Yankee Farm Credit and CoBank Donate $10,000 to Green Mountain Farm to School

 

Katherine Sims of Green Mountain Farm to School
and Yankee Board Member Bryan Davis

Derby, Vermont (July 15, 2016) – Green Mountain Farm to School recently received $10,000 from Yankee Farm Credit and CoBank, two cooperative lending institutions in the Farm Credit System. Katherine Sims, Founder and Executive Director received the donations from Bryan Davis, Yankee Farm Credit’s Board member, Loren Petzoldt, Yankee Farm Credit’s Derby office Branch Manager, and George Putnam, Yankee Farm Credit’s President and CEO. Each institution contributed $5,000.

CoBank’s contribution is part of their “Sharing Success” program, a $3 million matching grant program designed to benefit cooperatives and charitable groups they support throughout rural America. CoBank launched this program in 2012 to coincide with the United Nations’ “International Year of Cooperatives.”

Katherine Sims of Green Mountain Farm to School said: “We are thankful and honored to receive support from Yankee Farm Credit and CoBank. Their matching Sharing Success donations will go a long way in helping us plant school gardens, source local food in the cafeterias, and continue educating our children and communities about healthy foods.”

Yankee Farm Credit’s George Putnam commented: “We are pleased to recognize and support the efforts of Green Mountain Farm to School, and its founder Katherine Sims, to promote awareness and use of good, local foods in our schools. Their programs help our children learn healthy eating habits and build connections to where our food comes from.”

 

Green Mountain Farm-to-School (GMFTS) is a non-profit organization in Newport, Vt. that strengthens local food systems by promoting positive economic and educational relationships between schools, farms, and communities. GMFTS supplies fresh, local food to schools and institutions and gives students of all ages the knowledge and skills they need to make healthy food choice through school gardens, farm-to-school programs, a regional food hub, and mobile learning kitchen. For more information about GMFTS, please visit their website at http://greenmountainfarmtoschool.org/.

 

CoBank is a cooperative bank serving vital industries across rural America. The bank provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers in all 50 states. A proud member of the Farm Credit System, the bank also provides wholesale loans and other financial services to affiliated Farm Credit associations, including Yankee Farm Credit, which in turn serve farmers, ranchers and other rural borrowers in 23 states around the country. For more information about CoBank, visit the bank’s web site at www.cobank.com

Yankee Farm Credit Celebrates 100 years of Farm Credit with Open Houses.

On Friday July 15^th, 2016 four of Yankee Farm Credit’s offices opened their doors to celebrate the Centennial Anniversary of Farm Credit. Derby, St. Albans, Middlebury and White River Junction VT, each welcomed past, present and hopeful future customers, directors, families and friends  to highlight the 100 years of service Farm Credit has been able to offer the agricultural and rural communities.

Each branch welcomed visitors to join them for lunch and festivities.  Everyone was welcome for fun, food, a chance to catch up with your local office staff or meet them for the first time.

Middlebury's collection of
Vintage Farm Credit signs

If you were lucky and visited White River Junction you could have left with a tractor painted on your cheek! St. Albans had lawn games in full swing with Island Ice Cream, Middlebury had a showcase of vintage Farm Credit signs on display and the Derby office had the honor of an extra -special guest at their Open House.

Katherine Sims of Green Mountain Farm to School stopped by the Derby office to accept matching donations of $5000.00 each from Yankee Farm Credit and CoBank, as part of CoBank’s “Sharing Success” program. George Putnam, Yankee’s President and CEO also presented Katherine with a personalized plaque awarded to her by Farm Credit as a top 100 Fresh Perspective Honoree. A program created by Farm Credit to highlight 100 individuals or organizations creating the future of agriculture and rural America across the nation. 



President and CEO, George Putnam and
 GMFTS Executive Director, Katherine Sims

A few comments from Yankee Farm Credit’s board members on our 100 Years Open Houses:

 “Enjoyed the time out to catch up with employees and customers that I don't usually cross paths with. Good summer time food,- especially the baked beans. Hats off to the preparers of the photo albums of earlier association times and members. Makes you appreciate the earlier footprints we are all following. Thanks for the work of all the staff to pull it together.”

                -Paul Franklin, Board Chairperson

 

 “The open house event in White River Junction was very enjoyable because it gave my sons and me the chance to visit informally with various members of the staff in a relaxed, festive setting. It’s great to get to know what they’re doing in their lives both professionally and beyond. They’re a pretty impressive group.”

- Steve Taylor, Board Member

 

The White River Jct., staff.

 “The 100th year open house celebration was a hit.  When the kids and I had the tour, they realized how much YFC had grown since their loans with Ken at the old office.  100 years seems like a long time until you are sitting with member friends of 30 years plus and it occurs to you that you have been a part of this amazing organization for just shy of a third of that time.  Couldn't stay long enough to see everyone, but it was encouraging to see a FarmStart couple take the time to attend.”

                                -- Rene Saenger, Board member

The St. Albans staff.

 

“It was so good to see our members.  When I see the many different ages and enterprises represented, it reaffirms my belief that Yankee has and will continue to play an essential role in agricultural communities, farm families and the well-being of our nation.”

                -Rocki-Lee Dewitt, Board Member