Farm Credit Fellows

UVM Farm Credit Fellows Oliver Bevan, Kristen Caron, Melissa Cronin, Alexander Doolittle, Jana Gailiunas, Mathew Jacobson, Dan Truso and UVM contact Charlie Ferreira

Farm Credit East hosted the 2016 Farm Credit Fellows program on April 14^th and 15^th at their headquarters in Enfield, CT.  There were thirty-four students participating from Cornell University, University of Maine, University of Vermont, and University of Connecticut.  It was a group of interactive and enthusiastic students along with passionate presenters educating and preparing them for their future roles in agriculture and the Farm Credit System.  Presentations by representatives from the Funding Corporation, CoBank, Financial Partners, Farm Credit East, and the Farm Credit East board of directors explored all of the opportunities offered by the Farm Credit System.

Thursday started off with a tour of the Farm Credit museum in the Enfield office.  This gave the participants a good introduction to the history of Farm Credit.  They were then given a more in depth explanation of how the entire Farm Credit System works starting with the Funding Corporation.  Susan Bilotta, Vice President-Finance of the Funding Corp, explained how the funding process works and the relationships they have with the banks, investors, and associations.  This presentation was followed by Mike Fleming, Senior Relationship Manager at CoBank and Farm Credit Leasing, and Christina Zick, Credit Analyst at CoBank, for a presentation about CoBank and its role in the Farm Credit System.  Chief Administrative and Risk Officer from Financial Partners, Inc., Dan Carey, and Chief Risk Officer at Farm Credit East, Bill Bathel, came together to discuss the role of technology providers in the Farm Credit System and the constant need to be upgrading and changing technology.  The presentations for Thursday wrapped up with Bill Lipinski, CEO of Farm Credit East, talking about the opportunities and benefits of the associations and their role in agricultural success.  The day ended with the introduction of a case study and a mock interview with a “borrower.”

Friday, the group jumped right back into the case study, exploring the arguments on approving and denying the loan.  They were split into two groups; a “yes” group and a “no” group, and worked with a group of employees to prepare their analysis arguments for a mock Loan Committee.  After a brief presentation from Jim Putnam, Chief Business Officer of Farm Credit East, on achieving balance in the system and the credit process, the two groups presented to the mock Loan Committee where the loan was eventually approved with conditions.  The program ended with Farm Credit East Director, Matthew Beaton, a cranberry farmer from South Massachusetts, sharing with the fellows his seven keys to success. 

The students will each spend a week in a Farm Credit branch this coming summer.  Yankee will be hosting six fellows in three different branches, five from UVM and one from Cornell.

Anna Laggis - Farm Credit Fellow

During the week of December 9-13 Yankee hosted Farm Credit Fellow Anna Laggis. Anna is a senior at Cornell University. Anna grew up on her family’s Jersey farm in Hardwick, VT. Her interest in dairy has led her to many internships, including cheese making at Jasper Hill and in Italy, cattle nutrition with Cargill, and the Fellows program with Yankee. While visiting with Yankee she visited a variety of agricultural businesses including dairy farms and logging operations. Upon graduation this spring Anna will be making a trip to Alaska for a few months before beginning work for Cargill as an Animal Nutritionist in the fall.

The photo shows Anna in her garden at home earlier in the year.

Brodie Shephard - Farm Credit Fellow

Farm Credit Fellow Brodie Shephard of Cazenovia, NY visited the St. Albans office the week of August 12^th. While not growing up on a farm, she has roots in agriculture as her grandparents farmed. She is entering her Junior year at Cornell University majoring in business economics. While visiting the St. Albans office she had the opportunity to learn about the dairy and maple industries in Franklin county. She also visited a winery in Grand Isle and a large farmstand/greenhouse operation in Chittenden county.  She sat in on office visits with customers and helped key loan application information to be analyzed.  After graduation she has interest in a career involving finances.

Andrew Whitney - Farm Credit Fellow

Farm Credit Fellow Andrew Whitney of Hardwick, VT visited the St. Albans office the week of August 21^st.  Andrew is entering his senior year at UVM as part of the 2+2 program. He spent the summer working at Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro, VT. Andrew hopes to own a dairy farm after graduation and realizes the challenges of getting started. While visiting the St. Albans office he had the opportunity to visit a modern dairy farm with robotic milkers.  He also visited maple operations, a winery in Grand Isle, and a large farmstand/greenhouse operation in Chittenden county. He sat in on office visits with customers and helped key loan application information to be analyzed.

Emilie Strand - Farm Credit Fellow

Emilie Strand visited the Newport office last week as part of the Farm Credit Fellows program. Emilie is from Cazadero, California. In high school Emile became interested in livestock, especially dairy cattle, through FFA and cattle judging. She also participated in high school rodeo events. She caught the “bug” and earned money through her first two years of college at Modesto Junior College (Modesto, CA) by clipping cattle for shows, pictures, and registered cattle classification. She is about to start her senior year at Cornell University where she will graduate with a BA in Animal Science, concentrated in dairy. While visiting the Newport office Emilie participated in construction inspections, learned about maple production, saw her first robotic milking system, and learned more about Farm Credit, as well as the agriculture in Vermont. Prior to her one week Fellow internship, Emilie spent the summer doing an internship with Alta Genetics in the mid-west, spending most of her time in Wisconsin and Minnesota.   

Kaitlin Benoit - Farm Credit Fellow

Last week Kaitlin Benoit visited the Newport office as part of the Farm Credit Fellows Program. Kaitlin is going into her senior year this fall at the University of Vermont as part of the 2+2 Program. While visiting the Newport office she visited farms for tours, loan closings, and construction inspections. She also learned about the application and analysis process. After graduation this December Kaitlin plans to return to her family's 850 cow farm in Richford, VT. She hopes to help with the cattle breeding program, parlor management, and the calf program. She also plans to continue the farmstand she started last year.

Cassie Bromley - Farm Credit Fellow

Yankee’s second Farm Credit Fellow of the summer was Cassie Bromley. Cassie visited the White River Junction office the week of May 20th. She grew up on a 65 cow family dairy farm in Wallingford, Vermont. She graduated from Mill River Union High School in 2009 and then went on to Vermont Technical College where she participated in the 2+2 program, majored in Dairy Farm Management and worked on the VTC farm. Cassie graduated from VTC in 2011 before taking a year off to work on a goat dairy farm in Manchester, VT. She returned to the 2+2 program for the fall 2012 semester at UVM and then spent the Spring 2013 semester at the Miner Research Institute in Chazy, NY. While at Miner, Cassie and her peers worked closely with progressive dairy researchers, attended meetings around the Country, heard speakers from throughout the northeast and attended the regional and national Dairy Challenges.

When Cassie was asked to write about her time with us in White River, here is what she had to say: “During this week I was able to see and hear about at least nine different types of businesses within the agricultural industry in Yankee’s territory. Farm Credit reaches out to help a lot of different types of farms and without Farm Credit’s help I believe our industry wouldn’t have the financial stability to continue.”

Finn Bondeson - Farm Credit Fellow

Farm Credit Fellow Finn Bondeson of Woodland, Aroostook County, Maine, spent the week of May 13-17 as a Farm Credit Fellow in our Middlebury office. Finn is from the potato-growing region of Maine, and grew up on a family farm producing potatoes, oats, and hay, as well as roughly 15 head of beef cattle. Finn’s family also manages a greenhouse operation, selling annuals, perennials, trees, shrubs, and vegetable plants. Finn is a third-year Civil Engineering major at the University of Maine, but has always fostered and continues to foster an interest in agriculture. While in the Middlebury office, Finn had the pleasure of learning about the dairy and maple industries in Vermont and has been able to travel Addison and Rutland Counties to see the local dairies, orchards, and sugarhouses. Finn would like to thank the Middlebury office and Yankee Farm Credit for their kind hospitality throughout the week.

Farm Credit Fellows



From left to right:  Dr. Charles Ferriera (UVM), Cassie Bromley (Wallingford, VT)

Andrew Whitney (Hardwick, VT), Kelly Richardson (Loan Officer - YFC),

Kaitlin Benoit (Richford, VT)



The 2013/2014 class of the Farm Credit Fellows program kicked off last week at the Farm Credit East headquarters in Enfield, CT.  On Thursday and Friday, April 18^th and 19^th this year's Fellows program began with twenty-eight students participating from Cornell University, University of Maine at Orono, University of Vermont, and University of Connecticut.

Doug Williams, Managing Director of Administration for the Funding Corporation, and David Sparks, Eastern Region President for CoBank, were on hand to explain how the funding process works and the working relationships they have with the individual ACAs, like Yankee.  Tom Moran, President and CEO of Financial Partners Inc. also gave a presentation about FPI's formation and the exciting new technical advances designed to make loan processing more efficient.  The day wrapped up with an introduction to a case study and a mock interview with a “customer.”

Day two started off with a discussion with Farm Credit East CEO Bill Lipinski about Farm Credit and the opportunities it provides both as a work place and as a lender.  The program then turned back to the case study.  The Fellows were split into two groups and given instructions to prepare arguments either for or against the loan.  With the help of a group of Farm Credit East employees, known as the Ambassadors, the groups prepared their arguments and made their cases to Loan Committee.  It was a tight race this year, but the approvals won over the denials.  The day wrapped up with Ben Freund, FCE Director from East Canaan, Connecticut giving a Farm Credit Director’s perspective.

The students will continue with the program throughout the coming year.  While each school's program is a little different, the students from Cornell, U of Maine, and UVM will all be spending a week in a Farm Credit office this summer.  Next fall they will participate in a classroom setting and will complete projects related to financial management.  Check back here on the Yankee ACA blog over the summer to follow the Fellows who visit Yankee as they make their scheduled trips to the different branch offices.  



Jill Marshall - Farm Credit Fellow

Jill Marshall of Elba, NY visited the Newport office the week of December 10-14 as part of the Farm Credit Fellows program.  Jill is currently a senior at Cornell University in the Agricultural Science department.  She grew up on her family’s wholesale vegetable and dairy farm.  They milk 1,400 cows and have a couple thousand acres of vegetables.  Their three biggest crops are onions, cabbage and cucumbers. After graduation Jill is hoping to pursue an opportunity bridging the gap between produce farmers and retailers.  Her long range goal is to return to the family farm.

Stephen Gould - Farm Credit Fellow

Stephen Gould of Batavia, NY visited the Newport office the week of August 6-10 as part of the Farm Credit Fellows program.  Steve is going to be a senior at Cornell University this fall and is majoring in Animal Science with a concentration on dairy.  He received his two year degree from Alfred State and transferred to Cornell to finish his four year degree.  In addition to his week-long internship with Farm Credit, Steve did a full summer internship on a large dairy in central Michigan.  Steve’s family runs a 150-cow organic dairy in western New York.  After graduation he would like to return to the home farm.

Sheena Brown - Farm Credit Fellow

Sheena Brown of Derby, VT worked in the Middlebury office the week of May 21-25 for her one week internship for the Farm Credit Fellow program. Sheena is an animal science major with a concentration in business at the University of Vermont. She is part of the VTC/UVM FARMS 2+2 program and will graduate in May 2013 with a Bachelors of Science. Sheena was raised on a dairy farm in Derby and has worked on a neighboring farm for 6 years. In the future Sheena hopes to own a farm in Vermont.

Abby Scholten - Farm Credit Fellow

Abby Scholten of Weybridge, VT visited the St. Albans office the week of June 4-8 as part of the Farm Credit Fellows program.  Abby’s family has an 80 cow organic dairy in Weybridge where they turn the milk from their Holsteins and Dutch Belts into farmstead cheese.  Their popular cheese, “Weybridge”, is marketed through the Cellars at Jasper Hill.  Abby graduated with an Associate’s degree in Dairy Farm Management from Vermont Technical College.  She is part of the VTC/UVM FARMS 2+2 program and has just finished up her junior year at the University of Vermont.

Farm Credit Fellows

We are pleased to have the opportunity to take part in the Farm Credit Fellows program again this year.  Fellows spend a week in a Farm Credit office learning about ag lending.  Farm Credit offices throughout New York and New England are involved in this valuable program.  Yankee has hosted two Fellows students so far this year and another will come later in the summer.

The one-week internship program has 23 students this year from the University of Vermont, the University of Maine, and Cornell University.  While visiting a Farm Credit office students are learning about the relationship between lenders and members, understanding financials, and how understanding the numbers can help you run a better business.

The students from the University of Vermont are pictured below at their spring trip to Farm Credit East in Enfield, CT.

University of Vermont - 2012 Farm Credit Fellows

From Left to Right:  Abby Scholten, Rick Brisson, Sheena Brown

The three Fellows that will be visiting Yankee Farm Credit are:

Sheena Brown - Middlebury, May 21-25

Abby Scholten - St. Albans, June 4-8

Stephen Gould - Newport, August 5-12

For more info on the Farm Credit Fellows program contact Kelly Richardson in the Newport office.

Cassie Osgood - Farm Credit Fellow

Cassie Osgood of New Haven, VT was in the St. Albans office the week of August 15-19 for her one week internship for the Farm Credit Fellows program. She has completed two years at Vermont Tech and is currently in her second year at UVM as part of the FARMS 2+2 program. She has been very active in 4-H and showing cattle for her family on Four Hills Farm.

Cameron Clark - Farm Credit Fellow

Cameron Clark of Williston, VT was in the Newport office this past week as part of the Farm Credit Fellows program. Cameron is the 8th generation on the family farm. She has completed two years at Vermont Tech and just finished her first year at UVM as part of the FARMS 2+2 program. Next spring she will graduate with her bachelor’s degree in Animal Science. For the last four years she has boarded heifers for a nearby dairy and continued to crop or rent out the crop land. After graduation she plans to start the dairy farm back up as an organic dairy and begin utilizing the sugarbush on the farm. Best wishes to Cameron from the Newport office and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!

Katie Bliss - Farm Credit Fellow

Katie Bliss- of Bliss, NY was in the Middlebury office the week of May 16-20 for her one week internship for the Farm Credit Fellow program. Katie is an agricultural science major with a concentration in business at Cornell University and will graduate in May 2012 with a BA of Science. Her family runs a dairy replacement operation. After graduating Katie wants to pursue a career in ag finance.

Ricky Hall - Farm Credit Fellow

Written by Ricky Hall...

I am going into my senior year at Cornell University, majoring in Dairy Management. I am from an 1100 cow Holstein farm in East Montpelier, Vermont. I look forward to the Farm Credit Fellows program to get a better understanding of agricultural finance overall, but more specifically how Farm Credit works and understanding the basis for agricultural lending. I plan on pursuing a career in dairy production. I will be doing an internship on a 700 cow dairy in northern New York this summer to get a feel for managing a farm and everything it entails.

Farm Credit Fellows

The Farm Credit Fellows program is once again getting students involved in Farm Credit and learning about ag lending by putting them out in offices throughout New York and New England. This week there are three students in Yankee territory alone. Another will come later in the summer.

The one-week internship program has 28 students this year from the University of Vermont, the University of Maine, and Cornell University. While visiting a Farm Credit office students are learning about the relationship between lenders and members, understanding financials, and how understanding the numbers can help you run a better business.

The students from the University of Vermont are pictured below at their spring trip to Farm Credit East in Enfield, CT.


The four Fellows that will be visiting Yankee Farm Credit are:
Cameron Clark - Newport, May 16-20
Katie Bliss - Middlebury, May 16-20
Ricky Hall - White River Junction, May 16-20
Cassie Osgood - St. Albans, August 15-19

For more info on the Farm Credit Fellows program contact Kelly Richardson in the Newport office.

Farm Credit Fellow - Henry Pearl

Henry Pearl of Danville, VT was in the Middlebury office the week of May 24-27 for his one week internship for the Farm Credit Fellows program. Henry is a FARMS 2+2 student and will graduate from UVM next year with a bachelors degree in Animal Science. After graduation Henry would like to return home to start up an organic dairy to add to the maple sugaring and sawmill businesses.