EQUESTRIAN NEWS BRIEFS
4-H YOUTH IN ACTION AWARDS It’s that time of year again – time for all 4-H youth ages 15-19 to apply to be a 2023 4-H Youth in Action Award winner! Now is the chance for 4-H’ers across the nation to tell us how they’re impacting their communities through service and leadership. Four selected recipients will each earn a $5,000 scholarship and an opportunity to serve as a national youth spokesperson. The 4-H Youth in Action Program recognizes four confident young leaders with diverse backgrounds and unique perspectives in our core pillar areas: agriculture, civic engagement, healthy living, and STEM. Each year, Pillar Winners will experience an exciting year of telling their 4-H story and celebrating their leadership. Winners receive: • $5,000 higher education scholarship • Opportunities to showcase their 4-H impact story • All-expenses paid trip to National 4-H Council event • Networking opportunities with 4-H celebrities and other prominent alumni • Recognition as the official 4-H youth spokesperson for their pillar Learn more about the application process at www.4-h.org and set your calendar to apply by March 28, 2022.
erce Committee, to hold hearings to advance the PAST Act of 2021 on Capitol Hill. The letters also encourage Congressional leaders to engage with the American Horse Council for expert information and potential testimony. The bill has overwhelming support in both the House and Senate (247 cosponsors, 50 cosponsors respectively). “The PAST Act addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses’ limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. More specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violation” commented Julie Broadway. An identical bill was passed by the House on July 25, 2019 in the 116th Congress. The American Horse Council will keep members and the industry up-to-date on any and all developments. For more information, find the AHC at: https://www.horsecouncil.org/
A RECORD $115 MILLION BACK TO 27,000 CUSTOMERS, MARCH 17, 2022 St. Patrick’s Day will feel even luckier this year for GreenStone Farm Credit Services members. The GreenStone Farm Credit Services board of directors has approved $115 Million in patronage dividends to be paid to its 27,000 member-owners on March 17th, of 2022. This record-level of patronage, nearly 45% of GreenStone’s net profits, brings total patAHC URGES IMMEDIATE CONGRESSronage payments to $720 Million over the IONAL CONSIDERATION OF THE 17 years of the program – that makes 2022 “PREVENT ALL SORING TACTICS ACT” Lucky 17! (PAST ACT) OF 2021 “We are so excited and so fortunate to be American Horse Council President, Julie sharing these profits with our customers,” Broadway, recently sent letters to House said GreenStone President and CEO Dave and Senate leadership of committees of juri- Armstrong. “As a member-owned coopersdiction on the “Prevent All Soring Tactics ative, our success is a direct result of our Act” (PAST Act) of 2021. members’ strength and commitment. Along More specifically, the letters urge the Sen- with ensuring financial stability to being a ate Commerce, Science, & Transportation partner for our members, returning these Committee, and the House Energy & Comm- earnings to them is one of the many key benFEBRUARY 2022 • C & C PUBLISHING, INC. ©2022 (38)
efits we can provide to affirm our commitment to them.” GreenStone has always been committed to seeking additional ways to provide added value to customers and stockholders. This program makes the cooperative unique, as it is a financial institution that not only is truly competitive in interest rates and sound in capital, but also hands back a significant portion of the interest its members have paid to them. This year’s patronage check back to them averages 1.25% of their loan balance. In addition to the dividend return to members, GreenStone will also be showing appreciation through GreenStone’s Member Grown Outreach program, with a total of $20,000 in donations given to local organizations and charities. To connect our members to our effort to strengthen our support of the local communities, money will be directed to groups based on member votes at their local branch. “We’re honored to have earned this level of trust from our farmers and rural consumers in Michigan and northeast Wisconsin,” Armstrong said. Though Patronage Day is taking place on March 17, he added, “It’s not luck; it’s our commitment to do everything we can do to support our members.” The ability to provide this value of cooperative partnership is a result of strong loan growth, operational efficiencies, and members’ continued commitment to their own personal and businesses obligations, which all lead to these strong net earnings. The cooperative continues to build and grow for the future in support of its members. GreenStone continues to diversify the company portfolio by increasing involvement into country living and rural homeowner products and services. GreenStone members are invited to visit their local branch on March 17 to participate in the Patronage Day celebration. For more information about the Patronage Program, visit our website: www.greenstonefcs.com
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