As we approach fall this the year, we come to a time when we typically look toward harvest and begin to assess how the year has gone thus far. We then begin to turn our attention to making sure we take care of tasks and details that need to be accomplished to assure we finish the year strong. 2013 has been a very different year in many respects especially as it relates to weather and rainfall. It seems that many years in the last decade or so we have ended up having good growing seasons however, many times we needed rain at critical stages throughout the entire growing season. In other words we were one good rain from a disaster and we got just what we needed most of the time. Well, 2013 has been a year when we have not wanted for moisture. If fact, it’s been the exact opposite and most everyone I have talked to needed a drying out period at some point during the season if not all season long. So it goes with agriculture. Most people who are not involved in agriculture or do not live in rural America have no idea of the risk farmers face each and every day. Agriculture is one of the few businesses that are critically dependent on the weather and the very thing that you must have to survive can come in abundance and hurt more than it helps.

I write this at a time when America’s farmers and rural communities need certainty about farm policy and our government officials can’t agree enough to pass a new Farm Bill. In an historic vote the House of Representatives failed to pass the Farm Bill that was brought to the floor for a vote. Without a Farm Bill our government is asking our farmers to take on the complete financial risk of ensuring that our Nation has an adequate supply of food.  As I am writing this piece, House leadership has decided to split the farm bill into two separate bills, a farm programs bill and a nutrition bill.  While there are varying opinions on whether this is good or bad, even if a stand-alone Farm Bill is passed in the House, the differences with the Senate Farm Bill that includes a nutrition component would still have to be negotiated by conference committee and avoid a Presidential veto to become law. Regardless of how it is accomplished, we are hopeful that clearer heads will prevail and a new 5-year Farm Bill will be passed prior to the expiration of the current bill at the end of September.

It is time again for our Director elections. This year we have 2 director positions up for election and this is your opportunity as members to have a say in how your cooperative is governed. You should have received your 2013 Annual Meeting Information Statement and ballot in the mail. Please make sure to return your ballot prior to the polls closing on September 30, 2013.

We are in the process of planning fall customer appreciation events (CAEs) to be held in each of our local service centers during the month of October. Your board has approved revolvement of allocated surplus this fall and these checks will be distributed during the CAEs. Please be looking for an invitation to your local CAE and make plans to attend. These events provide an opportunity for us to show our appreciation to you for doing business with Carolina Farm Credit.

Finally, July 2013 marked Farm Credit’s 97^th anniversary. In 2016 we will become one of the few institutions to reach 100 years in business.  As we approach this milestone, we will have an opportunity to reflect on how Farm Credit has been a long-time business partner to farmers and the agriculture community in our Country. It will also allow us to showcase our legacy of this successful partnership, the strength of our cooperative ownership model and our unique governance structure. Carolina Farm Credit is proud to be a member of the Farm Credit System and more so, we are proud to serve you, our members in the western half of North Carolina. Agriculture and Agribusiness continues stand head and shoulders above all others as North Carolina’s number one industry. Thank you for your efforts to Keep Agriculture and rural North Carolina Strong and thank you for allowing Carolina Farm Credit to serve you and provide credit and related services to meet your financial needs.