Fostoria, Ohio – Ag Credit ACA will host a book signing with the creators of Readin’ Machines – a first-reader series created for “kids who like machines.”

Author Stacey Gable and illustrator Richard Neuman will present their third installment, “It’s Time to Combine,” Jan. 16 at the Educational Service Center in Ottawa. The showcase takes place 10:30 a.m. to noon at 124 Putnam Parkway, Ottawa, Ohio 45878.

Stacey Gabel, a northwest Ohio native, writes books about life around the farm. Her books include “The New Blue Tractor” and “The Bulldozers Dig a Pond.”

Richard Neuman, the illustrator of the series also grew up in northwest Ohio. His love of the rural lifestyle brought him back to the area after working in Cleveland and New York.

All three books will be available at the event. Guests are welcome to bring previously purchased books for the author and illustrator to sign. Richard also has original prints available for purchase. Children are, of course, welcome.

For more information, call Jennifer Warner at Ag Credit’s Ottawa office 419-523-6677.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 Contact: Connie Ruth
September 29, 2009                                             cruth@agcredit.net
                                                                            1-419-663-4020

Fostoria, Ohio – Ag Credit is offering Ohio farmers a five-session risk management course, entitled Building and Protecting the Farm, beginning in January 2010.

The course will touch on aspects of business such as marketing, budgeting and succession planning. It is designed for young, beginning and small farmers, and will be available to farmers in 18 Northwest Ohio counties.

“Many young, beginning and small farmers have limited experience in building a plan to help them manage risk,” said Ag Credit CEO Neil Jordan.

Participants will identify five areas of risk and develop tools to use in their business. They will complete a risk assessment for their farm, a family living budget, a succession plan, an analysis of break-even prices and an overall business plan.

Instructors will include Ag Credit financial experts and agricultural educators with the Farm Service Agency and Ohio State University.

Careful management of the business end of the farm is particularly important in the present economy for Ohio’s corn, soybean, wheat, livestock and other farmers. High input costs for fertilizer and feed have many struggling farmers wondering about their future.

The course is funded by a federal $35,560 grant through the North Central Risk Management Education Center at the University of Nebraska.

To enroll, farmers must meet one of the following qualifications:

• Between age 18-35

• Less than 10 years experience in farm management/farming

• Less than $250,000 gross income

For more information about signing up, call Kendra Heffelfinger at 419-238-6838 or -877-684-9455.

About Ag Credit training programs
The course is offered in the 18-county area served by Ag Credit, including Crawford, Erie, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Huron, Lorain, Lucas, Marion, Morrow, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Wood, and Wyandot. Ag Credit is a rural lending cooperative in Northwestern Ohio. Ag Credit provides loans for farms and agricultural business. It has more than 4,500 borrowers and about $950 million in active loans.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 Contact: Connie Ruth
September 2009                                                  cruth@agcredit.net
                                                                            1-419-663-4020

Fostoria, Ohio – Ag Credit, an agricultural lending cooperative, has distributed $989 million to its borrower-stockholders in 2009.

This month, stockholders will receive $4.45 million of allocated surplus originating from the cooperative’s 2004 earnings. This year’s cash distributions began when $5.44 million of the cooperative’s 2008 profits were paid out in April.

Ag Credit is a lending coop focusing on agricultural loans and rural home mortgages. Its borrowers are its stockholders. They regularly receive a portion of annual profits as a refund. In the past five years, Ag Credit has returned 25 cents on the dollar to shareholders.

“We have paid a cash patronage to our Stockholders for 23 consecutive years, and today, we are distributing our profits faster than ever before,” said Chuck Bostdorff, a Bowling Green, Ohio, farmer who is the cooperative’s Chairman of the Board.

Since 1987, Ag Credit has returned more than $112 million in patronage refunds, including cash distributions, to its borrowing stockholders in Northwest Ohio.

“With the past years’ volatility and turmoil in the financial sector of the economy, our Stockholders appreciate the return of these allocated equities,” CEO Neil Jordan said.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 Contact: Connie Ruth
September 9, 2009                                             cruth@agcredit.net
                                                                            1-419-663-4020

Fostoria, Ohio – Ag Credit, a major agricultural lender in Ohio, announces its endorsement for Issue 2, a voter referendum to create an Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board.

Voters will be asked on November 3 to add a provision to the state Constitution, establishing the board, which would set standards for the care and well-being of livestock statewide.

“State standards for the treatment of livestock and poultry are good for Ohio’s farmers and good for Ohio’s consumers,” Ag Credit CEO Neil Jordan said.

The Ag Credit Board of Directors has donated $20,000 to Ohioans for Livestock Care.

The endorsement from Ag Credit is further evidence of support within the state’s agricultural industry for livestock regulation and oversight. Ag Credit has a stake in the success of Ohio’s agricultural industry because the lending cooperative finances farm businesses throughout 18 counties in Northwestern Ohio.

About the board
The 11-member Livestock Board would be directed to help “maintain food safety, encourage locally grown and raised food, and protect Ohio farms and families,” the ballot question says. It directs the board to consider factors that include biosecurity, disease prevention and animal mortality, as well as food safety, affordability and availability.

For more information about the board, visit: http://www.ohiolivestockcare.com and http://www.legislature.state.oh.us/res.cfm?ID=128_SJR_6

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                 Contact: Connie Ruth
July 29, 2009                                                     cruth@agcredit.net
                                                                            1-419-663-4020

Fostoria, Ohio – Ag Credit has awarded scholarships of $1,000 each to three students in agricultural programs at Ohio State.

The Joe Leiser Memorial Ag Credit ACA Scholarship award winners are:

Emily Brinkman of Henry County. She is a sophomore majoring in Ag Communications.	Jason Hartschuh of Crawford County. He is a junior majoring in Animal Science/Ag Education.	Lynn Wischmeyer of Putnam County. She is a junior majoring in Food Science and Ag Communications.

The students were selected based on their outstanding scholastic accomplishments and extracurricular activities.

Ag Credit is a rural lending cooperative serving 18 counties in Northern Ohio. Ag Credit provides loans for farms and agricultural business and offers country home mortgages.

“Being an agricultural lender, we give back to the community by supporting our next generation of Ohio farmers,” said Charles L. Bostdorff, Ag Credit Chairman of the Board.

Ag Credit has awarded more than $58,000 in scholarships to Ohio students since 1989.

The lending institution also contributes to 4H and Future Farmers of America. In 2008 alone, Ag Credit has contributed nearly $70,000 to 4H and FFA.