Here We Grow

Here we grow again with Episode Four of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit’s Podcast, Here We Grow. Our host welcomes a cohort of expert guests taking time out of their busy schedules to share their knowledge of land and recreational properties in SWGA as well as how to finance it and how to look at it as an investment opportunity. This episode features commentary by Mike Matre, Brant Harrell, and Lee Folsom.

Mike Matre is President of Matre Forestry Consulting Inc of Leesburg GA. Established in 1999, Matre Forestry provides land brokerage, land management, and forestry services. Mike is a 1996 graduate of the UGA Warnell School of Forest Resources, is an Accredited Land Consultant, a member of the Association of Consulting Foresters, and is a licensed forester and real estate broker in Georgia and Alabama.

Brant Harrell was born and raised in Decatur County. He is graduate of Georgia Southern University. He has farmed for 25 years and has served as a Lender and Relationship Manager for Southwest Farm Credit for 15 years. He also serves as the Chair for the Decatur County Agriculture Committee.

Lee Folsom is a Graduate of Mercer University in Macon with a BBA in Accounting. He holds an Enrolled Agents designation from the Internal Revenue Service and is a Certified General Real Property Appraiser in the state of Georgia. He currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Assessors in Cook County, the President of the Georgia Chapter of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, and the Chief Appraiser for Southwest Georgia Farm Credit.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or [email protected]

Here we grow again with Episode Three of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit’s Podcast, Here We Grow. Our host welcomes a lineup of seasoned industry experts willing to share their knowledge and insights with young, beginning, and small operation farmers. On this episode we present commentary from Van McCall, Lindsey Hayes, and Tarrell Bennett.

Van McCall is an ordained minister and retired ag lender from Denton, Georgia. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia Bankers School of Agriculture and Bankers School and has recently retired after a 36+ year career with the Farm Credit System. He is the past President of the University of Georgia College of Aquiculture and Environmental Sciences Alumni Association and is past Chair of the UGA CAES Dean’s Advisory Council and Advancing Georgia Leaders in Agriculture and Forestry. His company, VM, LLC works to provide business management education for young, beginning and small farmers via the AgAware program, agricultural advocacy work and speaking services.

Lindsey Hayes was born and raised in Decatur County. She is third generation farmHer and mother of four. Lindsey attended both ABAC and Georgia Southern University. Lindsey has served as the Decatur County Extension Office Agent for 16 years. In addition to her Extension role and responsibilities, she has served as the 4-H Youth Development Agent for 16 years.

Tarrell Bennett was born and raised in Grady County, Georgia to a sharecropper family. He now resides in Decatur, County where he has worked as an agricultural lender for 50 years. He is the Chief Lending Officer at Southwest Georgia Farm Credit. In total, Tarrell has farmed peanuts, cotton, and corn and raised cattle for 60 years. Tarrell and his wife also raised two daughters and now enjoy spending time with their twin grandsons.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or [email protected]

www.swgafarmcredit.com

Here we grow again with Episode Two of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit’s Podcast, Here We Grow! Our host, Billy Billings, welcomes a fantastic lineup of experts willing to share their fall forecasts and insights to the 2022 harvest season. This episode features commentary by Pam Knox, Casey Cox Kerr, and Don Shurley.

Pam Knox is the Director of the University of Georgia Weather Network, a group of 88 automated weather stations across the state which provide weather and climate data to farmers, utilities, Extension agents and private citizens. The network also helps support the National Weather Service by providing real-time weather information in hazardous weather outbreaks to support public safety initiatives. She is an Extension Climatologist in the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences specializing in agriculture and climate change and is a past Assistant State Climatologist for Georgia and has also served as the Wisconsin State Climatologist. Pam is currently serving as an author for the upcoming 5th National Climate Assessment on Southeastern climate.

Casey Cox Kerr is the sixth generation of her family to farm on the Flint River in South Georgia. Her family farm, Longleaf Ridge, produces sweet corn, peanuts, field corn, soybeans, and timber. Prior to returning to the farm full-time, Casey managed the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, serving as Executive Director for over 5 years.

Don is a retired University of Georgia cotton economist. He spent 28 years on the UGA Tifton Campus. He has continued his cotton work through industry sponsorships, contracts and grants, consulting, print and on-line media, and invited presentations. With over 32 years’ experience in cotton, Don is widely considered by industry and peers as one of nations leading cotton experts. He is recipient of some of the University of Georgia and College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences highest awards for public service and outreach. Don also teaches ½ time at ABAC and also works part-time as Director of Marketing and Risk Management for Arabi Gin.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or [email protected]

Here we grow with our first Podcast! On this first episode, our host, Billy Billings, welcomes CEO and President of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, Paxton Poitevint, and Georgia Ag Commissioner, Gary Black.

Gary W. Black serves as the 16th Commissioner of Agriculture in Georgia's history. Currently in his third term, Commissioner Black has served in various leadership positions during his 40-year career in Georgia agriculture extending from the Georgia Farm Bureau to the Georgia Agribusiness Council. Black is a graduate of the University Of Georgia College Of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, and a past president of the college's alumni society. He currently serves on advisory committees for the United States Department of Agriculture, Environmental Protection Agency and the Export Import Bank of the United States. Under his leadership, Georgia Department of Agriculture divisions for information technology, animal health, homeland security and food safety have garnered national acclaim.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit is an equal opportunity lender. NMLS 691477. The views and opinions expressed are those of the guest speakers and do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Southwest Georgia Farm Credit or the Farm Credit System. No information contained in this podcast shall constitute financial, investment, legal, and/or other professional advice. For questions about the podcast, please contact Southwest Georgia Farm Credit Marketing Manager, Anna Kinchen, at 229-493-0921 or [email protected]