News Release
October 13, 2009
Contact: Leigh Picchetti
Vice President, Public Relations
FCCServices
(303) 721-3281

Farm Credit Web Site Announcement

I am excited to announce that a new national Farm Credit System Web site is now live at www.FarmCredit.com. The site is intended to help create greater awareness of Farm Credit at the national level and educate a variety of audiences - including customers, job-seekers, investors, agricultural organizations and policymakers - about the mission, strength and stability of Farm Credit.

Please take a moment to visit the site and get familiar with the content. Anything you can do to help drive traffic to the site is appreciated. This may include adding a link to www.FarmCredit.com from your bank or association’s Web site; including the URL in your automatic e-mail signature or on your business cards; sending a note to your customers; or, including a brief article in your next newsletter.

The employee recruiting site is now part of the Farm Credit System Web site. Visitors to the site can visit the Careers section to learn about job opportunities at Farm Credit.

In addition to public-facing pages for general audiences, the new site offers a password-protected area for use by Farm Credit employees and directors. You will need to register to receive access to view System calendars, access daily Farm Credit news coverage, and more.

Please note, if you have previously registered as a user on either the Farm Credit Council (fccouncil.com) or Farm Credit Network (farmcreditnetwork.com) sites, please register with that Account Login. If you prefer, you can set up a brand new Account Login.

The National Directory, formerly accessed via the recruiting site referenced above, will now reside in this password-protected section of the new site and will be available online without a subscription. Changes have also been made to the System locator and System meeting calendar. Editors of these resources will receive a separate e-mail from Jane-Ann Bath with detailed information for continued access.

Another important page on the employee/director section of www.FarmCredit.com is labeled Marketing and PR. Among other things, here you will find a link to the document distributed in August outlining new national brand standards for the Farm Credit System, as well as an area to download logos and templates.

The new Web site would not have been possible without the tremendous volunteer contributions of several people. Special thanks to Linda Hendricksen at Northwest Farm Credit Services and her amazing team of talented individuals: Carri DeWitt, Michelle Riseborough and Stacy Baker. Mike Mason at the Farm Credit Council and Regina Gill at the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation are also to be commended for their invaluable feedback and quality content contributions.

In addition, I’d like to acknowledge AgriBank for donating the URL for the site and the recruiting group at Farm Credit Foundations for their support through the transition. The Graphic and Internet Sub-Committee supporting the Reputation Committee also deserves thanks for their hard work and dedication to launching this site.

Finally, thanks to all of you who responded to the call for graphics to be used on the new Web site. Your contributions of photography and imagery helped us build the new site in a cost-effective manner and allow us to visually demonstrate the breadth of Farm Credit.

The new site at www.FarmCredit.com has truly been a collaborative, Systemwide effort and I am proud to be involved. The new site is attractive, user-friendly and provides an excellent resource for a variety of audiences. We will continue to make periodic updates to enhance the content and features of the site and welcome your feedback.

Thank you all for your support,
Leigh Picchetti
Vice President, Public Relations
7951 East Maplewood Ave., Ste. 225
Greenwood Village, CO 80111
(303) 721-3281
(303) 721-3202 fax
fccservices.com

News Release
June 11, 2009
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Returns Millions Back to Borrowers

Royal Palm Beach, Florida - In these difficult financial times when most banks are broke and asking taxpayers and governments for help with stimulus packages and bailouts, Farm Credit of South Florida recently returned millions of dollars back to its member-borrowers in the form of patronage refund checks during their 2009 annual stockholders' meeting.

The ninety-three year-old credit cooperative held its annual stockholders' meeting at Carrabba's Restaurant in Royal Palm Beach where Chairman of the Board, Mr. Jack Coker, kicked off the luncheon meeting with a financial state-of-the-association report for the 200 guests and members.

"Once again, Farm Credit of South Florida had a successful year and we are pleased to be able to share that success with our member-borrowers by sharing the profits. Unlike commercial banks that pay dividends to their Wall Street investors, as a cooperative, Farm Credit pays dividends to our member-borrowers in the form of patronage refunds. Our patronage refund is equivalent to returning ¢ .16 of each dollar in interest paid back to our member-borrowers," said Don Rice, CEO and President of the eight hundred member Association.

Since 1988, the agriculture credit association has distributed more than eighty-four million back to their borrower-members. Under the direction of Rice, Farm Credit of South Florida has experienced record performance in recent years with regard to loan volume and credit quality. The four branch offices of Farm Credit are located in Homestead, Royal Palm Beach, Okeechobee and Vero Beach and serve many of Florida’s leading growers, packers, processors and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, refined sugar, processed rice, and tropical fruit as well as equestrian, cattle and dairy agribusinesses.

"Qualified business owners from all agribusinesses as well as those from non-traditional industries like lifestyle farmers and hobby farmers are excellent candidates for Farm Credit of South Florida’s quality products and services," said Chairman Coker. "The non-traditional agricultural business owners are learning what traditional farmers have known about Farm Credit for more than ninety two years- that we are the largest single lender of dependable, competitive agricultural credit in America."

Mr. James Alderman, owner/operator of J. Alderman Farms, operating in Palm Beach and St. Lucie Counties, was elected by the membership to fill a vacant seat on the board. Mr. Sherwood "Buddy" Johnson, a citrus grower in Indian River County, was re-elected to his seat to serve another three year term.

Tom Scannell, of Bougainvillea Growers International in Boynton Beach is the CEO of the world’s largest grower of bougainvillea and a Farm Credit member. "Spring is the perfect time to hold the annual stockholders’ meeting. Getting my patronage refund check gives me much needed funds at a time of the year when I can really use it. To me, the best benefit of being a member of the cooperative is being handed my patronage refund check. The ‘extra’ money lets me pay off bills, purchase materials and buy some additional advertising for the upcoming season."

Farm Credit of South Florida currently has over $600 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

News Release
March 24, 2009
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Announces Financial Results for 2008

Royal Palm Beach, Florida - Today the Board of Directors of the agricultural finance cooperative announced financial results for 2008. Final net earnings totaled $14.2 million and total equity grew to $105 million. The Board also announced a stockholder dividend in the form of a Patronage Refund of $4.9 million. As a cooperative, the company distributes dividends based on how much the owner members use the cooperative's services, rather than the amount of stock they hold. This cash Patronage Refund to members who had loans in 2008 represented approximately 16% of the interest they paid in 2008. Jack Coker, Chairman of the Board, pointed out that this represents a very large reduction in interest expense to our members, even in a period where interest rates are at historic lows.

Don Rice, CEO and President said “We are truly blessed that during such difficult economic times, we were able to maintain strong profits and return the same level of dividend to our stockholders as we have for the past several years.” The association has returned over $84 million in cash patronage dividends to its members over the last 20 years. The association was also able to significantly increase both its capital and its allowance for loan losses in response to the very weak economic environment in the territory it serves in Southeast Florida. Final net worth increased from $99 million to $105 million during the year and the association also added $5.5 million to its allowance for loan loss account during 2008. “We are fortunate to have sufficient income and asset quality to strengthen the association's risk bearing ability from our recurring income and still pay a strong dividend while most banks in our territory are looking for support from the government” said Rice.

The ninety-three year-old credit finance cooperative will hold its annual stockholders' meeting in April and will distribute the dividend checks at that time. The association has branch offices located in Homestead, Royal Palm Beach, Okeechobee and Vero Beach that serve many of South Florida's leading growers, packers, processors and producers of citrus, vegetables, sugar, rice, tropical fruit as well as the equestrian, dairy and cattle industries. The largest segment of the loan portfolio is dedicated to financing the nursery industry. Farm Credit of South Florida currently has approximately 800 members with over $600 million in outstanding loans.

Farm Credit of South Florida currently has over $600 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

News Release
May 1, 2008
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Announces New Board Member at Annual Stockholders Meeting

Royal Palm Beach, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida, an agricultural credit association serving eight counties in southeast Florida, returned over five million dollars to its member-borrowers in the form of patronage refund checks at their recent annual stockholders' meeting.

The ninety-two year-old cooperative held its annual stockholders' meeting last week at Carrabba's Grille Restaurant in Royal Palm Beach and distributed checks to the members in attendance. Chairman of the Board, Jack Coker kicked off the luncheon meeting with a financial state-of-the-association report for the 150 guests and members in attendance.

“Our patronage refund is equivalent to returning ¢ .15 of each dollar in interest paid back to our member-borrowers,” said Don Rice, CEO and President of the eight hundred member Association. “Once again, Farm Credit of South Florida had an extremely successful year and we are pleased to be able to share that success with our member-borrowers by sharing the profits. Unlike commercial banks that pay dividends to their Wall Street investors, we pay dividends to our member-borrowers in the form of patronage refunds.”

Under the direction of Rice, Farm Credit of South Florida has experienced record performance in recent years with regard to loan volume and credit quality. The four branch offices of Farm Credit are located in Homestead, Royal Palm Beach, Okeechobee and Vero Beach and serve many of Florida's leading growers, packers, processors and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, refined sugar, processed rice, tropical fruit; the equestrian, dairy and cattle industries.

“Qualified business owners from all agribusinesses as well as those from non-traditional industries, like lifestyle farmers and hobby farmers, are excellent candidates for Farm Credit of South Florida's quality products and services,“ said Chairman Jack Coker. “The non-traditional agricultural business owners are learning what traditional farmers have known about Farm Credit for more than ninety years- that we are the largest single lender of dependable, competitive agricultural credit in America.”

“As a reflection of the surrounding environments in South Florida, we have made a concerted effort to hire experienced staff members who are familiar with the various agricultural industries we serve, and are bi-lingual as well. You will not find a more qualified team to assist you in obtaining the funds you need for your agri-business than here at Farm Credit of South Florida,” said Esther Morales, Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer for the Association.

Farm Credit of South Florida currently has over $600 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

News Release
October 12, 2007
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Sponsors Farm-City Celebration

Royal Palm Beach, Florida - In honor of the upcoming “Thanksgiving Season,” Farm Credit of South Florida, together with the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau, the South Florida Fairgrounds, Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida and ESG Companies, is sponsoring a Palm Beach County Farm-City Celebration with a lunch at the South Florida Fairgrounds. The keynote speaker will be Senator Dave Aronberg. Some 200 agri-business and business owners are expected at this hour-long event, which will begin at 12:00 noon on Friday, November 16th. The meal, table centerpieces and giveaway items will feature many products grown and harvested in Palm Beach County; supplied by Alderman Farms, Roth Farms and Whitworth Farms. Admission is $10.00 per person, with proceeds benefiting the Palm Beach County Future Farmers of America chapter.

U.S. Congressman Tim Mahoney, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, has been invited to attend as the keynote speaker to update the audience on Florida's current agricultural issues. Leaders from the local agricultural industry will be in attendance to promote the awareness and importance of agriculture to the health, economy and quality of life for everyone in Palm Beach, Florida and the Nation.

The national Farm-City concept was brought to fruition more than 50 years ago, in 1955, when leaders of Kiwanis International determined a need to bring city and country people together to gain a better understanding of each other's challenges and successes. The rest is history, with Farm-City events going on throughout the Nation on a regular basis since then. Members of local 4-H clubs and Future Farmers of America will be in attendance to share their experiences in the program.

Farm Credit of South Florida has over 800 members, including the State's leading growers, packers, processors and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, refined sugar, processed rice, tropical fruit; the equestrian, dairy and cattle industries.

“As a reflection of the surrounding environments in South Florida, we have made a concerted effort to hire experienced staff members who are familiar with the various agricultural industries we serve, and are bi-lingual as well. You will not find a more qualified team to assist you in obtaining the funds you need for your agri-business than here at Farm Credit of South Florida,” said Esther Morales, Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer for the Association.

Farm Credit of South Florida currently has over $500 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

For Immediate Release
May 17, 2007
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Announces New Board Member at Annual Stockholders Meeting

Royal Palm Beach, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida held their annual Stockholders' Meeting on April 21st at their Royal Palm Beach office. The agricultural credit Association issued over $5 million dollars in patronage refunds to its 700+ members. In addition, the organization announced the addition of a new "Outside Director" to the Cooperatives' Board of Directors. The Board has appointed Andrea Thurn, CPA as an outside director.

"We are very pleased to have distributed these refunds back to our members and to have added such a highly qualified and experienced member to the Board," said Don Rice, Chief Executive Officer of Farm Credit of South Florida.

Ms. Thurn is a Partner/Owner in Morgan, Jacoby, Thurn, Boyle and Associates, PA and has many years of experience with financial institutions, cooperatives and agri-businesses. She served as the Treasurer and President of the Board for United Way of Indian River County as well as Safeplace Domestic Violence Program.

Farm Credit of South Florida is an agricultural credit association providing financing and crop insurance for the traditional full and part-time farmer. Members include some of the area's largest and well established dairy, cattle, nursery, citrus, sugar, equestrian and vegetable growers, ranchers and producers.

As a non-traditional agricultural product - Farm Credit recently launched a home mortgage division, under the brand name of Country Mortgages by Farm Credit.

Farm Credit of South Florida is part of the nation-wide network of banks and associations called the Farm Credit System, established in 1916 by and for farmers. The System is the largest single lender of agricultural credit in America, providing more than one-hundred billion dollars in loans to more than 500,000 farmers, growers, rural homeowners, ranchers, rural utilities, and water systems, electric and telephone cooperatives, and agribusinesses in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Farm Credit of South Florida has three additional branch offices in Southeast Florida - located in Okeechobee, Vero Beach, and Homestead. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

For Immediate Release
May 15, 2007
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Introduces New Product & Staff Member

Royal Palm Beach, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida announces that it has added a new product to its existing portfolio. Home loans will be offered to qualifying rural homebuyers throughout the Association's eight-county territory under the brand name Country Mortgages by Farm Credit. The cooperative will originate and sell these loans into the home loan market. Because the investing public views investments in securities made up of home mortgages as a very low risk, lenders who originate and sell these loans into the Secondary Mortgage Market to companies like the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), can pass low rates on to home buyers. This is the reason why home loan rates are much lower than rates available for business loans.

John C. Sullivan has joined the Farm Credit Agricultural Credit Association as Mortgage Loan Manager. John is a seasoned mortgage specialist with over nineteen years of experience in the South Florida market.

"I have been helping residents and business leaders in the west-central portion of Palm Beach County with their initial and re-financing mortgage needs for almost twenty years now. I look forward to expanding my services to include all eight counties that Farm Credit of South Florida serves."

Farm Credit of South Florida is part of the nation-wide network of banks and associations called the Farm Credit System, established in 1916 by and for farmers. The System is the largest single lender of agricultural credit in America, providing more than one-hundred billion dollars in loans to more than 500,000 farmers, growers, rural homeowners, ranchers, rural utilities, and water systems, electric and telephone cooperatives, and agribusinesses in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Farm Credit of South Florida has three additional branch offices in Southeast Florida - located in Okeechobee, Vero Beach, and Homestead. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

For Immediate Release
May 15, 2007
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit of South Florida Returns $5 Million to Borrowers

Royal Palm Beach, Florida - Florida- Farm Credit of South Florida, an agricultural credit association serving eight counties in southeast Florida, returned over five million dollars to its member-borrowers in the form of patronage refund checks at their recent annual stockholders' meeting.

The ninety-year-old cooperative held its annual stockholders' meeting last month at their administrative offices in Royal Palm Beach and distributed checks to the members in attendance. Congressman Tim Mahoney kicked off the meeting with a Washington report for the audience.

"Our patronage refund is equivalent to returning ¢.14 of each dollar in interest paid back to our member-borrowers," said Don Rice, CEO and President of the eight hundred member Association. "Once again, Farm Credit of South Florida had an extremely successful year and we are pleased to be able to share that success with our member-borrowers by sharing the profits. Unlike commercial banks that pay dividends to their Wall Street investors, we pay dividends to our member-borrowers in the form of patronage refunds."

Under the direction of Rice, Farm Credit of South Florida has experienced record performance in the past recent years with regard to loan volume and credit quality. The four branch offices of Farm Credit are located in Homestead, Royal Palm Beach, Okeechobee and Vero Beach and serve many of Florida's leading growers, packers, processors and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, refined sugar, processed rice, tropical fruit; the equestrian, dairy and cattle industries. The primary growth markets for the successful cooperative continue to be the horticultural and equestrian industries.

"Qualified business owners from all agribusinesses as well as those from non-traditional industries, like lifestyle farmers and hobby farmers, are excellent candidates for Farm Credit of South Florida's quality products and services," said Rice. "The non-traditional agricultural businesses are learning what traditional farmers have known about Farm Credit for more than ninety years- that we are the largest single lender of dependable, competitive agricultural credit in America."

"As a reflection of the surrounding environments in South Florida, we have made a concerted effort to hire experienced staff members who are familiar with the various agricultural industries we serve, and are bi-lingual as well. You will not find a more qualified team to assist you in obtaining the funds you need for your agri-business than here at Farm Credit of South Florida," said Esther Morales, Senior Vice President and Chief Credit Officer for the Association.

Farm Credit of South Florida currently has over $500 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area.

Farm Credit of South Florida is part of the nation wide network of banks and associations called the Farm Credit System, established in 1916 by and for farmers. The System is the largest single lender of agricultural credit in America, providing more than sixty-one billion in loans to more than 500,000 farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses across the United States.

Farm Credit of South Florida has three additional branch offices in Southeast Florida - located in Okeechobee, Vero Beach, and Homestead. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

For Immediate Release
November 8, 2006
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Announces Re-location

Lake Worth, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida will soon be relocating their Lake Worth Credit branch and administrative offices from Lake Worth to Royal Palm Beach in western Palm Beach County to better serve their member-borrowers. The eight hundred-member cooperative has been at their Lake Worth location on the corner of Heritage Farms Road and State Road 7/441 since 1981 and has nearly $600 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services throughout eight counties in the Southeast part of the state.

"We are looking forward to moving into our 10,000 sq. ft. new home in Royal Palm Beach sometime in late November or early December," said Don Rice, Chief Executive Officer of Farm Credit of South Florida. "We will have more office and storage space in our new building at 11903 Southern Boulevard, and we can better serve our members from this location... this move will be a win-win situation for us."

The agricultural credit association provides financing and crop insurance for the traditional full and part-time farmer; includes some of the area's largest and established dairy, cattle, nursery, citrus, sugar, equestrian and vegetable growers, ranchers and producers in their portfolio. As a non-traditional agricultural product - Farm Credit recently launched a home mortgage division under the brand name of Country Mortgages by Farm Credit.

Farm Credit of South Florida is part of the nation wide network of banks and associations called the Farm Credit System, established in 1916 by and for farmers. The System is the largest single lender of agricultural credit in America, providing more than sixty-one billion in loans to more than 500,000 farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses across the United States.

Farm Credit of South Florida has three additional branch offices in Southeast Florida - located in Okeechobee, Vero Beach, and Homestead. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

For Immediate Release
August 3, 2006
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

South Florida cooperative sponsors Commissioner Bronson for business luncheon

Lake Worth, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida, together with Stadium Jumping, Incorporated, are sponsoring Charles H. Bronson, the State's 10th Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services as guest speaker for the Palms West Chamber of Commerce August membership-meeting luncheon. The event, to be held at Breakers West in West Palm Beach, is scheduled for Monday, August 14th, 2006.

"We are honored to have the Commissioner spend some time with our member-borrowers as well as the business community, to hear what he has to say about some important issues affecting all businesses in the state," said Lyn Cacella, Vice President of Marketing & Communications of Farm Credit of South Florida, and executive board member for the Chamber.

The Commissioner will speak about his Farm to Fuel program, which is assisting Florida farmers and ranchers in producing bio-fuel crops to help reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil. He will also discuss the farm labor/immigration legislation currently being proposed in Washington as well as eminent domain and death tax legislation issues.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which Mr. Bronson manages, is the largest state Department of Agriculture in the country with more than 3,700 employees. FDOACS oversees the state's vast agriculture industry and helps promote its products, safeguards the state's food supply, protects consumers from unfair and deceptive trade practices, and manages about one million acres of state forests.

"The goal of the nation's agriculture industry is to produce 25 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. by the year 2025- a program known as "25/25", said Commissioner Bronson. "I believe that Florida can be a leader in the effort of producing energy from crops and timber because of the vast amount of farm acreage in the state and its mild climate, which permits virtually year-round growing."

Farm Credit of South Florida, a Chamber member and sponsor of this event, is a ½ billion-dollar institution serving 1,000 members throughout eight counties in southeast Florida. It is part of the nationwide Farm Credit system, which is celebrating their 90th anniversary this year. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com. Tickets for the event are available on-line at www.PalmsWest.com or by contacting the Chamber at (561) 790-6200.

For Immediate Release
May 15, 2006
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Co-op Announces Election Results; Distributes 9M in Patronage Refunds

Lake Worth, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida, an agricultural credit association serving eight counties in Southeast Florida, held their annual stockholders meeting on April 26th at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington. The Association distributed nine million, three- hundred sixty-two thousand dollars in patronage refunds to member-borrowers.

In addition to networking and receiving their patronage refund checks, the member-borrowers cast their ballots for two board of directors positions. Running for re-election were Sherwood (Buddy) Johnson, a citrus grower in the Indian River area and John D. (Jack) Martin, a retired vegetable grower and nurseryman in Palm Beach County and the current Chairman of the Farm Credit of South Florida Board of Directors. Both were successfully re-elected. Vice Chairman of the Board is Jack C. Coker, a beef cattle rancher and real estate developer in Okeechobee County.

Under the direction of President Don Rice, Farm Credit of South Florida has experienced record performance in the past recent years with regard to loan volume and credit quality. The Association has a nine-member board of directors, and four branch offices located in Homestead, Lake Worth, Okeechobee and Vero Beach. The eight hundred member cooperative serves many of the state's leading growers, packers, processors and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, refined sugar, processed rice, equestrian properties and agri-businesses, as well as beef and dairy cattle.

Farm Credit of South Florida also provides specific products for young, beginning, small and minority agri-businesses and individuals, as well as crop insurance and competitive home loans. Farm Credit is marketing the rural home loan division under the name of Country Mortgages. This new division will specialize in the County Advantage Program -a unique product featuring state tax exemptions and other benefits for qualifying rural acreage.

Farm Credit of South Florida has over ½ billion in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area. For more information about the cooperative, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

By Tim Pallesen
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Farm Credit of South Florida strategically located itself in the heart of agriculture when it built its headquarters on the northwest corner of State Road 7 and Hypoluxo Road in 1981.

But farmers in need of a loan have all but disappeared.

Farm Credit is selling its longtime headquarters on the northwest corner of State Road 7 and Hypoluxo Road. Officials are looking at The Acreage or Loxahatchee as possible sites for a new building for the bank, which serves the area from Key West to Sebastian.

"We can no longer make loans here because it's no longer agriculture," Farm Credit of South Florida President Don Rice told county commissioners while discussing his site on April 5.

Commissioners gave Farm Credit the green light to move by tentatively approving a zoning change to allow a mortician to buy the bank's property for a funeral parlor.

The corner of State Road 7 and Hypoluxo Road isn't right as a farmer's bank anymore because of the construction boom that's swept through western Boynton Beach and Lake Worth the past decade, Rice said.

"We need to be close to the people we serve," he said. The next Farm Credit headquarters likely will be in Loxahatchee or The Acreage. The office serves the area from Key West to Sebastian.

"Rural today is probably somewhere west of Seminole Pratt Whitney Road ... the only safe place for agriculture is Belle Glade," Rice said.

Many farmers who remain in this area don't need credit because they have sold portions of their farm land to developers.

"The farmers still here don't need to borrow money anymore," Rice said. "As they've been able to sell land, they've paid down their debts.

"And there certainly are no new farmers buying land in the Ag Reserve," he added.

Several morticians attempted to buy Farm Credit's site in western Lake Worth because of plans by the Veterans Administration to build a national cemetery on 313 acres immediately north of the property.

A sale to Boynton National Chapel is expected by August, Rice said. Neighbors in rural Heritage Farms oppose the commercial rezoning that's necessary to allow a funeral parlor.

"Heritage Farms is a little agricultural enclave that's been able to survive all the chaos," resident Hellen Hoffman told commissioners at the April 5 meeting. "Would you want to drive past a funeral home every day on the way to your special oasis?"

"Changing Farm Credit into a funeral parlor is a gross miscarriage," argued her neighbor, long-time environmentalist Rosa Durando. "If you support agriculture, somewhere you must draw the line."

But commissioners supported the mortician's request as a convenience to families of the 110,000 veterans who will be buried next-door.

"Many lines were drawn in the sand by our veterans in Iraq and the first Gulf War," commissioner Burt Aaronson told Durando.

"We have veterans coming home in body bags. Sometimes you make exceptions with veterans," Aaronson said. "I want to give burials with dignity to the families of the fallen. We'd be doing a service to servicemen who served us. That takes priority over everything."

Commissioner Mary McCarty predicted that a funeral parlor next to the cemetery would eliminate many of the funeral processions that cause traffic congestion.

Commissioner Warren Newell also warned the Heritage Farms residents that their rural hideaway is likely to be exposed next year anyway when a new Hypoluxo Road fly over is built at Florida's Turnpike.

"Just to let you know that things do change," Newell said.

State planners will review the zoning change before commissioners give expected final approval on Aug. 2.

For Immediate Release
April 15, 2006
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Of South Florida Returns Over $9 Million To Member-Borrowers

Lake Worth, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida, an agricultural credit association serving eight counties in Southeast Florida, will return $9,362,050.73 dollars to its member-borrowers in the form of patronage refund checks. In addition to the 2005 patronage refund, the association will also distribute in excess of $3M of qualified allocated surplus from the 1998 patronage distribution along with a little more than $2M from the 1996 and 1997 non-qualified allocated surplus.

The eight hundred member cooperative will hold its annual stockholders meeting on Wednesday, April 26th in the Grande Marquee Room at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington where patronage refund checks will be distributed. Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Charles Bronson will be the keynote speaker for the group.

"Our 2005 patronage refund is equivalent to returning 14¢ cents of each dollar in interest earned on all loans outstanding to our member-borrowers," said Don Rice, CEO and President of the Association. "Farm Credit of South Florida had an extremely successful year and we are pleased to be able to share that success with our member-borrowers by sharing the profits. Unlike commercial banks that pay dividends to their Wall Street investors, we pay dividends to our member-borrowers in the form of patronage refunds."

Under the direction of Rice, Farm Credit of South Florida continues to experience record performance with regard to loan volume and credit quality. The four branch offices of Farm Credit are located in Homestead, Lake Worth, Okeechobee and Vero Beach and serve many of the state's leading growers, packers, processors and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, refined sugar, processed rice and beef and dairy cattle. The primary growth markets for the successful cooperative continue to be the nursery and equestrian industries.

"The nursery industry is estimated to have an economic impact of $9.9 billion dollars. This is an industry that is truly thriving on the continuing growth and development within the Sunshine State," said Rice. "In addition, the Wellington area continues to develop as the "Equestrian Capital of Florida" and may be elevated to "Equestrian Capital of the World" because of the recent addition of a new horse facility in the very near future. This is estimated to be a $100 million project on 364 acres of property that will feature an international venue for horse shows and equestrian and community events. Qualified business owners in these industries are excellent candidates for Farm Credit of South Florida's quality products and services," said Rice. "These non-traditional agricultural businesses are learning what traditional farmers have known about Farm Credit for ninety years- that we are the largest single lender of dependable, competitive agricultural credit in America."

"In addition to our experienced English-speaking staff members, we also have agricultural loan specialists who speak Spanish and French. You will not find a more qualified team to assist you in obtaining the funds you need for your agri- business than here at Farm Credit of South Florida," said Esther Morales, Credit Administrator for the Association.

Farm Credit of South Florida also provides specific products for young, beginning, small and minority agri-businesses and individuals, as well as crop insurance and competitive home loans. The rural home loan division is being marketed under the name of Country Mortgages by Farm Credit; specializes in the County Advantage Program. This unique product features state tax exemptions and benefits for qualifying rural acreage.

Farm Credit of South Florida has nearly $500 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com or contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com.

For Immediate Release
March 27, 2006
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Announces Annual Meeting

Lake Worth, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida announced today that Charles H. Bronson, the Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services will be their keynote speaker for the 2006 Annual Stockholders' Meeting set for Wednesday, April 26th at the International Polo Club Palm Beach in Wellington.

"We are looking forward to what Commissioner Bronson will have to say to our group, especially as the 2006 legislative session will be in its closing days by annual meeting time," said Lyn Cacella, Vice President of Marketing & Communications of Farm Credit of South Florida.

"Farm Credit of South Florida is a cooperative, which means we operate for the benefit of our members. During our 2006 Annual Stockholders' Meeting our Association will distribute in excess of $9 million dollars in cash refund checks to our member-borrowers. The $9 million to be distributed represents the profits of our company being returned to our member owners. Unlike commercial banks that share their financial success with their Wall Street investors, Farm Credit shares our annual profit with our member-borrowers in the form of patronage refunds," said Don Rice, President and CEO."

Farm Credit of South Florida is a ½ billion dollar institution serving 1,000 members throughout eight counties in southeast Florida. It is part of the nationwide Farm Credit system which is celebrating their 90th anniversary this year. The system was started with legislation created by Congress and signed by President Woodrow Wilson in 1916 to provide rural America with a dependable source of funding for agriculturally-related enterprises. This legislation established 12 Federal Land Banks using $125 million in government seed money but financed by private capital from investors. Today, this farmer owned cooperative is the largest single provider of agricultural credit in America providing more than one-hundred billion in loans to more than 400,000 farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses across the U.S. utilizing 5 district banks, 96 associations, and slightly more than a 1,000 branch offices employing in excess of 10,000 e mployees.

Farm Credit of South Florida's administrative office is located in Lake Worth with branch offices in Okeechobee, Vero Beach, Lake Worth and Homestead. For more information on Farm Credit of South Florida, the 2006 Annual Stockholders' Meeting or agriculture in South Florida, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com

For Immediate Release
March 27, 2006
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Commissioner Bronson Appreciation
Click here to see pictures.

Loxahatchee, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida, the Palm Beach chapter of the Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association and Callery-Judge Grove held an appreciation meet-n-greet for Charles H. Bronson, the State's 10th Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The event, held at Callery-Judge, was well attended by area agriculturalists representing the farming, equestrian, and citrus industries in Palm Beach County. "We were honored to have the Commissioner spend some time with our member-borrowers and to hear what he had to say about some important issues affecting all of agriculture," said Lyn Cacella, Vice President of Marketing & Communications of Farm Credit of South Florida.

The Commissioner spoke about the farm labor/immigration legislation currently being proposed in Washington as well as the eminent domain bill currently in Tallahassee. He reminded everyone of the many responsibilities that his department had which include managing the largest state Department of Agriculture in the country with more than 3,700 employees, overseeing the state's vast agriculture industry and helping promote its products, safeguarding the state's food supply, protecting consumers from unfair and deceptive trade practices, and managing about one million acres of state forests. One of his primary areas of focus is the Farm To Fuel program which is assisting Florida farmers and ranchers in producing bio-fuel crops to help reduce the nation's dependency on foreign oil.

"The goal of the nation's agriculture industry is to produce 25 percent of the energy consumed in the U.S. by the year 2025- a program known as "25/25," said Mr. Bronson. "I believe that Florida can be a leader in the effort of producing energy from crops and timber because of the vast amount of farm acreage in the state and its mild climate, which permits virtually year-round growing."

Farm Credit of South Florida, a sponsor of the event, is a ½ billion dollar institution serving 1,000 members through-out eight counties in southeast Florida. It is part of the nationwide Farm Credit system which is celebrating their 90th anniversary this year. For more information, contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156 or visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com

For Immediate Release
August 29, 2005
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Hurricane Katrina Relief

Lake Worth, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida announced today that all of their branch offices and administrative office are available to receive and collect emergency relief items and supplies for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The 800+ member agricultural credit association cooperative will coordinate inventory and delivery of items to the University of Florida IFAS Cooperative Extension Service office in Homestead. Items of particular need include: bottled water, ice, painter type V ladders, rackets (come-a-longs) to tighten wires, wire cutters, generators, shade cloth, Poly, and insulated coolers. Anyone wishing to drop off items and supplies may do so at the following locations:

Lake Worth Office - 10055 Heritage Farms Road, Lake Worth - (561) 965-9001
Hours of operation- 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Okeechobee Office - 403 N.W. 6th Street, Okeechobee - (863) 763-6466
Hours of operation - 8:30 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.

Vero Beach Office - 7150 20th Street, Suite #H, Vero Beach - (772) 770-2535
Hours of operation - 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Homestead Office - 24700 S.W. 177th Avenue, Homestead - (305) 248-6080
Hours of operation- 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

For additional information about Farm Credit benefits or its products and services, including our emergency lending & credit policy, and/or crop insurance claims, deductibles and notice of loss filings for members, please visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com or contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156, (561) 965-9001.

For Immediate Release
May 29, 2005
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Co-op Promotes Free Credit Reports

Lake Worth, Florida - Farm Credit of South Florida, an agricultural credit association serving eight counties in Southeast Florida, urges their member-borrowers to take advantage of a law that requires major credit reporting services to provide free credit reports.

The amendment to the Fair Credit Reporting Act was designed to provide consumers who cannot or will not pay a fee for the reports to access them for free once a year. The law has been phased-in across the United States, and Florida residents will be eligible for the documents on June 1.

"Knowing what information is in your credit report is a vital tool in ensuring good personal financial health," said Don Rice, CEO of the South Florida Cooperative. "We know that many people are unfamiliar with their personal credit history, report and score, however, there is no reason to be intimidated by the information or the process. It is an excellent identity theft tool, and I urge everyone to obtain this information."

A credit report contains information about a consumer's credit history, including a listing of all credit cards, whether bills have been paid on time, and whether the consumer has been sued, arrested or filed for bankruptcy. National consumer reporting agencies sell the information to credit card companies and other creditors, insurers, employers and other businesses that use it to determine whether to approve an application for credit, insurance, loans, and employment. A poor credit history can result in rejection of credit or higher interest rates on a loan.

Consumers can challenge and change incorrect information on the reports. The three major credit reporting agencies are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. To obtain a free copy of reports from these agencies, log onto www.FarmCreditSFL.com and click on the FreeAnnualCreditReport button. People should be wary of any sites which claim to offer free reports but steer consumers to sites that offer services by subscription for a fee. Consumers can also order their reports by calling toll-free 1-877-322-8228.

Farm Credit of South Florida has over ½ billion in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com or contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156.

For Immediate Release
March 22, 2005
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit of South Florida Returns Over $6 Million To Member-Borrowers

Lake Worth, Florida- Farm Credit of South Florida, an agricultural credit association serving eight counties in Southeast Florida, will return $3,658,836.24 dollars to its member-borrowers in the form of patronage refund checks. In addition to the 2004 patronage refund the association will also distribute in excess of $3M of allocated surplus from the 1997 patronage distribution.

The eight hundred member cooperative will hold its annual stockholders meeting on Wednesday, April 13th in the Conference Center of the PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens where patronage refund checks will be distributed.

Our 2004 patronage refund is equivalent to returning 16.5 cents of each dollar in interest earned on all loans outstanding to our member-borrowers," said Don Rice, CEO and President of the Association. Farm Credit of South Florida had an extremely successful year and we are pleased to be able to share that success with our member-borrowers by sharing the profits. Unlike commercial banks that pay dividends to their Wall Street investors, we pay dividends to our member-borrowers in the form of patronage refunds.

Under the direction of Rice, Farm Credit of South Florida has experienced record performance in the past recent years with regard to loan volume and credit quality. The four branch offices of Farm Credit are located in Homestead, Lake Worth, Okeechobee and Vero Beach and serve many of the state's leading growers, packers, processors and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, refined sugar, processed rice and beef and dairy cattle. The primary growth markets for the successful cooperative continue to be the nursery and equestrian industries.

As South Florida continues to experience profound growth and development, I predict that the nursery industry as a whole will reap the benefits of the new construction and expansion projects with increasing sales volumes and profits. In addition, the Wellington area continues to develop as one of the premier hot spots for equestrian events and horse owners, sportsmen and equestrian industry providers of many types. Qualified business owners in these industries are excellent candidates for Farm Credit of South Florida's quality products and services, said Rice. These non-traditional agricultural businesses are learning what traditional farmers have known about Farm Credit for almost ninety years- that we are the largest single lender of dependable, competitive agricultural credit in America.

In addition to our experienced English-speaking staff members, we also have agricultural loan specialists who speak Spanish and French. You will not find a more qualified team to assist you in obtaining the funds you need for your agri- business than here at Farm Credit of South Florida," said Esther Morales, Credit Administrator for the Association.

Farm Credit of South Florida also provides specific products for young, beginning, small and minority agri-businesses and individuals, as well as crop insurance and competitive home loans. The rural home loan division is being marketed under the name of Country Mortgages by Farm Credit; specializes in the County Advantage Program. This unique product features state tax exemptions and benefits for qualifying rural acreage.

Farm Credit of South Florida has nearly $500 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area. For more information about the cooperative, visit www.FarmCreditSFL.com or contact Lyn Cacella at (800) 432-4156.

For Immediate Release
August 18, 2004
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Introduces New Loan Product

Farm Credit of South Florida announced today that it has added a new product to its existing portfolio. Home loans will be offered to qualifying rural homebuyers throughout the Association's eight-county territory under the brand name - Country Mortgages by Farm Credit. Just like other mortgage lenders in the area, Farm Credit will originate and sell these loans into the home loan market. Because the investing public views investments in securities made up of home mortgages as a very low risk, lenders who originate and sell these loans into the Secondary Mortgage Market to companies like the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac), can pass low rates on to home buyers. This is the reason home loan rates are much lower than rates available for business loans.

The eighty-seven year old Association has hired three new licensed mortgage brokers specializing in home loans. Kelvin Miller, Bobby Martin, and John Young have joined the Farm Credit Association as Mortgage Loan Specialists.

With interest rates close to the lowest they've been in forty years, the Association is positioning itself to assist their existing 800+ member-borrowers in refinancing their current home mortgages, as well as providing competitive rates and a variety of home loan products for non-members through the Country Mortgages division.

Farm Credit of South Florida is part of the nation- wide network of banks and associations called the Farm Credit System. The System is the largest single lender of agricultural credit in America, providing more than ninety billion dollars in loans to more than 500,000 farmers, growers, rural homeowners, ranchers, rural utilities and water systems, electric and telephone cooperatives, and agribusinesses in the United States and Puerto Rico.

News Release
June 8, 2004
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit Announces Crop Insurance Division Expansion

Farm Credit of South Florida announced today that Mrs. Debra Corman has joined the agricultural financial services association as Assistant Vice President of Insurance Services, thereby expanding the cooperative's Crop Insurance Division. Member-borrowers can now purchase and renew their multiple peril crop insurance, underwritten by Rain and Hail Insurance Service, Inc., from Farm Credit of South Florida.

Ms. Corman is a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Horticulture, and has worked for the U.S.D.A. and several major crop insurance companies in Florida. She is a licensed Claims Specialist and currently serves as a Chairperson for the National Crop Insurance Services. She is a member of the International Palm Society, Rare Fruit Council International, Florida State Horticultural Society; supports the Kids Ecology Corp and The Hunger Project.

I have been working in the crop insurance business in South Florida for over 13 years, and in particular with the nursery industry for 26 years, said Ms. Corman. I am excited and flattered to be a member of the Farm Credit family, as they have a well-established reputation within the agricultural community for personalized service, highly qualified loan officers, and staff members who understand the financial and risk management needs of farmers, ranchers and nursery growers.

Farm Credit Crop Insurance

Farm Credit of South Florida was established in 1917 as a cooperative, which means we operate exclusively for the benefit of our members, said Don Rice, President and CEO. We are locally owned and democratically controlled by our members. Through our Patronage Refund Program, we return the profits of the cooperative back to our owner-members, thus effectively reducing the cost of their operations while improving their net profits, said Mr. Rice.

In responding to the needs of their member-borrowers, Farm Credit of South Florida hired, trained and licensed insurance agents in each of their branch offices, currently serving over 800 members throughout eight counties in the Southeast part of the state. The association's members include many of the State's leading growers, packers, processors, and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, sugar, rice, sod, beef cattle and dairy operations. The primary growth markets for the successful cooperative continues to be the nursery and equestrian industries.

Debra comes to us with experience and knowledge that is unmatched in the market and is a valuable asset to our Association, said Mr. Rice. I am confident that no one in South Florida knows more about crop insurance than Debra.

Farm Credit of South Florida is part of the nation- wide network of banks and associations called the Farm Credit System. The System is the largest single lender of agricultural credit in America, providing more than ninety billion dollars in loans to more than 500,000 farmers, growers, rural homeowners, ranchers, rural utilities and water systems, electric and telephone cooperatives, and agribusinesses in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Farm Credit of South Florida's administrative office is located in Lake Worth with branch offices in Okeechobee, Vero Beach, Lake Worth and Homestead. For more information call # 1.800.432.4156 or visit www.FarmCreditInsurance.com.

For Immediate Release
April 23, 2004
Contact: Lyn Cacella
V/P Marketing & Communications
(800) 432-4156

Farm Credit of South Florida returns $2 million to borrowers

Farm Credit of South Florida, an agricultural credit association serving eight counties in southeast Florida, returned over two million dollars to its member-borrowers in the form of patronage refund checks. The eighty-seven year old cooperative held its annual stockholders meeting last week at the University of Florida IFAS Belle Glade campus and handed out checks to the members that attended. "Our patronage refund is equivalent to returning 15¢ of each dollar in interest paid back to our member-borrowers," said Don Rice, CEO and President of the eight hundred member Association. "Farm Credit of South Florida had an extremely successful year and we are pleased to be able to share that success with our member-borrowers by sharing the profits. Unlike commercial banks that pay dividends to their Wall Street investors, we pay dividends to our member-borrowers in the form of patronage refunds." Under the direction of Rice, Farm Credit of South Florida has experienced record performance in the past recent years with regard to loan volume and credit quality. The four branch offices of Farm Credit are located in Homestead, Lake Worth, Okeechobee and Vero Beach and serve many of the state's leading growers, packers, processors and producers of fresh citrus, leafy greens and vegetables, refined sugar, processed rice and beef and dairy cattle. The primary growth markets for the successful cooperative continue to be the nursery and equestrian industries. "As South Florida continues to experience profound growth and development, I predict that the nursery industry as a whole will reap the benefits of the new construction and expansion projects with increasing sales volumes and profits. In addition, the Wellington area continues to develop as one of the premier hot spots for equestrian events and horse owners, sportsmen and equestrian industry providers of many types. Qualified business owners in these industries are excellent candidates for Farm Credit of South Florida's quality products and services," said Rice. "These non-traditional agricultural businesses are learning what traditional farmers have known about Farm credit for almost ninety years - that we are the largest single lender of dependable, competitive agricultural credit in America." "In addition to our experienced English-speaking staff members, we also have agricultural loan specialists who speak Spanish, French, and Portuguese. You will not find a more qualified team to assist you in obtaining the funds you need for your agri-business than here at Farm Credit of South Florida," said Esther Morales, Credit Administrator for the Association. Farm Credit of South Florida currently has over $500 million in outstanding loans to businesses and individuals directly involved with agricultural products or services in the South Florida area.

For more information about the cooperative, visit www.farmcreditsfl.com
or contact Lyn Cacella at: (800) 432-4156.