle, and vegetable farming including watermelons are the leading lines of agriculture in Eastman, according to Jolene Carroll, President & CEO, Bank of Eastman. “Cotton performance is doing well, due to government support and cattle is having some issues due to supply chain problems,” Jolene explained.
J u ly/ A u g u s t 2 0 2 0 | G e or g i a C o m m un i ti es F i rs t | 7
