HeartBeat Fall 2015 | Page 4

DAVE’S VIEW Financial provides financing and Fair from the St. Louis area who was related services to more than 15,000 giving a presentation on sustainable farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses. agriculture. She had never lived on a We have the financial capacity to farm nor had anyone from her family provide financing to some of the been involved in agriculture. How largest operations in the state, but we did she get involved – 4-H. have also shown a strong commitment to serving young, beginning and time that our Senators, Representative small farmers. Our approach in the and their staff spent with us during marketplace strives to deliver value our visit. Our time in Washington to all customers by focusing ag meeting with our elected officials expertise appropriate for the industry, clearly showed the demands placed complexity of operations and needs on them. of each individual borrower. FCS their waiting rooms to be filled with the people wanting “a few minutes of importance of their local communities their time.” I left Washington feeling to our stockholders so we have pretty good about the people we have In early July, FCS Financial Board invested heavily in the success of rural elected to represent us. Overall, they members Sherry Jones (Area 11) communities in Missouri through have a good understanding of the and Mark Pierce (Area 2) and I had our volunteer efforts, donations and issues faced by agriculture and the an opportunity to join with several community involvement and support. importance of agriculture to the state. other Farm Credit Associations for a While this message is vitally “Hill Visit” in Washington, D.C. We important and generally understood spent more than 2 days preparing for by and meeting with each of Missouri’s represent rural areas, we must also congressional representatives and/or be able to clearly articulate how your their staff members on agriculture financial cooperative supports urban related issues and, more specifically, communities. There is a significant about the value that we believe FCS amount of misinformation and lack Financial delivers to our customer- of understanding about agriculture stockholders and communities in in many of these communities, so rural Missouri. our support of FFA and 4-H and our involvement with Missouri Farmers David Janish, CEO Financial FCS Financial has an excellent story to tell. understands elected officials that Care are examples of reaching out Missouri to urban communities to raise communities and agriculture with awareness and provide information reliable, consistent credit and financial on agriculture. Does it work? I believe services, today and tomorrow. As the so. $