leader FARM CREDIT OF CENTRAL FLORIDA
A LOOK INSIDE... Plant City Chamber of Commerce Salute to Agriculture Youth Scholarships Agricultural Leadership: Shifting Economic Megatrends
FALL 2018
Greetings, An autumn landscape in Florida looks quite different than ones in most states, but we anticipate the season’s beginning with as much excitement. We associate autumn with family time, football season and decadent cuisine from Florida’s fresh seasonal foods. In this edition of the Leader, enjoy features that highlight innovative agricultural operations in our state and key industry players who make outstanding contributions to agriculture every single day. Happy reading,
R E G G I E H O LT
PRESIDENT AND CEO
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LEADER is published quarterly for stockholders, directors and friends of Farm Credit of Central Florida.
PRESIDENT Reginald T. Holt BOARD OF DIRECTORS W. Rex Clonts, Jr., Chairman Keith D. Mixon, Vice Chairman Jenny R. Black C. Dennis Carlton, Sr. John S. Langford Randy L. Larson Dale McClellan David A. Mereness Robert R. Roberson Randall E. Strode Ronald R. Wetherington
INSIDE THIS ISSUE 4 9 11
Plant City Chamber of Commerce Salute to Agriculture Youth Scholarships Agricultural Leadership: Shifting Economic Megatrends
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Public-Private Partnerships Can “Bridge the Gap” to Resource Sustainability
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Association News
EDITORS Tory Moore, Director of Marketing Shannon Fry, Marketing Coordinator PUBLISHER AgFirst Farm Credit Bank DESIGNERS Joey Ayer Phereby Derrick Athina Eargle Amanda Simpson Travis Taylor PRINTER Professional Printers
Address changes, questions, comments or requests for copies of our financial reports should be directed to Farm Credit of Central Florida by writing P.O. Box 8009, Lakeland, FL 33802-8009 or calling 863-6824117. Our quarterly financial report can also be obtained on our website: www.FarmCreditCFL.com
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PLANT CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE Farm Credit of Central Florida is a member-owned cooperative. As a cooperative, we follow the seven cooperative principles, one of which is concern for community. We support the communities we serve and the people and businesses we do business with, who also have concern for their communities.
LEE AND DIXIE GILLMAN
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Farm Credit is a proud sponsor of the Plant City Chamber of Commerce’s Salute to Agriculture Awards Luncheon. The Chamber recently honored two Farm Credit members and a business who offers our pointof-sale equipment financing, Farm Credit EXPRESS, for their commitment and support of Plant City’s community and agriculture.
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You can make the best crop in the world, but if you can’t put it in a box, it isn’t worth anything.
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LEE GILLMAN LEE AND DIXIE GILLMAN WITH THEIR CATTLE.
Lee and Dixie Gillman Agriculturalists of the Year Lee and Dixie Gillman are strawberry farmers and cattlemen in Plant City, and the recipients of the Plant City Salute to Agriculture 2018 Agriculturalists of the Year award. They credit their blessings to God and thank Him for all they have. Lee is no stranger to agriculture as a sixthgeneration farmer, and a second-generation strawberry farmer. When Lee was 11 years old, his father began strawberry farming. In November of 1989, Lee signed the papers for a farm of his own. On Christmas Eve, a record freeze struck the state, leading to a state of emergency. After, Lee began business with Farm Credit of Central Florida. “Man was it easy; it was a good experience,” Lee said of his Farm Credit loan experience. The Gillmans met in 1994 and married in 1995. Dixie was doing public relations work for the American Red Cross in Sarasota when they married and Lee brought her back to her Plant City roots. Dixie worked in Tampa before she began bookkeeping for the farm in 2004. In 2006, Lee’s dad was ready to sell 30 acres of land, and Lee was ready to expand. Lee’s positive experience with Farm Credit brought them back to Farm Credit to assist them in their next step of buying the farmland. A few years ago, the Gillmans had an opportunity to market their berries with Wish Farms. They took this opportunity to join and use some of the benefits that came with being a part of Wish, such as their commitment to quality and food safety programs,
GAYLE YANES (LEFT) OF FARM CREDIT WITH DIXIE (CENTER, HOLDING AWARD) AND LEE (RIGHT) GILLMAN AT THE PLANT CITY SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE AWARDS LUNCHEON.
which helped them get their berries into more markets such as grocery stores. They are now in their third season with Wish. The Gillmans have a heart for Plant City and are deeply rooted in the community. At Bethany Baptist, Lee helps with the finance committee, and Dixie helps with the hospitality committee. They are both highly involved in local agriculture as members of Farm Bureau, the Hillsborough County Cattlemens Association, and the Plant City FFA Alumni. Lee serves as a board member of the Florida Strawberry Growers Association. Dixie often serves as a guest speaker with the Florida State Fair AgVenture program. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Lee and Dixie have 30 head of cattle that they raise for show steers and club calves. They have had great success with their homegrown steers, including a reserve grand champion winner, which was shown by one of their sons. The Gillmans both enjoy using their experience and expertise to help local kids with steer projects by answering questions, teaching them, hauling animals and donating to their project funds. First and second year steer exhibitors especially benefit from the help and support that the Gillmans offer. Lee had farmer mentors who looked after him and taught him many valuable lessons. Lee describes these mentors as “humble and good guys.” As a result, he has a passion for agriculture and enjoys helping youth. He has helped several Plant City school ag programs with their strawberry field preparation and equipment needs. As strawberry growers, the Gillmans appreciate their workers who help them in the strawberry fields. They value employees’ hard work in helping ensure the berries are harvested at the right time. “You can make the best crop in the world, but if you can’t put it in a box, it isn’t worth anything,” Lee said.
RAY AND PHYLLIS CLARK IN THEIR PASTURE.
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Ray Clark Supporter of Youth in Agriculture Plant City born and Lakeland raised, Ray Clark attended Kathleen High School where he was an FFA officer and showed steers. His family milked cows, grew their own vegetables and had orange groves. After high school, Ray attended Polk Jr. College, now Polk State, where he received a two-year degree before earning his bachelor’s in agricultural education from the University of Florida. Ray interned at Plant City High School in the Agriculture department, where he later became a full-time teacher, upon completion of a successful internship. Ray’s brother, Jay, is a past president of Federal Land Bank, which later became Farm Credit. Prior to Jay’s presidency, Homer Thompson was the president of the Federal Land Bank. Mr. Thompson introduced himself to Ray a few years into Ray’s teaching
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Farm Credit has been a part of my life for a long time.
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RAY CLARK RAY CLARK (CENTER) HOLDING HIS AWARD NEXT TO HIS WIFE, PHYLLIS (RIGHT), AND FARM CREDIT REGIONAL MARKET MANAGER GAYLE YANES (LEFT).
position and asked him to join Federal Land Bank as a Production Credit Officer. Ultimately, Ray declined the offer and decided to continue with his passion of teaching agriculture to kids. Ray taught for 36 years, serving as a department head for 20 years and overseeing the largest agriculture department East of the Mississippi River. At one point, there were eight agriscience teachers and three FFA chapters all housed at Plant City High School. Ray takes pride in watching his students’ successes. He taught 30 individuals who now teach agriculture themselves, 23 state FFA officers, five national FFA officers, and candidate for Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody. “FFA was my life as an ag teacher,” Ray recalls of his experiences with the kids he taught and events he attended to support his students and represent them. Today, Ray owns 340 acres and has cattle that keep him busy when he is not supporting the community. Since retirement, Ray has been extremely involved in the community, serving on the FFA Foundation board, the Farm Credit nominating committee, a past president and current vice president of the Polk County Cattlemen’s Association. He is an inductee to the FFA Hall of Fame and the Kathleen High Hall of Fame. He is the first Agriculture Educator of the Year recipient for Plant City. Ray serves as a member of the Florida State Fair steer committee and the Strawberry Festival steer and swine committees. He is an involved member of his church. Ray supports youth in agriculture and has taught those who went on to become leaders in their community. Today, Ray’s two children and three grandchildren are involved in agriculture and look up to him.
Ray has a history with Farm Credit beyond being the recipient of the 2018 Supporter of Youth in Agriculture award at the Plant City Salute to Agriculture Luncheon. His father bought 640 acres with financing from Farm Credit. In 1973, Homer Thompson of Federal Land Bank invited him to the first Plant City Strawberry Breakfast that the bank sponsored. He has been attending since. Also in 1973, Ray received a home loan with the Federal Land Bank. Later, his son and his daughter-in-law received a home loan from Farm Credit as well. “Farm Credit has been a part of my life for a long time,” Ray said. Farm Credit of Central Florida appreciates and values Ray Clark as a member and longtime friend of the Farm Credit System.
Everglades Equipment Group Agribusiness of the Year In August 2011, Everglades bought Highland Tractor Company and started business in Plant City. Bob Wells, Agriculture Sales for Everglades Equipment Group, recalls the transition. He describes a change in attitude during this transition where it became clear Everglades was putting the customer first, employees second, and corporate last. Around this time, the parts and service departments saw quite a bit of growth. Everglades Equipment Group has been a supporter of the Plant City community for quite some time. As the largest Gator dealer in the world, Everglades not only sells Gators, but also donates them to local high schools to use, often CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE LEADER • FALL 2018
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BOB WELLS OF EVERGLADES EQUIPMENT GROUP HOLDING THE AGRIBUSINESS OF THE YEAR AWARD WITH FARM CREDIT REGIONAL MARKET MANAGER GAYLE YANES.
BOB WELLS OF EVERGLADES EQUIPMENT GROUP IN FRONT OF A JOHN DEERE 6175R.
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for agriculture departments. Everglades supports youth in agriculture in FFA and 4-H, and often sends corporate sponsored add-ons to Plant City livestock exhibitors at the fair and the Strawberry Festival. Everglades sends employees to the Redlands Christian Migrant Association golf tournament each year to benefit migrant children. Bob Wells describes Everglades’ support of kids as doing “anything with kids who need help.” The Florida Strawberry Growers Association honored Bob Wells and Paul Cole of Everglades, both with the Classic Award for their work developing a way to stop tractors from releasing harmful fumes during processes. The tractors’ gas went into the ground and as a result would be poisonous for several days. Bob was convinced that there had to be a way to turn the gas on and off automatically via satellite and came to Paul looking to find a way to solve the problem. Paul thought about potential solutions for two years without any answers, and then he woke up at 4 a.m. one morning with the way to make it happen. “We saved the farmers a boatload in gas canister costs by doing that. They saved enough to pay for the system,” Bob said. “It was the worker safety that really drove the program to its success,” Bob said of the initiative. Everglades supports agriculture and rural areas, especially Plant City. Many strawberry farmers need machinery and come to Everglades for advice and equipment. Bob Wells once received a call from a man 40 miles outside of Houston interested in farming strawberries in Texas. The man told Bob, “I heard you don’t grow strawberries without talking to Bob Wells.” Bob jokes about the call now, but says that strawberries and tractors go together and Everglades supports the strawberry industry and has equipment on most Plant City farms. Everglades Equipment Group is a Farm Credit EXPRESS dealer, offering Farm Credit financing on new and used tractors. When asked about Everglades’ recent award of Plant City Agribusiness of the year, Bob cited Everglades love of agriculture, their business, and their customers as contributing to their success.
YOUTH SCHOLARSHIPS As a cooperative, Farm Credit believes in giving back to the communities in which we live and work. We believe that our youth are the future of agriculture and supporting them sets the industry up for success. Congratulations to our 2018-2019 scholarship recipients!
Lexi Sanchez University of Florida Plant City Campus
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Simply just being a teacher won’t cut it for me though. I want to be a student’s inspiration, their role model. Having an agriculture teacher who was those things to me is what has driven me to find my passion here.
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LEXI SANCHEZ
Lexi Sanchez is an Agricultural Education and Communication student at the University of Florida’s Plant City campus with a specialization in education. Lexi plans to become an agriculture educator and eventually wants to obtain her doctorate and teach at the university level. Lexi is involved in many organizations, including FFA, and internships with the service extension. She will begin student teaching in January.
Cassidy Dossin University of Florida Cassidy Dossin is an Animal Science student from Valrico. Cassidy has interned with the extension service, works at the swine unity on campus at the University of Florida and is involved in multiple organizations including the Gator Collegiate Cattlewomen and Block and Bridle. She was on the 2018 Livestock Judging Team and has maintained a 3.9 GPA. Congratulations, Cassidy!
James Cameron Canto Warner University James Canto is a student at Warner University. He’s from Center Hill and is active in the local Cattlemen’s Association and a member of the Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers group. James has just started preaching and hopes to make a career out of ministry.
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WHAT IS FARM CREDIT EXPRESS? Farm Credit EXPRESS is a competitively priced equipment financing program supported by Farm Credit and available at your local dealer. Financing is available for farm equipment, irrigation systems, and equine and commodity trailers. Why Farm Credit EXPRESS? • Easy, on-the-spot financing • Cash discounts from the manufacturer for new equipment • Used equipment programs • Decisions within minutes • Fixed-rate loan products • Leasing options • Service and support from a local lender • The opportunity to share in our profit-sharing patronage program
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To find a dealer near you, visit farmcreditexpress.com
AGRICULTURAL LEADERSHIP: SHIFTING ECONOMIC MEGATRENDS How will economic megatrends press the paradigms of future leaders in the agribusiness sector? This thought-provoking question provides insight into the challenges and opportunities that are ahead in the agriculture industry. What strategies will individuals and organizations need to implement to prepare for proactively managing and capitalizing on economic megatrends? While this subject could fill a semester of lectures in a university class, let’s focus on a few key aspects.
Volatility Historically, the agriculture industry has been required to navigate business operations in a volatile environment. The future leader will be confronted with extreme volatility in an economic environment of smaller margins. During the economic commodity super cycle from 2006 to 2012, high commodity prices were the norm, making it easier for producers to more easily absorb fluctuations in prices and cost. However, with today’s suppressed margins, the ability of a leader in the agricultural field to execute a well-managed game plan will be a requirement, not an option. In the future, these leaders will have to integrate changes in currency values and the impact of foreign and domestic trade negotiations into both short- and long-term strategies.
Interest rates The agriculture industry has experienced a decade of low, flat interest rates. In the next few years, agriculture leaders must manage debt and capital in an environment of increasing interest rates. These rising rates, coupled with tighter margins, increase the emphasis on financial sensitivity analysis of cash flows, overall debt structure and repayment terms. Special emphasis must be placed on working capital and overall capital management to absorb occasional negative changes in profits as a result of price, cost or interest rate variability. This will be the buffer for adversity, but also the catalyst for opportunity and change.
Consumer trends There is a saying that “90 percent of success in business is about alignment.” The forward-thinking leader will align land, labor, capital and information resources with talent and management. These two components will then be meshed with changes and forces in the marketplace. Closely watching consumer trends, both domestically and internationally, will be critical for future business leaders. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE LEADER • FALL 2018
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The marketplace has splintered as a result of shifts in consumer preferences of Millennials and Generation Z. These generations seek experiences, and agribusiness leaders must adapt to these changes. The future of agriculture and agribusiness will not be one-size-fits-all. Some businesses will be best positioned for the commodity markets with a model based on efficiency and low cost. Other businesses will be adaptable and tap into niche markets to fulfill a need or provide a service. Some producers will employ a combination of both marketing strategies.
People People management will be the differentiator of business performance in the future. Independent leadership will be replaced by individuals who
are interdependent and can build a productive work and business culture of high-performing employees and customers. As younger generations move toward technology, maintaining the balance between interpersonal skills and technology will be a challenge. Future business leaders must embrace the confluence of these skills as an opportunity. Many economic megatrends will impact the future of the agriculture industry. Volatility can result in opportunities, but it also can result in failure if not managed proactively. Interest rates will impact the cost of doing business and asset values. Consumer trends will require constant research and assessment. People management will continue to be an important business skill. There is a bright future for the agriculture industry when its leaders embrace these changes.
David Kohl received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in agricultural economics from Cornell University. For 25 years, Kohl was a professor of agricultural finance and small business management and entrepreneurship in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va. He was on special leave with the Royal Bank of Canada working on advanced initiatives for two years, and also assisted in the launch of the successful entrepreneurship program at Cornell University. Kohl is professor emeritus in the AAEC Department at Virginia Tech.
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PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS CAN ‘BRIDGE THE GAP’ TO RESOURCE SUSTAINABILITY1 With recent record rainfalls pummeling Florida, the realization that water managers need multiple and creative solutions settled deeper. Algae blooms, estuarine impacts, and declining spring flows and quality add urgency to calls for altering resource trends. To swiftly implement projects that combat these issues, state agencies are increasingly partnering with landowners, paying them for environmental services such as storing excess water, providing extra water quality treatment, and recharging Florida’s aquifers. Florida’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program began in the early 2000’s when the South Florida Water Management District (SFWMD) struggled with Lake Okeechobee’s water quality and excessive coastal discharge issues. Seeking nearterm improvement, SFWMD created a collaborative
pilot program with several partners including World Wildlife Fund and six ranchers, and the Florida Ranchlands Environmental Services Project (FRESP) was born. Proving successful and cost-effective, FRESP evolved to Northern Everglades Payment for Environmental Services (NE–PES) and water farming or dispersed water management. The programs received rave reviews from Audubon of Florida and 1000 Friends of Florida. Spreading northward, the St. Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD) and Suwannee River Water Management District (SRWMD) embraced pilot programs to address both aquifer recharge and water quality improvements in 2016. Developing successful PPP agreements requires the parties to overcome key uncertainties. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE
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Issue: Long-term Payment, and Linking Project Purpose to Payment and Agency Goals PPPs must be directed toward accomplishing a public purpose. Attaining the public purpose is the service a landowner provides and the basis of payment. Therefore, a foundational issue is to define the PPPs’ purpose and method to quantify provision of the service. Resource-related purposes that may be met through PPPs include: (1) storage of excess water, (2) water treatment, (3) aquifer recharge, and (4) protected species conservation. Ideally, the PPP’s purpose will relate to agency goals, helping solidify agency commitment to funding.
To swiftly implement projects that combat these issues, state agencies are increasingly partnering with landowners, paying them for environmental services such as storing excess water, providing extra water quality treatment, and recharging Florida’s aquifers.
Issue: Assuring Multi-year Funding PPP contracts, while often executed for a 10-year term, routinely provide only annual funding. Risk of year-to-year funding creates landowner uncertainty, which is magnified due to the cost of reverting infrastructure back to its pre-existing condition. For example, if a berm is built and the project is not funded the next year, then a landowner may experience substantial cost to remove the berm, returning the land to its prior condition. If the contract is funded for many years, then the landowner may have sufficient return to absorb
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reversion costs. Annual funding decisions are typical in PPPs as it is considered beyond authority. Contract terms addressing infrastructure costs and funding can help minimize risk. Also, by linking long-term agency goals with the project’s purpose, landowners increase the likelihood of continued funding.
Issue: Funding Terms PPP relationships are based on paying landowners for providing environmental services above what is otherwise required by law, such as storing excess water or removing pounds of nutrients. However, fee calculation varies. For example, some agencies pay for excess nutrients removed, others pay an annual fee since the land is made available, regardless of actual volumes of water treated. This recognizes performance is driven by rainfall variation and does not place risk on landowners. A hybrid of these fee structures could also be negotiated.
Issue: Resolving Regulatory Uncertainty Florida’s PPP program makes feasible shorter-term and implementable storage, treatment, and recharge solutions. Because these projects are not permanent, a key landowner interest is reverting the property to its baseline condition. Once long-term restoration projects come online, there may be a shift in utility of these private lands as dispersed water projects. That is why it is important that they be allowed to revert to baseline conditions. Once a property reverts to baseline, however, there should be no additional limitations on the use of the property. Storing excess water and treating it on land can lead to changes such as increased wetland footprint and potential new use by protected species. In order to recognize that reversion to agreed-upon baseline conditions is critical, the legislature adopted a Florida statute that establishes procedures for setting a baseline condition and reverting after the PPP. Federal regulations are not similarly designed — creating uncertainty. Early on, the PPP programs streamlined federal regulatory requirements for these water storage projects by negotiating programmatic approvals, which expedited project implementation by authorizing defined water management practices that provide retention and nutrient removal so long
as certain conditions were met. Agency agreements also expedited project implementation and reversion to base conditions. Currently, these federal approvals, which were geographically limited in scope, are suspended. Landowners wishing to participate in storage programs can pursue federal and state approvals on a case-by-case basis, but this is timeconsuming and yields uncertain results. However, a concerted effort is underway that will enable PPP projects to obtain federal water storage approvals and provide a clearer reversion strategy so that landowners can have more certainty at the end of the project. State and federal agencies and landowners are negotiating a statewide cooperative agreement to address the endangered species issues that may arise from these water storage projects. The cooperative agreement, which will hopefully be finalized in the near future, would provide certainty and protection from any listed species impacts to landowners during operation of the water storage project and after the contract expires. Florida is making great strides in implementing PPPs and should increasingly be able to address resource issues by partnering with landowners.
For an update on SFWMD implementation, see South Florida Environmental Report (2017) Vol. 1, Chapter 8a, available at: http://apps.sfwmd. gov/sfwmd/SFER/2017_sfer_final/v1/chapters/ v1_ch8a.pdf [apps.sfwmd.gov] The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program can only be implemented on private lands and is voluntary. State agencies are often partners in helping facilitate agreements with the federal government. See “For Private Landowners: The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program,” Fish and Wildlife Services, https://www.fws.gov/southeast/ our-services/partners-program/ [fws.gov] For background information: http://www.fresp.org/resources.php [fresp.org]
Debbie Madden is an attorney with Gunster focusing on environmental law. She represents clients in permitting, compliance, and litigation matters involving wetlands, water supply, listed species, mitigation banking, submerged lands, and coastal construction. Luna Phillips is a shareholder with Gunster focusing on environmental, administrative, and governmental law. She assists agricultural entities, developers, and public and private companies with water-quality regulations, environmental resource and water use permitting, and listed species approvals.
First published in the Florida Bar Journal, February, 2018 https://www.floridabar.org/news/tfb-journal/?durl=%2Fdiv com%2Fjn%2Fjnjournal01.nsf%2F8c9f13012b96736985256a a900624829%2F7728fea8063ae4608525821f005eeda9
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Elizabeth Ross is an of counsel attorney with Gunster practicing exclusively in the areas of environmental and administrative law. She represents clients before all five water management districts, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and various federal agencies. Beth advises agricultural, irrigation, utility, commercial and industrial clients on attaining water rights, crafting regulations with various stakeholders, and developing water supply resources that comply with federal, state and water management district requirements.
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
BOARD MEMBER JENNY BLACK ELECTED TO THE AGFIRST BOARD OF DIRECTORS Citrus grower, IT consultant, and Farm Credit of Central Florida Director Jenny Black has been elected by stockholders across the AgFirst district to serve on the AgFirst Farm Credit Bank Board of Directors. The seat was vacated in January, and she will serve the remaining term. As a citrus grower with IT experience, she brings a new perspective to the AgFirst board. She is a lifelong Florida resident, and has experience tackling recent issues facing the citrus industry. Mrs. Black owns 375 acres of citrus groves and is a member of the Peace River Packing Company. She is the owner of
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Mrs. Black has been a great asset to the Farm Credit of Central Florida Board of Directors, and will bring experience and knowledge to the AgFirst Board of Directors; we are looking forward to what she will accomplish.
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W. REX CLONTS JR.
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Jenny Black Consulting, LLC, a company that provides IT consulting services to the transportation and agriculture industries. Mrs. Black joined the Farm Credit of Central Florida board in 2014. She currently serves as chair of the Governance Committee and is a member of the Compensation Committee. “Mrs. Black has been a great asset to the Farm Credit of Central Florida Board of Directors, and will bring experience and knowledge to the AgFirst Board of Directors; we are looking forward to what she will accomplish,” W. Rex Clonts Jr., Chairman of the Farm Credit of Central Florida Board said. In addition to her service to Farm Credit, she currently serves on the Polk County Florida 4-H Foundation Board, the Advisory Board for Volunteers in Service to the Elderly (VISTE), and the All Saints Academy Board of Trustees. She is a member of the Polk County Farm Bureau and Florida Citrus Mutual. AgFirst Farm Credit Bank is a cooperative owned by the associations that make up the AgFirst district, including Farm Credit of Central Florida. AgFirst provides services such as marketing, human resources, data security, and more to each of the associations and is governed by a board of directors. The AgFirst Board of Directors is comprised of 17 members, each with diverse backgrounds and experiences that allow them to serve the mission of Farm Credit — supporting rural communities and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services, today and tomorrow. “We are looking forward to Mrs. Black representing Farm Credit of Central Florida on the AgFirst Board of Directors, her unique set of skills in IT, being a grower herself, and involvement in decisions in a citrus cooperative, will enable her to make positive impacts for both the district and our association,” Reggie Holt, President and CEO of Farm Credit of Central Florida said.
ASSOCIATION NEWS
NEW HIRES Destiney Blake Destiney Blake joined the Farm Credit family as a Commercial Loan Processor in July of 2018. Before Farm Credit, Destiney worked at MidFlorida Credit Union in the Mortgage department. She was the recipient of three awards for being the third top seller in the west Polk region while at MidFlorida. She is currently pursuing her business degree at Hillsborough Community College. In her spare time, Destiney enjoys spending time with family, going to different restaurants, cooking, and watching movies. Her favorite movie is “The Notebook.”
Johan Dam Johan Dam rejoined the Farm Credit family as a Capital Markets and Investment Officer in July of 2018. Previously, Johan worked at Farm Credit before taking a three-year hiatus while he originated agricultural loans for Prudential across the Southwest U.S. while living in California. Johan was born in Florida and raised in the Bahamas before he returned “home” to study at Warner Southern during his undergrad years, and earned his MBA at the University of Florida. He considers Central Florida his home and is happy to be back home and at Farm Credit. His proudest accomplishments include his three kids, and marriage to his high school sweetheart. When he is not spending time with his family, he is outdoors hunting, watching a football game, or boating.
Erica Frye Erica Frye joined the Farm Credit family as a Commercial Credit Analyst in June of 2018. Before Farm Credit, she was a commercial credit analyst at First Midwest Bank, an analyst at Rabo AgriFinance, and an accountant for Illinois Farm Business Management. She earned her bachelor’s degree in agriculture economics with a concentration in agribusiness markets and management from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is an avid Chicago Cubs fan and enjoys working on cars and recreational vehicles. In her spare time she loves binge watching “The Walking Dead” and “Game Of Thrones” and always has 90s music on repeat.
Angelika Pyle Angelika Pyle joined the Farm Credit family as a Plant City-based Residential File Opener/Post Closer in July of 2018. Before Farm Credit, Angelika worked for a trucking company for 14 years in various positions such as CSR, Fuel Tax Clerk, Settlements Representative, and a Settlements Supervisor. Angelika was born and raised in Germany, where she trained as a Nurse’s Aide during Secondary Technical School. She loves spending time with her husband, her kids, and her cat. She enjoys swimming in their pool and watching television shows such as “Seinfeld” and “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
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Corey Reichert Corey Reichert joined the Farm Credit family as a Credit Analyst in September of 2018. Before Farm Credit, he worked as a financial intern for a financial advisory firm, and was a Marketing Coordinator at Exploration V. Children’s Museum. Corey will graduate in December of 2018 with an MBA from Florida Southern in Lakeland. He earned his bachelor’s in economics from Florida Southern as well. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with friends and reading novels. He is a fan of Hemingway, Dostoevsky, and Bukowski.
Bailey Volden Bailey Volden joined the Farm Credit family as a Compliance Coordinator in September of 2018. Before Farm Credit, she worked for Midfirst Bank in Arizona in the operations department, and later fell in love with the compliance side of banking while there. She graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in finance and a certificate in Business Data Analytics. She is a third-generation Sun Devil and a proud fan. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking and being active. She also enjoys traveling and experiencing new things from a trip to Australia to finding new local restaurants and coffee shops.
INTERNS Allyson Polston
Matthew Agosti Matthew Agosti of Zephyrhills, Florida, joined Farm Credit as a Credit Analyst Intern for the summer in May of 2018. Matthew is a senior at the University of Florida studying finance. He enjoys writing music, reading, and coding in his spare time. He is involved in a program known as Reading Pals, where he and other college students help elementary school students with their homework.
Allyson Polston of Lakeland, Florida, joined Farm Credit as a Marketing Intern in September of 2018. Allyson will graduate with a bachelor’s in agricultural education and communication from the University of Florida in December 2018. She is in her sixth and final year on the International Junior Brangus Board. She enjoys raising and showing registered Brangus cattle.
EMPLOYEE ANNIVERSARIES
1 Year
10 Years
Garrett Autry Jeffrey Gofter
Marisela Medina Scarlet Detjen
Anniversaries are recorded as of August 17, 2018
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ASSOCIATION NEWS
HAVE YOU SEEN OUR WEBSITE RECENTLY? We have refreshed our website for a better user experience! Highlights of the web refresh include: • A cleaner look making it easier to navigate, saving you time • Graphic buttons on landing pages making finding the page you want and the information you are looking for easier for you • A new Farm Credit EXPRESS section with a link to the national dealer locator
Check it out for yourself today! Visit farmcreditcfl.com LEADER • FALL 2018
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CROP INSURANCE: THE SAFETY NET YOU NEED Patronage: Crop Insurance customers are members of a cooperative. This allows us to pay patronage dividends (profit sharing) to our eligible customers on their crop insurance policy. Coverage for your agribusiness loans: Crop insurance lowers production risks and helps protects against catastrophic losses. Confidentiality: Your confidentiality is of the upmost importance. With our top-of-the-line cybersecurity, your private information remains secure. Expertise in Agricultural Risk Management: Simply put, we know agriculture. Our in-depth working knowledge of your operation allows us to craft an accurate policy that optimizes your risk protection.
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Upcoming closing dates! • Nov. 15: Pasture, Rangeland Forage and Apiary • Nov. 20: Blueberries • Feb. 28: Whole Farm Revenue Protection (WFRP)
Contact us today! Speak with your loan officer, or call Jennifer Parrish at 863.904.3182.
Certain limitations, conditions and exclusions apply. Please refer to the policy for more details.
ACCOUNTACCESS — NOW WITH TOUCH ID AccountAccess users now have the option to log in with fingerprint or facial recognition. To use this new feature: • Update your AccountAccess App. • When you log in, click the enable TouchID checkbox. (Please note that this will allow anyone with a fingerprint stored in your phone to have access to your account.) • If your device is not recognized, you will need to answer challenge questions even when you use the TouchID feature in the future. To avoid, select “yes” when prompted to register your device. • Enter your password and TouchID will be enabled. Select “Sign in with Touch ID” each time you choose to sign in this way. If your phone has facial recognition, after enabling TouchID you will be asked if you would like to allow FaceID. If so, select “OK”. Please note, if your user ID or password changes, you will need to follow the same process to enable Touch ID again. We hope you enjoy the convenience of using fingerprint and facial recognition to access your account. If you have any questions, please contact your local branch.
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FLORIDA’S AGRICULTURE LEADERS SEE LABOR AND WATER POLICY AS TOP ISSUES AT CANDIDATES FORUM IN ORLANDO Farm labor and water issues took center stage along with candidates for Florida’s top elected positions at the 11th quadrennial Farm Credit/Agriculture Communicators of Florida Candidates Forum on October 4, 2018. Candidates for governor, attorney general, chief financial officer, agriculture commissioner and U.S. Senate were invited to outline their plans to lead Florida’s second largest industry, a multibillion-dollar contributor to the state’s economy that employs more than 2 million people. Candidates for agriculture commissioner were featured at the forum, taking questions on key issues and providing an overview on the office. Matt Caldwell, Republican candidate for agriculture commissioner, said, “This is the single most complicated commissioner of agriculture job in the nation, with 300-plus commodities.” “You have to be prepared for all different ways it will come at you — pest and disease issues you have to grapple with, trade issues you have to deal with, and so on … and then you have all the different responsibilities associated with this office. It touches every single one of the 21 million Floridians in the state every day,” Caldwell added. Nikki Fried, Democratic candidate for ag commissioner, said she will look for ways to further support the industry through the Florida Department of Agriculture’s initiative to promote the sale of high quality products and commodities grown in the state. “This is one of the most important things that the commissioner of agriculture does. We are your advocates, we are your face, and we need to make sure that Fresh from Florida is not only thriving …
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that the entire state of Florida knows exactly what you do every single day,” Fried said. The Candidates Forum at the Orange County Convention Center is held in conjunction with the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscape Association’s The Landscape Show, the state’s largest horticultural trade and educational event. “It is imperative the state’s leaders understand the importance of agriculture as a critical component of the state’s economic health — and for our growers, ranchers, producers and ag business leaders to be informed voters about where the candidates stand,” said Tory Moore, chair of the Farm Credit/Agriculture Communicators of Florida Forum. “Every four years, this forum under the strong partnership between Farm Credit and the Ag Communicators of Florida allows for that interaction to take place between the candidates and Florida’s leading agriculturists,” said Moore, who serves as president of the Florida Ag Communicators and is director of marketing for Farm Credit of Central Florida.
FLORIDA ELECTION POLLING RESULTS AS OF OCT. 10, 2018
6
102
78
76%
Polls
Participants
Average Responses
Average Engagement
Florida U.S. Senator | Whom do you plan to vote for? 88% 12%
Response Options
Count
Rick Scott (R)
69
Bill Nelson (D)
9
76%
78
Engagement
Responses
Florida Governor | Whom do you plan to vote for? 90% 10%
Response Options
Count
Ron DeSantis (R)
69
Andrew Gillum (D)
8
75%
77
Engagement
Responses
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture | Whom do you plan to vote for? 92% 8%
Response Options
Count
Matt Caldwell (R)
69
Nikki Fried (D)
6
74%
75
Engagement
Responses
Florida Attorney General | Whom do you plan to vote for? 96% 4%
Response Options
Count
Ashley Moody (R)
75
Sean Shaw (D)
3
76% Engagement
78 Responses
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Farm Credit of Central Florida P.O. Box 8009 Lakeland, FL 33802-8009
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
COLUMBIA SC PERMIT 1160