Southern AgCredit held a groundbreaking ceremony on December 14, 2021, celebrating the start of construction on its new headquarters and branch. The new building will be located at 306 Commerce Center Drive in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
The rural lending cooperative specializes in financing land and agricultural operations. Its territory includes the southernmost 50 counties in Mississippi and 11 parishes in Northwest Louisiana.
The new building will encompass 19,000 square feet of office space, as well as 10,000 square feet of outside event space. It’s expected the project will be completed in January 2023.
“The new building will allow us to continue to grow, but more importantly it will give us more space to better serve our borrower-owners,” said Phillip Morgan, Southern AgCredit chief executive officer. “We outgrew our current space in 2018 and had to purchase a second building, so our administrative team has been split between two buildings in Ridgeland for a few years now. I look forward to the day we can all come back together and operate in one building.”
Morgan said the new space will also give Southern AgCredit the ability to host outdoor events for its borrower-owners.
“We are outdoor people by nature. We love to host our stockholders and others in the community, and the new outdoor event space will be the perfect setting for events to come.”
Participating with Morgan in the symbolic ground-breaking were the Southern AgCredit board of directors, H.C. “Buster” Bailey Jr., the Honorable Gene McGee, Dale Partners Architect, P.A., and Alliant Construction.
Southern AgCredit is preparing for our biggest year yet! We will start 2022 with presenting sponsorships at two big events for outdoor enthusiasts and people in agribusiness: the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo and the North Louisiana Ag Expo.
The Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo: January 19 – February 20
Presenting Sponsorship
Southern AgCredit has enjoyed a long relationship with the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo. Both events celebrate rural life in Mississippi, and many of our stockholders and their families compete in and attend the event every year. While Southern AgCredit has sponsored the Rodeo and Livestock Show for decades, we wanted to step it up. To showcase our commitment to rural life and agricultural entrepreneurs who live life outside the city limits, we are now the presenting sponsor.
Entertainment
The entertainment lineup for the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo has been announced, and tickets are on sale now.
Date
Performer
Time
Friday, February 11
Dylan Scott
7:00 PM
Saturday, February 12
Joe Nichols
2:00 PM
Saturday, February 12
Joe Nichols
7:00 PM
Sunday, February 13
The Gatlin Brothers
2:00 PM
Wednesday, February 16
Justin Moore
7:00 PM
Thursday, February 17
Neal McCoy
7:00 PM
Friday, February 18
Gary Allan
7:00 PM
Saturday, February 19
Bellamy Brothers
2:00 PM
Bellamy Brothers
7:00 PM
Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo – Spring Edition
The spring edition of the Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo, also presented by Southern AgCredit, will be held during the first weekend of the rodeo, February 11 – 13, 2022, at the new Mississippi Trade Mart. Swing by the Southern AgCredit booth to meet our team and pick up some free swag.
The expo will be convenient for rodeo attendees, as the new Trade Mart is located between the Mississippi Coliseum and the Kirk Fordice Equine Center. The Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo’s vendors will be focused on:
Turkey hunting
Fishing
Boating
Farm equipment
Tractors and power equipment
Dates
Friday, February 11: 12:00 – 7:00 PM
Saturday, February 12: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday, February 13: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Kids 12 and under FREE on Sunday)
Location
Mississippi Coliseum and Fairgrounds 1207 Mississippi Street Jackson, MS 39202 (directions)
Tickets
Adults: $12
Kids 6 – 12: $6
5 and Under: FREE
North Louisiana Agri-Business Council Ag Expo: January 14 – 15
Southern AgCredit is the presenting sponsor of the North Louisiana Agri-Business Council Ag Expo. Expo exhibitors will include the latest hunting and fishing gear, agricultural tools, outdoor equipment and much more.
Southern AgCredit Booth Giveaway
Come meet the friendly staff of Southern AgCredit at our booth in the Expo. We’d love to chat, get you a free tote bag and enter you into our giveaway.
One lucky visitor to our booth will win a brand new, 2022 Honda FourTrax Rancher 4×4.
Southern AgCredit recently hired Barbara Box as a loan administrator in its Greenwood branch office. The rural lending cooperative specializes in financing land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana.
Box started her career in banking at Bank of Commerce in 2002 where she was most recently assistant vice president in loan administration management and operations / compliance training. She is married to Bobby Box of Greenwood and they have one child.
“Barbara brings extensive experience to the team and we are excited to have her in our Greenwood branch office,” said Phillip Morgan, Southern AgCredit CEO.
JACKSON, Miss. – Today, Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced several additions to the 2022 Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo during a press conference held at the Mississippi Trade Mart. Commissioner Gipson was joined by Scotty Lovelace, owner of Harper & Morgan Rodeo; Phillip D. Morgan, CEO of Southern AgCredit; and Don Brazil, CEO of the Foundation for Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
“I am excited to announce Southern AgCredit as the new title sponsor for the annual Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo,” said Commissioner Gipson. “Also this year, our agency is partnering with the Foundation for Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks to hold the Spring Edition of the Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo during an extended weekend of the Dixie National Rodeo. This adds another dynamic to the traditional events held during Dixie National. Visitors from across the country look forward to this annual, month-long agricultural event, and I believe it will be bigger and better than ever.”
“We are delighted to be the title sponsor of the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo. We know Southern AgCredit and the Dixie National are a natural pair,” said Morgan. “We both have deep roots in Mississippi and the surrounding area, as well as an affinity for serving those with a passion for agriculture. We look forward to working together to make the 57th Dixie National the greatest yet!”
“On behalf of our Foundation Board, I want to express how incredibly excited we are to present the Spring Edition of the Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo at the Dixie National Rodeo,” said Brazil.
Today, Mississippi Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson announced several additions to the 2022 Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo during a press conference held at the Mississippi Trade Mart. Commissioner Gipson was joined by (from left to right) Michael Lasseter, director of the Mississippi State Fairgrounds; Scotty Lovelace, owner of Harper & Morgan Rodeo; Phillip Morgan, CEO of Southern AgCredit; Commissioner Gipson; and Don Brazil, CEO of the Foundation for Mississippi Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks.
The Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo, the largest rodeo event east of the Mississippi River, brings in participates from all over the world and generates millions of dollars in the local economy. This coming year, the rodeo competitions will be extended to include a second weekend, February 11-13 and 16-19. The entertainment lineup for the 2022 Dixie National Rodeo includes Dylan Scott, Joe Nichols, the Gatlin Brothers, Gary Allan, Neal McCoy, Justin Moore and Bellamy Brothers.
“Harper & Morgan Rodeo is very proud of the past success of the Dixie National Rodeo and even more excited for the future. The renovations to the fairgrounds, the Coliseum, and the Trade Mart are a part of making the Dixie National Rodeo a huge success. With the support of our partners and their continued investment, The Dixie National Rodeo will be second to none,” said Lovelace.
The 57th Annual Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo will run Wednesday, January 19, through Sunday, February 20, 2022, at the Mississippi State Fairgrounds. Visit dixienational.org for more information as it becomes available.
For more information, contact:
Paige Manning, Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Southern AgCredit, a rural lender serving Mississippi and Louisiana, recently promoted seven employees.
Brent Barry was promoted to regional president. Barry holds a bachelor’s degree in forest management from Mississippi State University. After graduation from MSU, he worked at Forest Resource Consultants in Quitman, until he joined Southern AgCredit as a loan officer in May 2003. Since then, he has served the association as the Hattiesburg branch manager and then a regional vice president. He resides in Sumrall with his wife, Dana, and their three children.
Clayton Davis was promoted to regional president. Davis earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mississippi State University. He joined Southern AgCredit in January 2006 as a loan officer trainee. He was promoted to loan officer then vice president and branch manager of the Greenville branch, before serving as a regional vice president, his most recent position. Davis lives in Avon with his wife, Kelli, and their two sons.
Jamey Nicholas was promoted to regional president. Nicholas has a bachelor’s degree in real estate and finance from Mississippi State University. He began at Southern AgCredit in 2011 as a loan officer trainee. Since then, he has served as a loan officer, Ridgeland’s branch manager and most recently as a regional vice president. Nicholas is a board member of the Mississippi River Landowners Alliance and is active in Ducks Unlimited, NWTF and QDMA. He resides in Jackson with his wife, Mary Hampton, and their two children.
Kevin Brown was promoted to vice president and branch manager of the Ridgeland branch office. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and an MBA from the University of Mississippi. Brown joined Southern AgCredit in 2017 as a credit analyst and has been a loan officer in the Ridgeland branch for the past three years. Previously, he worked in lending at Community Bank. Brown and his wife, Carly, live in Madison.
Elliott Fancher, vice president and branch manager of the Greenwood branch office, was promoted to manager of both the Greenwood and Greenville branches. Fancher holds a bachelor’s degree in animal science with a minor in agricultural business from Mississippi State University. He joined the association in 2006. He lives in Duck Hill with his wife, Stacia, and two children.
Matthew Rounsaville was promoted to vice president and branch manager of the Hattiesburg branch office. Rounsaville holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mississippi State University. He joined Southern AgCredit in December 2010 as a loan officer in the Newton branch. He then transferred to the Hattiesburg branch, where he was vice president of lending and most recently assistant branch manager. Rounsaville and his wife, Kelly Ray, live in Ellisville with their daughter.
Adam Lowman was promoted to vice president of technology in the Ridgeland administrative office. Lowman is a Virginia College graduate and has over 19 years’ experience in IT-related roles, including stints at Baptist Health Systems and Conduent. He resides in Brandon with his wife, Lara, and their two sons.
“These seven individuals bring valuable expertise and strong leadership skills to Southern AgCredit,” said CEO Phillip Morgan. “They’ve contributed enormously to our cooperative’s success, and it’s a pleasure to recognize them with well-deserved promotions.”
At Southern AgCredit, we place the highest priority on the safety of our borrowers and employees. As you may be aware, the number of COVID-19 cases has increased considerably in Louisiana and Mississippi with the Delta variant being the chief cause of infection.
As of Thursday, August 5, all Southern AgCredit branches are closed to walk in traffic, however our lending staff is available by appointment.
The following information is to notify you about the resources Southern AgCredit has available that will allow you to receive funding and make payments remotely.
Online Banking: connect with your accounts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. With Ag Banking Online you can view your loan balances, payment history, and interest paid. You can also set up automatic payments and e-statements, request draws, and send messages to our support team. Learn more: southernagcredit.com/enroll
Mobile Banking App: download our mobile app to help manage your account anytime and anywhere from your mobile device or tablet. You can find the Southern AgCredit app in your mobile device’s app store.
Phone and Email: We are happy to assist you via email or phone. All branch email addresses are listed at the bottom of this letter. You can find other contact information for your local branch here: southernagcredit.com/locations
We want to thank you for trusting Southern AgCredit as your rural financial partner. We remain committed to our borrowers and to financing life outside the city limits!
Sincerely,
Phillip D. Morgan Chief Executive Officer Southern AgCredit
FCA Congratulates the Farm Credit System on its 105th Anniversary
McLEAN, Va., July 22, 2021 — Last Saturday, July 17, was the 105th anniversary of the date President Woodrow Wilson signed the Federal Farm Loan Act in 1916, which created what we now know as the Farm Credit System. In commemoration of this anniversary, the Farm Credit Administration — the regulator of the Farm Credit System — announces the publication of an interactive history timeline on its website.
The Model of the U.S. Farm Credit System
Congress passed the 1916 legislation (PDF) in response to President Wilson’s Rural Credits Commission. Building on an earlier study by President Taft’s European study commission, President Wilson’s commission traveled extensively throughout Europe to learn about the cooperative agricultural and rural credit delivery systems there. The commission presented its findings in a 1913 report, Agricultural Cooperation and Rural Credit in Europe, an original copy of which FCA has restored and plans to display at its headquarters in McLean, Virginia.
“The story of the Farm Credit System has an interesting twist,” says FCA Chairman and CEO Glen Smith. “When faced with the difficulty of providing adequate, affordable credit to U.S. farmers, ranchers, and other rural Americans, the United States studied rural credit delivery systems in Europe in the early 20th century and modeled its solution — the cooperative Farm Credit System — after those systems.
“Now, a century later, other nations, when seeking ways to better meet their own rural credit needs, periodically send delegations here to learn about the Farm Credit System. As a nation, I think we can feel very proud of that — and very honored to have the opportunity to ‘pay it forward,’” he says.
The Farm Credit System is a nationwide network of banks and associations that lend to farmers, ranchers, agricultural cooperatives, and other eligible borrowers. It’s the nation’s oldest government-sponsored enterprise, set up solely to meet the credit needs of agriculture and rural America.
“In addition to serving the direct credit needs of farmers and ranchers, System institutions also provide financing for the infrastructure that supports production agriculture,” says FCA Board Member Jeff Hall. “They support agricultural processing and marketing operations and the distribution systems that get the products from the farm to the consumer.”
The Establishment of the U.S. Farm Credit System
In signing the Federal Farm Loan Act on July 17, 1916, President Wilson spoke eloquently of protecting the interests of farmers. “The farmers, it seems to me, have occupied hitherto a singular position of disadvantage. While they sustained our life, they did not, in the same degree with some others, share in the benefits of that life. Therefore, this bill . . . puts them upon an equality with all others who have genuine assets and makes the great credit of the country available to them.”
In addition to describing the 1916 legislation creating the System, the timeline highlights many other important events in the history of the System and its regulator — from the days of the Great Depression, through the farm crisis of the 1980s, to the COVID-19 pandemic of the present day. The timeline also covers important farm credit-related legislation in the past 100 years and profiles FCA’s governors and board chairs.
“The Farm Credit System is an important reason that the U.S. ag industry is so strong,” says Chairman Smith. “Farming is a capital-intensive enterprise, and the industry could not have grown to the size it is today without reliable and affordable credit. And it’s the System’s status as a government-sponsored enterprise that makes its credit reliable and affordable,” he says. “The System is publicly mandated to serve agriculture in good times and in bad.”
Farm Credit’s Continued Success
Several factors have contributed to the System’s long-term success, but Board Member Hall believes the System’s status as a cooperative is one of the most significant. “Structured as cooperatives, all System banks and associations are owned and governed by their farmer-borrowers. This ensures that they are responsive to the needs of their borrowers. It also ensures that they can adapt readily to the changing landscape of agriculture,” he says.
U.S. Farm Credit Today
Today, the System remains safe and sound, providing loans to almost 600,000 customers. It’s also estimated to provide around 45% of the nation’s farm credit. It comprises 71 institutions, which are governed by the customers they serve. The System continues to deliver on the promises President Wilson described 105 years ago. The Farm Credit Administration, which celebrated its 88th anniversary (PDF) in March, invites the public to visit its timeline to learn about U.S. agricultural history and to check back often for updates.
RIDGELAND, Miss. — Stockholders of Southern AgCredit recently reelected Bryan “Scott” Bell of Lena, Mississippi, and Charles “Allen” Eubanks of Lucedale, Mississippi, to the lending cooperative’s board of directors. They will each serve three-year terms.
Bell is the owner/operator of Bell Livestock, Inc. and serves on the board of directors of Bell Farms, Inc. Both corporations are cattle, poultry and row crop operations in Scott and Leake counties in Mississippi.
Eubanks is the owner/operator of Eubanks Produce, Inc., Melon Acres, LLC, Eubanks Land Company, LLC, Double AJ Packers, LLC, and Charlie’s U-Pik, LLC.
Southern AgCredit’s 2021 Nominating Committee consists of the following stockholders: Tim Clements, Delta Region; Alan Ezelle, Central Region; Kati Crager, Southern Region; Thomas Wade, Louisiana Region; J. Blake McCartney, Louisiana Region.
“Serving on the board of directors is a critical oversight role for the strategic direction of Southern AgCredit. Directors are responsible for setting policy and direction for the co-op, while representing the concerns of the members they represent,” said Phillip Morgan, Southern AgCredit chief executive officer. “We’re grateful for Scott and Allen’s board service and tenure in prior years, and we look forward to working with them again.”
The complete Southern AgCredit 10-member board includes Mississippi directors Reggie Allen of Brookhaven, Bryan “Scott” Bell of Lena, Lonnie “Gene” Boykin of Rolling Fork, Steven “Steve” Dockens of Ocean Springs, Charles “Allen” Eubanks of Lucedale, Larry W. Killebrew of Lexington, Kevin Rhodes of Pelahatchie and Linda S. Staniszewski of Hattiesburg; and Louisiana directors John “Van” Bennett of Spearsville and Thomas C. “T.C.” Hall of Gloster.
RIDGELAND, Mississippi – Southern AgCredit recently added staff members to its Gulfport and Ridgeland lending teams and promoted three credit analysts.
The rural lending cooperative specializes in financing land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana.
Laura Michini was hired as a loan administrator in the Gulfport branch office. Previously, she was a closing assistant for Pilger Title Co. She attended the University of Mississippi, William Carey University and Pearl River Community College. Michini lives in Ocean Springs with her husband, Dominick, and daughter, Juliette.
Camdon Taylor was hired as a credit analyst in the Ridgeland administrative office. He received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Louisiana State University Shreveport. A native of Shreveport, he now resides in Jackson, Mississippi.
Kirby Keith was promoted to senior credit analyst in the Ridgeland administrative office. Keith is a native of Decatur, Mississippi, and lives in Madison with his wife, Stephanie. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mississippi State University and is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Banking. Prior to joining Southern AgCredit in 2018, Keith was an assistant vice president with Community Bank, where he worked as a commercial and consumer loan officer.
Mallory Kellar was promoted to credit analyst in the Gulfport branch office. She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Southern Mississippi. Kellar was employed at PJ’s Coffee for seven years prior to joining Southern AgCredit. She recently married Evan Kellar, an independent insurance agent in Picayune, Mississippi.
Melanie Lien was promoted to senior credit analyst in the Ridgeland administrative office. She joined Southern AgCredit in 2018 after working in the Madison County School District’s finance department. Previously, she worked for five years in credit/underwriting at a local bank. Melanie holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mississippi College. Originally from Forest, Mississippi, she now resides in Madison with her husband, Adam.
“Southern AgCredit is pleased to welcome Laura and Camdon to the team and to recognize Kirby, Mallory and Melanie with well-deserved promotions,” said Phillip Morgan, Southern AgCredit chief executive officer. “As we continue to grow, their hard work and expertise is critical to our success. We appreciate their many contributions to the association.”
RIDGELAND, Miss. – Southern AgCredit recently added to its lending staff and named a new human resources manager. The rural lending cooperative specializes in financing land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana.
Steele Hardin has joined Southern AgCredit as a loan officer in its Greenwood, Mississippi, branch office. Hardin graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. He began his career with Mississippi Farm Bureau Insurance, first as an agent in Jackson and later in Indianola. He resides in Greenwood with his wife, Sarah Beth, and their daughter.
Kim Webb has been promoted to human resources and office manager in the cooperative’s Ridgeland administrative office. Webb joined Southern AgCredit in 2014 as an office administrator. Prior to that, she was a customer service representative for a local commercial bank. A native of Amite, Louisiana, she resides in Flora, Mississippi, with her husband and their children.
“Steele is an excellent addition to the local lending team, and I’m excited to work with Kim in her new role in human resources,” said Phillip Morgan, Southern AgCredit CEO. “The talent we have here at Southern AgCredit is top-notch.”
RIDGELAND, Miss.—Southern AgCredit recently promoted Brittany Miller to loan administrator. She works in the rural lending cooperative’s branch office in Newton, Mississippi.
Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Mississippi State University. She joined Southern AgCredit as an office administrator in 2019. Before that, she worked as a loan assistant for BankFirst in Newton. She and her husband, Joe, have two daughters, Layla and Sophie. The family resides in Garlandville, Mississippi.
“Brittany is a valued member of our team,” said Phillip Morgan, Southern AgCredit chief executive officer. I’m confident she’ll excel in her new role and continue to meet the needs of our customers.”
Southern AgCredit is a full-service co-op lender that specializes in financing rural land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana. It is a member of the Farm Credit System, the nation’s largest source of loans for agriculture, agribusiness, rural real estate and country homes.
RIDGELAND, Mississippi — Southern AgCredit, a rural financing cooperative, is pleased to announce its 2021 scholarship recipients. The co-op awarded over $30,000 in agriculture scholarships to 28 students.
To qualify, each applicant had to be a current Southern AgCredit borrower, or a current borrower’s child, grandchild or spouse. Selection criteria included academics, leadership, extracurricular activities and an essay by the student.
A total of 26 students each received a $1,000 scholarship.
In addition, Southern AgCredit awarded two recipients with $2,500 agriculture scholarships. These special scholarships honor two former longtime Southern AgCredit board members — Jimmie Dick Carter and Emery Skelton. They are awarded to deserving students who attend or are planning to attend Mississippi State University and major in agriculture or a related field.
By supporting ag education with 28 scholarships, Southern AgCredit seeks to fuel the future of the agriculture industry.
“We’re proud to do our part to help these students pursue their dreams,” said Southern AgCredit Chief Executive Officer Phillip Morgan. “They have shown the work ethic, determination and drive to keep agriculture thriving in Mississippi and Louisiana. We wish them much success in their future endeavors.”
Following are the recipients and the colleges they are attending.
$2500 – Jimmie Dick Carter Scholarship Hanna Knight Smithdale, Mississippi Mississippi State University
$2500 – Emery Skelton Scholarship James Neil III McCarley, Mississippi Mississippi State University
$1000 – scholarship recipients Adyson Tadlock Forest, Mississippi East Central Community College
Allie Fontenot Gray, Louisiana Belhaven University
Amber Scroggins Natchez, Mississippi Mississippi State University
Anna Blackwell Raleigh, Mississippi Jones College
Benjamin Sessions St. Francisville, Louisiana Mississippi State University or UT Chattanooga
Brandon McCurdy Poplarville, Mississippi Pearl River Community College
Drake Clegg Yazoo City, Mississippi Mississippi State University
Dempsie McDill Forest, Mississippi East Central Community College
Eli Fratesi Leland, Mississippi Copiah Lincoln Community College
Emma Grace Rutherford Rolling Fork, Mississippi Mississippi State University
Ethan Ezelle Morton, Mississippi Mississippi State University
Grace Hitchcock Mandeville, Louisiana University of Mississippi
Gracie Wilson Union, Mississippi East Central Community College
Grason Marter Cordova, Tennessee University of Memphis
Hannah Garvin Louin, Mississippi Mississippi State University
Hayden Kilgore Taylorsville, Mississippi Jones College
Holden Brown Louin, Mississippi Jones College
Ivey Anne Speights Jayess, Mississippi Southwest Community College
Jacob White Simsboro, Louisiana Louisiana Tech University
Jessica Fulgham Itta Bena, Mississippi Mississippi Delta Community College
Kathleen Carson Greenville, Mississippi East Mississippi Community College
Kaylee Boykin Rolling Fork, Mississippi Mississippi Delta Community College
Lee Hill Decatur, Mississippi Jones College
Rayne Theunissen Hollandale, Mississippi Mississippi State University
Seth Cook Flowood, Mississippi University of Mississippi
Stephen Dooley Utica, Mississippi Mississippi State University
Slade Priest, also known as the “Hunting Land Man,” is a hunting land specialist and licensed real estate agent. He’s the host of several hunting television shows and podcasts. Slade was born and raised in Centreville, Mississippi where he continues to live today along with his family—wife Lori, son Bentley, daughter Asa, and a baby boy due in May. “If I could live anywhere in the country, I’d pick right here,” said Slade.
When he’s not selling hunting land, Slade is deer hunting, turkey hunting or spending time with family. He grew up in a family who hunted, so hunting and family go hand in hand. It’s just part of who they are. “I wouldn’t be the person I am today if I didn’t spend every waking hour in the woods growing up,” explained Slade.
Slade believes buying land is a good investment, but there’s just something special about recreational land.
“Recreational land is emotional,” he said. If your son or daughter kills their first deer or turkey on that land, then those are the memories that we will hold on to and that is what makes recreational land so special.” To Slade, there’s much more to it than just a rate of return on his investment. There’s a level of fun and excitement that you can’t find just anywhere.
“Southern AgCredit understands land and land financing. They make the process easy, fun, and they just get it.” — Slade Priest
“My whole life I’ve wanted to have my own tract of land with my house on it, which would also be a place where my family could go hunting or ride four-wheelers or things like that,” said Slade. “The week we moved in, I saw a doe and an eight-point buck walk through my front yard. I knew at that point, I’d made it. This was exactly what I had been looking for.”
Slade attributes his strong work ethic to his parents. He’s never been one to shy away from working hard to get what he wanted. Slade doesn’t believe in idle time—there’s always something for him to do, whether it be filling up a feeder, making a food plot, working on hunting land maps or trying to figure out how to buy or lease more land. Now he and Lori feel that they are called to teach their children how to work hard on their land, and hopefully they will carry on the tradition. “It’s building a legacy,” said Slade.
Slade comes from a long line of Southern AgCredit borrowers. He grew up hearing his grandparents and parents talk about owning land and knew when it became his turn, he would also contact Southern AgCredit for his own financing needs.
“Southern AgCredit understands land and land financing. They make the process easy, fun, and they just get it,” said Slade.
The Shoemakes were tired of the big-city life and dreamed of living in the country. They decided to make their dream a reality and built a log home in the small community of Vancleave, Mississippi.
Both Harry and Clarice were born and raised in the country but migrated to the city of Laurel. Then they moved to Biloxi area because of their business. Harry and his son, Sean, own Employee Benefit Specialists, PA. The company specializes in the design, communication and enrollment of voluntary benefits and group insurance. They started the company in 1967 and expanded in 2010 to include US Select Insurance, LLA, which writes P&C and Commercial Insurance. It’s still operating today.
Finding the Right Tract
They began looking at land in rural areas that would be large enough for their whole family. The couple has four grandchildren, so it was very important to have lots of space. They found the perfect tract of land to build their log cabin on. Sean and his family built their home next door. Having their family as next-door neighbors is a blessing that they are thankful for. Their oldest son, Lee, and his family live in Atlanta, but Harry and Clarice are hopeful that they will relocate to Vancleave at retirement.
The Shoemakes are excited about having the whole gang over to their new country home where they can ride four-wheelers, watch football, and enjoy being together as a family. On the farm, there’s always something to do.
“The more things change, the more they stay the same,” commented Harry. “Life makes a circle. I started out on the farm, then moved to the city but as I got older, I wanted to get away from the city and back to the farm. We wanted to get back to nature, a simpler time and a slower pace.” The Shoemakes found that slower paced life in Vancleave.
Financing Rural Country Homes with Southern AgCredit
Several years ago, a banker friend told Harry about Southern AgCredit as he wasn’t familiar with Farm Credit, where farm and agricultural lending are the primary focus. When they decided to buy their tract of land, Harry and Sean knew just the right place to call for financing. They met Alex Riser, Southern AgCredit’s Gulfport branch manager who gave them the best deal on land financing.
“The Shoemakes are great folks,” Alex said. “I loved being able to work with them and help them with the financing of their beautiful country home.”
The Shoemakes have been Southern AgCredit members since 2017.
“Southern AgCredit was a perfect fit for us,” agreed Harry and Clarice.
Finance Your Country Home with a Loan from Southern AgCredit
Walter Oliver was born and raised in Carroll County, Mississippi on a farm that he now owns and operates. He and his family run Oliver Farms—a 3,000-plus acre farm where they grow cotton, corn and peanuts.
“My daddy taught me everything I know about farming. He retired in 2008, and I picked up from there. 2009 was a hard year without having him on the farm, but I managed to get by,” Walt said.
Southern AgCredit’s Relationship With Oliver Farms
Walt’s father began a relationship with Land Bank South (now Southern AgCredit) in 1976. Now, fast forward some 45 years later, and the relationship between the Oliver family and Southern AgCredit is still going strong. “They’re just good people, hard workers, and great farmers,” said Elliott Fancher, Southern AgCredit’s Greenwood branch manager and loan officer for Oliver Farms. “Not only are they our borrowers, but they’re also our friends. Our kids go to the same school. We talk about business, but we also talk football and hunting.”
Why Experienced Farming Lenders Matter
Walt acknowledges that although his father started the financial relationship with Southern AgCredit, he knew that he wouldn’t change it. “They understand farming and the demands that it has, the unpredictable weather and the volatile commodity prices. They know that every year won’t be a record year, and they can help us plan for that,” said Walt.
Walt values the agricultural knowledge of Elliott and others at Southern AgCredit, where most of the staff grew up on farms and are even farming part-time today. “It’s important to us,” Walt explained. “It makes the conversations easy because they truly get it.”
RIDGELAND, Miss. – Southern AgCredit, a rural lending cooperative, recently hired Ashley Bodie as a loan administrator in its Shreveport, LA branch.
Bodie started her career in banking at Ouachita Independent Bank in 2011. She stayed with the company when it merged with BancorpSouth in 2018 and worked as a personal banker prior to joining Southern AgCredit. She is married to Keith Bodie of Haughton, LA, and they have two children.
Southern AgCredit is a full-service cooperative lender that specializes in financing rural land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana. It is a part of the Farm Credit System, the nation’s single largest source of loans for agriculture, agribusiness, rural real estate and country homes. For more information, visit www.southernagcredit.com.
From left are Southern AgCreditdirectors Larry Killebrew, Gene Boykin, Kevin Rhodes (board chairman) and Steve Dockens; CEO Phillip Morgan; and directors T.C. Hall, Linda Staniszewski, Reggie Allen and Scott Bell (board vice chairman).
The board of directors of Southern AgCredit, a rural lending cooperative, recently declared a $21.1 million patronage on its 2020 earnings. It returned a record $10.4 million in patronage dividends to its member-borrowers in mid-February. The co-op allocated the remaining $10.7 million in equities.
The member-owned cooperative returns surplus earnings to borrowers after it has met its needs for a strong capital base. The patronage dividend returned to customers effectively reduced the interest rate paid by each borrower by one percentage point on average.
“Patronage is a unique benefit of doing business with a cooperative,” said Kevin Rhodes, Southern AgCredit’s board chairman. “When our co-op is successful, our member-borrowers benefit. Given the challenges many faced in 2020, we’re pleased to distribute a record cash patronage.”
Since 1995, Southern AgCredit has declared more than $200 million in patronage dividends to its member-borrowers.
Southern AgCredit is a full-service co-op lender that specializes in financing rural land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana. It is a member of the nationwide Farm Credit System, the nation’s largest source of loans for agriculture, agribusiness, rural real estate and country homes.
RIDGELAND, Miss. – Southern AgCredit recently promoted Michelle Breazeale to loan officer. She works in the lending cooperative’s branch office in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Breazeale holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from William Carey University. She joined Southern AgCredit in January 2013 as an office administrator. Breazeale resides in Sumrall with her husband, Matthew and their 5 children.
“We are excited to have Michelle’s expertise and commitment to excellence as a loan officer,” said Phillip Morgan, Southern AgCredit chief executive officer. “Her experience in the loan process and working with borrowers will be of great value in her new role.”
Southern AgCredit is a full-service co-op lender that specializes in financing rural land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana. It is a member of the Farm Credit System, the nation’s largest source of loans for agriculture, agribusiness, rural real estate and country homes. For more information, visit www.southernagcredit.com.
RIDGELAND, Miss. – Southern AgCredit recently promoted four employees.
Hunter Barlow was promoted to agribusiness portfolio manager in the Ridgeland administrative office. Barlow holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and a Master of Business Administration degree from Mississippi State University. He is also a certified public accountant. Barlow joined Southern AgCredit in 2014 as a senior credit analyst.
Amanda Hudson was promoted to chief information officer in the Ridgeland administrative office. Hudson has led Southern AgCredit’s loan operations department since 2017. In 2020, she and her team implemented new loan origination software, automating processes and improving the loan experience for customers and employees. Hudson holds a bachelor’s degree in food science and technology and a master’s in agribusiness management from Mississippi State University. She was also in the inaugural class of the Thad Cochran Agricultural Leadership Program, and is treasurer of the Pearl River-Stone County Forestry Association. Hudson joined Southern AgCredit in 2006 as a loan officer.
Alex Riser was promoted to vice president and branch manager of the Gulfport branch office. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a Master of Business Administration degree from Belhaven University. He was also on the baseball team at Belhaven University and Pearl River Community College. Riser joined Southern AgCredit in 2015 as a loan officer.
Shera Sivley was promoted to business analyst in the Ridgeland administrative office. She holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Delta State University and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Phoenix. Prior to joining Southern AgCredit in 2008 as a credit analyst, Sivley worked at Regions Bank for 15 years.
“Southern AgCredit is growing quickly, thanks in part to dedicated employees like these,” said CEO Phillip Morgan. “It’s a pleasure to recognize their contributions and provide them with more opportunity.”
Southern AgCredit is a full-service co-op lender that specializes in financing rural land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana. It is a member of the nationwide Farm Credit System, the nation’s largest source of loans for agriculture, agribusiness, rural real estate and country homes. For more information, visit www.southernagcredit.com.
Each applicant must be a current Southern AgCredit borrower or a current borrower’s child, grandchild, or spouse. The deadline for entry is March 15, 2021, and the winners will be notified in April. Visit https://southernagcredit.com/apply/scholarship-program/ to learn more!
Southern AgCredit is pleased to offer an extension of our borrower assistance program for COVID-19 relief options. These relief options will be available until June 30, 2021 or 60 days after termination of the COVID-19 national emergency, whichever is the later. We have the following options available to our borrowers who have been negatively impacted by the pandemic:
Payment deferrals
Short-term lines of credit
Loan restructures
Waived fees for late payments
Extending the terms of loan repayments
Easing loan documentation or credit-extension terms for new loans
Contact your loan officer to request relief
If your operations have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 and you want to request relief, we encourage you to reach out to your loan officer. Please keep in mind that all terms of your loan agreement remain unchanged until a formal request is received, required information is provided, an option is approved and processed to completion.
As a reminder, you can access your accounts and services online by using Ag Banking Online. To enroll, visit southernagcredit.com/enroll.
Download Southern AgCredit’s Ag Banking Mobile App
You can download our Mobile Banking App on Google Play or the App Store below. We know how critical these online tools are as we help our customers maintain their businesses.
If you need assistance with these tools, have questions, or would like support from our team, please contact us by calling your local branch or by calling our customer service line at 800-499-5742.
We continue to keep our doors closed to the public in an effort to keep our customers as well as our staff as safe and healthy as possible. Our loan officers are available by appointment. Thank you for your business, your commitment to agriculture and your trust in Southern AgCredit.
Kelly ColemanBrooks HallCarrie FielderJeff Williams
RIDGELAND, Miss. – Southern AgCredit recently hired four new staff members. The rural lending cooperative specializes in financing land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana.
Kelly Coleman
Kelly Coleman joined Southern AgCredit as a relationship manager in its branch office in Ruston, Louisiana. He has over 35 years of lending experience, most recently as a senior vice president and loan officer for a commercial bank in West Monroe. Coleman holds a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from Louisiana Tech University. He resides in Ruston with his wife, Tralynn. They have six adult children and five grandchildren. He is also the senior pastor at Culbertson Baptist Church in nearby Farmerville.
Carrie Fielder
Carrie Fielder was hired as a paralegal in Southern AgCredit’s administrative office in Ridgeland, Mississippi. She has 16 years of experience as a paralegal and legal assistant. She also worked closely with the lending co-op for the past three years while she was a paralegal with the law firm Hubbard, Mitchell, Williams & Strain. Fielder holds an associate degree from Jones County Junior College. She lives in Brandon, Mississippi, with her husband and three children.
“Our newest employees bring a wealth of experience to Southern AgCredit. The stronger our team, the better we can meet the needs of agriculture and rural communities in our territory.”
Phillip Morgan, CEO, Southern AgCredit
Brooks Hall
Brooks Hall joined Southern AgCredit as a loan officer in its branch office in Brookhaven, Mississippi. He started his career as an examiner in the Mississippi Department of Banking and Consumer Finance, a position he held for three years. For the past 8½ years, he was a lender at Bank of Brookhaven. Hall attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Mississippi State University. He and his wife, Summer, live in Brookhaven.
Jeff Williams
Jeff Williams was hired as vice president and general counsel in the Ridgeland, Mississippi, administrative office. Prior to joining Southern AgCredit, he was a partner at a local law firm, Hubbard, Mitchell, Williams & Strain, which he helped start. Williams also is a lieutenant colonel in the Mississippi Air National Guard and a veteran of the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves. He received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the University of Mississippi and his bachelor’s degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy. A Jackson native, he resides in Pearl, Mississippi, with his wife, Regina, and two sons Ethan and Collin.
About Southern AgCredit
Southern AgCredit is headquartered in Ridgeland, Mississippi, and has nine branch offices in Mississippi and Louisiana. It is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of lending cooperatives that finance agriculture, agribusiness, rural real estate, and country homes.
RIDGELAND, Miss. – Southern AgCredit recently promoted Paul Landry to director of portfolio risk and compliance. He works in the administrative office in Ridgeland, Mississippi.
A native of West Monroe, Louisiana, Landry has worked for Southern AgCredit since 2011.
“Paul has been an asset to our team for nearly a decade,” said Phillip Morgan, Southern AgCredit’s chief executive officer. “It’s always great when we are able to promote from within the organization. I’m excited to continue working alongside Paul in his new role.”
Landry holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mississippi College. Before joining the rural lending cooperative, Landry was a senior auditor at a local accounting firm.
Southern AgCredit is a full-service co-op lender that specializes in financing rural land and agricultural operations in Mississippi and Louisiana. It is a member of the Farm Credit System, the nation’s largest source of loans for agriculture, agribusiness, rural real estate and country homes. For more information, visit www.southernagcredit.com.
Advanced Timber Services, Inc., (ATS) is a timber-buying and-selling company as well as a timber management company started by Jim Long in 1996. ATS is operated by Jim, his wife, Susan, and two adult sons, Jeremy and Jamie.
Jim started in the forest industry when he was 19 years old, working his way through college as a forestry technician for Crown Zellerbach, a national company that has since sold. Next, Jim took a job as a procurement forester for a timber company in Arkansas, a position he held for seven years. He then made the move to another timber company, where he worked another seven years.
When Jim was 40 years old, he decided to go out on his own and start his own timber company, ATS. An outgoing entrepreneur, Jim grew the operation into a thriving business and has never looked back. He’s now semi-retired and depends on his sons to handle the day-to-day operations in the field.
Susan began her career as a human resources professional and worked until her sons were in elementary school. The Longs decided that Susan would stay home with the two boys and assist Jim with ATS. Susan obtained her real estate license and began helping with the office duties of ATS, a role she still fills today. In total, the company has 19 employees, including loggers, drivers, foresters and an operations manager. Until 2018, the Longs would subcontract out their logging services. Now they own all their own logging equipment and run two logging crews, with the goal of adding another logging crew soon.
“In order to scale the company, if we must spend money, we have to spend it to make more money. In our case, that was spending money on our own logging equipment,” said Jeremy, the Long’s oldest son, who is a degreed forester.
Safety and technology go hand in hand for ATS, and purchasing their own logging equipment and trucks has paid dividends. All trucks have built-in GPS tracking and diagnostic information. The user can see idle time, fuel consumption, total miles driven, total number of stops, and have the capability to set the maximum speed of the trucks. Such technology helps increase safety, which in turn helps maximize profits.
“We have to be as safe as possible,” commented Jim. “In this industry, your reputation is all you have.”
Jeremy and Jamie have been in the woods with their father since they were in their early teens, whether tagging along while he was working or camping together as a family. It was during these times that they learned to love and respect nature. The Long sons grew up listening to their father talk on the phone to landowners and foresters. The boys quickly picked up on the lingo and learned the fundamentals of what it took to do field work without the use of modern technology. These days, they’re able to integrate the knowledge gleaned from their father with today’s technology, giving them a well-rounded perspective on how to meet and exceed the company’s goals.
After high school, Jeremy and Jamie pursued degrees in forestry and business, respectively. Upon graduating, the boys decided to come back to Shreveport and work in the family business, which thrilled Jim and Susan. “I wanted to come back and help my parents retire and have the life that they want, because they provided for me and my brother and helped us have the life that we wanted,” said Jamie. “I wanted to return the favor and help the family do well and succeed.”
Susan, a 12-year cancer survivor, had an illness that at one point took her and Jim away from their day-to-day jobs with ATS. Jamie was in college during this time, which left Jeremy to fill in and run the company, giving him a jumpstart on his career. It was also during this time that Jamie realized just how much he wanted to come back and be part of the company his family built.
At ATS, they’ve made a commitment to surround themselves with hardworking, like-minded people, which they believe is the key to success. They are thankful that they have a wonderful group of employees to work with each day, and know that ATS is only as strong as its team.
“I feel like God prepared me for my position by working previous jobs as a receptionist, all the way from accounts payable to human resources management. I am still using all those skills for the job I have now. I can see my path very clearly was built up to help support my husband and family in this business,” said Susan. “Jim has a God-given ability to work with trees and he’s never strayed from his career choice. Even in times of very volatile markets, he never gave up.”
“When things got hard and times were tough, I never gave up. I learned from my mistakes and turned them into something positive and kept going,” Jim said. “In this industry, you must be dedicated and be willing to do whatever it takes.”
ATS chose Southern AgCredit as their lender for a variety of reasons.
“We liked the rates and terms, and we also quickly found Southern AgCredit could handle any of our financing needs,” explained Susan. “We also liked that Justin (Southern AgCredit’s Shreveport branch manager) helped us in planning our financing strategies for future needs of the business.”
The Longs have been Southern AgCredit members since July 2016.
Finance Your Timber Business with a Loan from Southern AgCredit
Steve and Amanda Alexander DeBerry, Texas / Frierson, Louisiana
Alexander Blueberry Farms encompasses farm land in Louisiana and Texas, where the Alexanders grow blueberries. Steve and Amanda Alexander own and operate the farm alongside their children, Caroline, Timothy, and Elizabeth. They also have a grown daughter, Kayla, who lives in Lubbock, Texas, with her 5-year-old daughter, baby and husband. Their blueberries are sold to grocery stores across the region.
Steve grew up on a dairy farm where he worked with his father and brother. After deciding in his mid-20s that he wanted to start his own farm, he purchased and raised heifers while still on his dad’s property. In 1991 he decided to go out on his own and leased a dairy farm in Louisiana where he started milking his own herd. After overcoming many obstacles with grit and determination, his dairy operation grew and thrived.
Blueberry Diversification
In 1995 Steve and Amanda purchased acreage in Louisiana and planted blueberries to diversify their income stream while continuing to operate the dairy farm. In 2004, a dairy farm came up for sale in East Texas, and the Alexander family purchased the property with plans to continue the dairy operation. Three years later, they decided to plant blueberries on the new farm in Texas, along with the farm in Louisiana, and built a packing facility on the Texas property. Up until this time, they had all their blueberries packed at an outside facility. The Alexanders packed their first blueberry crop on-site in their own packing facility in 2008. Tough times struck the dairy industry the following year, causing Steve to shutdown the dairy operation and focus entirely on berries.
“What many people do not realize is that it takes between six to seven years to get a good blueberry crop, and that’s a long time to wait, but we did it and are glad we did,” commented Amanda.
Amanda grew up in Kentucky until the eight grade, when her family moved to New Iberia, Louisiana. She worked as a schoolteacher until she and Steve married and had their first child, after which they decided she would stay at home with the baby and help Steve with the farm, which she still does today.
Machinery Investments
“We all help out with the blueberries,” said Amanda. “Our kids grew up helping on the farm and still do. It’s a family business.” In addition to the on-site packing facility, Steve and Amanda have made other improvements to their blueberry operation.
“You have to make changes and adapt to the demands of the market,” explained Amanda.
Take, for instance, the color and soft berry sorters that improve their operation. In total, they use three different sorting machines to enhance the quality of their crop. The machine used for color sorters has two cameras that detect the color of the fruit and software that allows the user to determine the colors of the berries that should be discarded.
The soft sorter machine detects how firm or soft every berry is. The user sets the sensitivity of the sensors to control the firmness of the fruit that is to be rejected. Those berries are then rerouted onto a discharge conveyor belt.
The third machine is a combination sorter of both color and over-ripe berries. This machine has two sets of optical cameras. There are two cameras for each sorting channel on the sorting conveyor belt. Upper and lower cameras allow for more surface area of every single berry to be inspected as they fall on the sorting conveyor belt. At the beginning of the season, the machine can be set to discard red and green berries. At the end of the season, or whenever needed, the machine can be set to discard overripe berries. Overripe berries are detected with infrared light wavelength built into the cameras. Each sorting channel is aligned with a corresponding reject air jet. Upon receiving a signal from the electronic/optics subsystem, the air valve opens and high-pressure air is released. The high-pressure air from the air jets deflect defective fruit onto another conveyor belt.
With all three machines combined, each berry is viewed three times for softness and three times for color in one pass. Such technology significantly increases the pack-out quality of the blueberries, maximizes efficiency, and improves their bottom line.
“A business in agriculture has many challenges such as adverse weather, labor shortages, markets and finances, just to name a few,” explained Steve. “You have to be a fighter to overcome the challenges of farming.”
Not only did the farm overcome—it thrived. In fact, this year the Alexanders are planning to plant more blueberry acreage than ever before.
“We want to run the farm to the best of our ability and one day be able to retire,” said Amanda.
Relationship with Southern AgCredit for Farm Financing
Steve came to Southern AgCredit many years ago when he was in the dairy business, and continued to keep his business with Southern AgCredit even when he diversified to blueberries. His father was also with Southern AgCredit while he was in the dairy industry.
“I use Southern AgCredit because they are honest and flexible. Farmers face challenges that other businesses do not, which sometimes requires unique financing strategies,” Steve explained. “Southern AgCredit works with you and gives you a chance to recover from the challenges that farmers are faced with.”
“It’s never crossed our mind to do business anywhere else because Southern AgCredit knows our business and understands our needs,” Amanda added.
The Alexanders have been Southern AgCredit stockholders since 1991.
Finance Your Row Crow Farm with a Loan from Southern AgCredit
Southern AgCredit provides loans for any crop operating expenses such as land, prep, planting, harvesting, and more. Learn more about our Row Crop Loans or contact us to learn more.
Arrowhead Lodge consists of 343 acres of high-fence property as well as a 6,000-square-foot lodge and bunkhouse in rural Mississippi. Chris and Christine Payton bought the property in September 2018 because they wanted to have a place where their family could enjoy wide-open spaces and be fully immersed in the outdoors. The Paytons also wanted their kids to experience a way of life where things are not as fast-paced as they are in their hometown of Lafayette, Louisiana.
Chris, an entrepreneur at heart, is the founding partner of Assurance Financial, a successful mortgage company headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with over200 employees. Originally from Jacksonville, Alabama, Chris grew up on a 120-acre family farm where his grandparents raised beef cattle, pigs, chickens, goats and horses.
“I grew up working alongside my family taking care of the farm’s daily needs,” said Chris. “My parents were hard workers and instilled that in me. I learned the value of hard work early, and that’s stuck with me.”
Chris’s mother was the more business-oriented of his two parents and was the executive director of the Girl Scouts in northern Alabama. Chris’s wife, Christine, is a non-practicing CPA and stays home with the couple’s two boys, Charlie, 15, and Jacob, 12. Christine grew up in the New Iberia, Louisiana, area.
The land surrounding the lodge has all sorts of wildlife, including white-tailed deer, wild turkey, bass, wood ducks and a family of fox squirrels that the Paytons have grown to love.
“While I wasn’t in the market to buy a high-fence property, I appreciate the additional control that you have,” said Chris. “It keeps the wild pigs and coyotes out as well as provides an added layer of security.”
Chris, an avid outdoorsman, commented that “this property checked all the boxes for us. It’s not too faraway, a little less than a three-hour drive from our home, and gives our family the opportunity to hunt and fish in a beautiful rural setting. This is the place that we’ve dreamed of owning.”
In an effort to improve the buck-to-doe ratio, the Paytons work with a wildlife biologist to manage the deer herd on their property.
“Currently, we have about two does to one buck, and we would like to get a one-doe-to-one-buck ratio. The plan is to have balance along with trophy bucks,” said Chris.
He is most excited about bow hunting, although he has not had much time to do it, and said that rifle hunting has been fun for his boys and their cousins and friends. They are also working with a lake biologist to manage the fish to maximize their health to attain more trophy bass.
Christine says her favorite aspect of the property is the time they get to spend together as a family.
We’re able to bring the entire family here without the distractions of the busy life that we have in Lafayette,” Christine said. “Life just moves a little slower at the lodge.”
The Payton family would be remiss if they did not mention their gratitude for the caretaker of the property, Keith Ladner, a local man who lives just a few miles from the lodge and allows them to enjoy the property to its fullest potential. They all agree that without Keith, Arrowhead Lodge could not operate.
Technology also plays a factor at Arrowhead Lodge. Their oldest son, Charlie, received a drone for his birthday. One of his favorite activities is flying the drone around the land to survey the property and check on the animals, lake and fencing. They also have game cameras set up to survey their deer population, which they’re able to do remotely from their iPhones.
As a young boy, Chris would search the family farm for Indian arrowheads. Then, as fate would have it, the Payton’s property in Poplarville turned out to be full of them — hence the name of the place — and the young Payton boys love searching for them just like Chris did in his youth.
My grandfather always told me, ‘Son, if you ever find land with arrowheads on it, buy it,’” said Chris. And that’s exactly what the Payton family did.
The Paytons have lots of contacts in the financial world because of Chris’s mortgage business. However, since Arrowhead Lodge included a lot of acreage, it didn’t fit the traditional mortgage guidelines his company operates under. They narrowed their search down to three lenders, and weighed the pros and cons.
“We wanted to find a lender that was motivated to do the best for us,” said Chris. “Not only did we find that in Alex Riser (Southern AgCredit’s Gulfport branch manager), but we also found that he was an avid outdoorsman and knew exactly what we were talking about in terms of recreational property.”
The Paytons also liked the fact Alex was able to provide them with the best interest rate and terms for their deal.
“We’ve always felt that Southern AgCredit was looking out for our best interest, and we are glad we chose them as our lender and partner,” said Chris.
The Paytons have been Southern AgCredit stockholders since September 2018.
Southern AgCredit continues to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the damage caused from several hurricanes that have swept through Mississippi and Louisiana. We continue to provide relief for our customer-owners who were negatively impacted by the pandemic or the storms. We have the following relief options available:
Payment deferrals
Short-term lines of credit
Loan restructures
Waived fees for late payments
Extending the terms of loan repayments
Easing loan documentation or credit-extension terms for new loans
Contact Your Loan Officer to Request Relief
If your operations have been negatively impacted by COVID-19 or recent hurricanes and you want to request relief, we encourage you to reach out to your loan officer. Please keep in mind that all terms of your loan agreement remain unchanged until a formal request is received, required information is provided, an option is approved and processed to completion.
As a reminder, you can access your accounts and services online by using Ag Banking Online. To enroll, visit southernagcredit.com/enroll.
Download Southern AgCredit’s Ag Banking Mobile App
You can download our Mobile Banking App on Google Play or the App Store below. We know how critical these online tools are as we help our customers maintain their businesses.
If you need assistance with these tools, have questions, or would like support from our team, please contact us by calling your local branch or by calling our customer service line at 800-499-5742.
Although our branches are fully staffed, we continue to remain closed to the public. Thank you for your business, your commitment to agriculture and your trust in Southern AgCredit.
Pictured above are Feeding the Gulf Coast’s volunteers and staff assisting in food distribution for Hurricane Sally victims.
Southern AgCredit recently donated $3,000 to Feeding the Gulf Coast to assist in providing food for Hurricane Sally victims. Feeding the Gulf Coast is a Feeding America affiliated food bank serving 24-counties throughout south Alabama, south Mississippi, and the Florida Panhandle.
“The need was already overwhelming responding to COVID-19 relief, and now the aftermath of Sally is sending us a whole new population of people in our community who need help.”
Cindy Bloom, Director of Operations, Feeding the Gulf Coast
“We are grateful for the generosity from Southern AgCredit in support of our disaster relief efforts. This $3,000 donation will help provide essential food, water, and emergency resources for individuals and families as they recover and rebuild,” said Cyndy Baggett Vice President of Development and Marketing.
Farm Credit is a mission-driven system of cooperative lending institutions. Supporting people of color in agriculture and rural communities is an integral part of our mission.
The Importance of Diversity in Agriculture
We believe in the future of American agriculture. A diverse set of voices is a critical part of that future. There are a unique set of careers available in the Farm Credit system. Therefore, we are consistently looking for opportunities to recruit talented, young professionals of all identities, to join us in accomplishing our mission.
Virtual HBCU Career Fair on October 29, 2020
On Thursday, October 29, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. ET, Farm Credit will host its first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) Career and Internship Fair. HBCUs are home to a vast talent pool, and Farm Credit hopes to attract HBCU students to explore employment and internship opportunities at our institutions.
Stipends for New Graduates
Farm Credit will award any HBCU student or recent graduate hired to intern at Farm Credit a $3,500 Launching Leaders Stipend in addition to their wage.
Please note this is a virtual event. Southern AgCredit will have a booth at this event, and we look forward to speaking to all participants.
