Shuler Announces Retirement; Heustess Named President of ArborOne

Florence, SC – ArborOne Farm Credit CEO Jack Shuler announced today that the board of directors has named Kathy Heustess president of the association effective immediately and will succeed Mr. Shuler as CEO on January 1, 2012. ArborOne is a part of the national Farm Credit System and serves the twelve counties of the Pee Dee region of South Carolina.

Jack Shuler has made the decision to retire effective December 31, 2011, after nearly 40 years of dedicated service to the Farm Credit System. Moving to Florence in 1987, Shuler has long been a driving force at ArborOne Farm Credit (formerly Pee Dee Farm Credit) and throughout the Farm Credit System; leading with integrity in many capacities during his tenure. On a national level, Shuler chaired the committee responsible for implementing Farm Credit’s Reputation Management Program and also served on the Presidents Planning Committee for twelve years. In the AgFirst district, he was the chairman of the first automated credit delivery program, Credit Pro, as well as many other appointed work groups and committees.

“Serving with passion and distinction, Jack has positively promoted local agriculture and rural America in a manner that has truly made a difference and for which we are grateful,” said Chairman of the ArborOne Farm Credit Board of Directors Mickey Ward.

Under Shuler’s leadership, ArborOne Farm Credit has grown from a company with $150 million in managed assets to over $800 million. Well capitalized, the association continues to provide credit to local farmers and agricultural related businesses.
The board has chosen Kathy Heustess as the successor president and chief executive officer. Working at ArborOne for 22 years, Heustess brings a wealth of knowledge with her into the position. Hired in 1989 as controller, she was promoted to chief financial officer shortly thereafter and in 2008 became chief operating officer. During her four years as COO, Heustess has been responsible for the day to day operations as well as deeply involved in the planning and implementation of the strategic business plan and vision for ArborOne.

As a native of Horry County, Kathy has a farming background and has spent her entire life in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina. A graduate of Francis Marion University in Florence, SC, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration, she holds a CPA designation in S.C.

In announcing Heustess’ promotion, Board Chairman Ward said, “This is an implementation of the association’s succession plan.” Noting Heustess’ depth of experience in the association’s financial and credit areas, he added, “Kathy is uniquely qualified for this position; her knowledge and dedication have long been recognized by the board and me.”

Before joining ArborOne, Heustess worked with Cargill, Inc. and a local CPA firm. Heustess and her husband, Billy, live in Florence, SC, and they have 2 sons.

ArborOne Farm Credit, headquartered in Florence, South Carolina, is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by its member-borrowers. It provides farm loans for land, equipment, livestock and production, rural home mortgages as well as crop and life insurance. It is part of the national Farm Credit System, a network of financial cooperatives established in 1916 to provide a dependable source of credit to farmers and rural America. For more information, visit ArborOne.com.

SC Farms of the Year - from "The Link"

McLeod Farms of McBee was the SC Large Farm of the Year, an award given at the 2011 Farmers Festival in Lake City, SC. ArborOne Farm Credit sponsored the contest and Jack Shuler, President and CEO, was on hand to present the awards.

Click here to read more of the article featured in Chesterfield County's "The Link" newspaper.

SC Farms of the Year Announced at Farmers Festival

A beautiful Saturday, June 18th, in Lake City was the setting for the Fifth Annual Farmers Festival Parade, farmers market and presentation of SC Farms of the Year (Large and Small). ArborOne Farm Credit was proud to be the sponsor of these awards.

“We consider it an honor to sponsor this award and be a part of recognizing the farms and farmers of South Carolina,” said Jack Shuler, President and CEO of ArborOne, who was on hand Saturday to present the awards.

Thompson Farm & Nursery of Conway was the SC Small Farm Winner. A family operation, Thompson Farm began as a working farm in 1845. Through the years it has expanded to include educational opportunities and become an agritourism destination. Classes from all over Horry County visit Thompson Farm to see the animals, learn about farming and choose pumpkins. A highlight of the fall is the corn maze and family night movies are a fun way to enjoy the cooling weather of Saturday evenings in October and November. To learn more about Thompson Farm & Nursery, please visit their website, www.thompsonfarmandnursery.com .

McLeod Farms of McBee was the SC Large Farm of the Year winner. The orchards have been in the McLeod family since 1916. Today, Kemp McLeod represents the fourth generation to work the family orchards. Famous for their peaches, visit them year-round for black berries, strawberries, pumpkins, and many other treats that are available at the McLeod Farms Roadside Market & Museum. For more inofrmation and important dates for the annual Fall Festival, please visit McLeod Farms’ website, www.MacsPride.com .

ArborOne Farm Credit, headquartered in Florence, South Carolina, is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by its member-borrowers. It provides farm loans for land, equipment, livestock and production, as well as rural home mortgages. It is part of the national Farm Credit System, a network of financial cooperatives established in 1916 to provide a dependable source of credit to farmers and rural America. For more information, visit ArborOne.com.

ArborOne Farm Credit Announces 2011 Board Election Results

Florence, SC – ArborOne Farm Credit is pleased to announce the election of Mr. J. Whit Player to the Board of Directors. Members of the agricultural financial cooperative elected Mr. Player to serve a six year term.

Mr. Player, who resides in Lee County, will join the Board at its next meeting. A graduate of Clemson University, he has been farming full-time for twenty years. Player Farms is a diversified farming operation in Lee County with approximately 1,400 acres in row crop production; consisting of cotton, corn, peanuts and sunflowers (which are used for a dove hunting operation). Player Farms also has eight turkey grow-out houses for Prestage Farms and a small amount of acreage in the Conservation Reserve Program. In addition to farming, Mr. Player is a Forestry Technician with the South Carolina Forestry Commission, a member of the First Presbyterian Church, a Dixie Youth Baseball coach, and the President of St. Charles Gin Company. Whit and his wife, Beth, have four children and live in Elliott.

“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to serve farmers and farm businesses in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina as a member of the ArborOne Farm Credit Board,” Player said. “Farm Credit serves us by being a safe, sound and reliable source of credit. The Association’s strength translates to opportunity for the local agricultural community.”

Other members of the Board include Mickey Ward, Jimmy Poston, John Lee Newman, DuPree Atkinson, Harold Stowe, Harry DuRant, and Kelly Wiseman. Elected to serve on the 2012 Nominating Committee were: Dale Player, William Lawson, Jon Stuckey, E. Cullen Bryant, Thomas Durant, and Johnny Shelley. Alternates include: Jim Chapman, Doyle O’Neal, H. Steven Brunson, and Thomas Lee.


ArborOne Farm Credit, headquartered in Florence, South Carolina, is an agricultural lending cooperative owned by its member-borrowers. It provides farm loans for land, equipment, livestock and production, as well as rural home mortgages. It is part of the national Farm Credit System, a network of financial cooperatives established in 1916 to provide a dependable source of credit to farmers and rural America. For more information, visit www.ArborOne.com .

SC Farm of the Year Contest

Nominations are now being accepted for the "SC Farm of the Year". Farmers, don't be shy, you should be proud of your farm.

For more details, see Tony Melton's article.

South Carolina Farms: Ideal Places for Growing our Rural Economy

(The following article ran as an op-ed in the Sunday, May 8, 2011, edition of "The State" newspaper.)

We’ve all seen the bumper sticker, “Think globally, act locally.” Pretty useful advice, but what happens if we contemplate the reverse? In looking for ways to create jobs in South Carolina, what would it take to “think locally, act globally”?

South Carolina’s rural communities have been struggling for decades, despite longstanding efforts to recruit outside businesses to them. What would happen if we focused instead on developing rural economies from the inside out – starting locally with what they do best and then exporting the goods they produce to the rest of the world?

South Carolina’s rural communities are within an eight-hour drive of 60 percent of the population along America’s eastern seaboard, over 100 million people. And every day, rain or shine, bull market or bear, those people eat.

Much of the food they have traditionally consumed comes all the way from the Midwest and California, helped along partly by subsidies paid for by South Carolina taxpayers. This dynamic is changing as rising energy costs make it harder for western growers to ship their goods across the country to East Coast markets.

The question becomes, then, is our state ready to invest in rural areas in order to exploit new opportunities in local, regional, and national food markets?

South Carolina boasts some of the most fertile soils and productive farms in the country. We have a year-round growing season and the highway and rail systems needed to move our fresh produce quickly. Thanks to the SC Department of Agriculture, we also have a wildly successful marketing campaign, “Certified SC Grown.”

What do we lack? First, the processing, packaging, and distribution facilities necessary to increase the economic return on our goods before we send them to market. Too often, our produce, like any raw material, is shipped out of state to those who make the real profits by processing it. For example, we know of produce grown in Aiken County that is shipped to Atlanta for processing before finding its way to grocery stores in Charleston.

Second, we lack policies to empower local food markets, making it harder for us to compete with food distributors from other states. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, South Carolinians spent $7 billion on food in 2010, but only 10 percent of those dollars went to South Carolina producers. Simply doubling the amount of produce and livestock we consume locally would generate millions in revenues and create hundreds of jobs right here at home.

How do we get there? We need specific policies to empower our small farmers and local markets. These are not subsidies but targeted investments that will create jobs.

In 2007, the SC Department of Agriculture launched the “Certified SC Grown” campaign. In three short years, it has generated nearly $3 million in additional producer surplus, a $6 return for every $1 spent. A recent study by the Moore School of Business determined that an additional $2 million investment in the “Certified SC Grown” program would boost state government revenues by $23 million and create close to 10,000 jobs. These jobs would raise incomes in our rural areas and help create the labor pool we need to begin marketing our products regionally and nationally.

Times are hard right now, and the budget squeeze is being felt at the state’s General Assembly. Still, there are several bills that would encourage our local food markets, including legislation to create an agribusiness development authority, place signs at our agritourism businesses, and promote our fledgling “Farm to School” program. These bills will help strengthen our local food markets and create jobs.

A study by the University of Minnesota Extension Service revealed that small farms with an average gross income of less than $100,000 made almost 95 percent of total expenditures within their local communities. By developing processing, distribution, and marketing facilities for what they grow and raise locally, rural residents can reverse decades of decline and begin creating wealth from within.

With the right policies and consumer education in place, we can turn green acres into greenbacks. The key will be to “think locally, act globally.”

Ben Gregg is Executive Director of South Carolina Wildlife Federation, and lives in Columbia.
Ben Gregg
Executive Director
South Carolina Wildlife Federation
www.scwf.org
215 Pickens Street Columbia, SC 29205
(803) 256-0670
(803) 256-0690 FAX

Jack Shuler is President and CEO of ArborOne Farm Credit, and lives in Florence.
Jack Shuler
President and Chief Executive Officer
JShuler@arborone.com
800 Woody Jones Blvd.
Florence, SC 29501
PO Box 3699 (29502)
843.432.2343 d
843.601-4500 c
843.662.1527 o
843.679.4713 f

ArborOne Mails Checks Exceeding $1 Million to Customers

ArborOne Farm Credit is celebrating a profitable 2010 by distributing more than $3.4 million in profits to its member-customers. The member owners of ArborOne are reaping the rewards of doing business with the local Farm Credit as a recipient of a patronage refund. Thirty percent of this patronage refund is paid in cash with the remaining seventy percent placed in a surplus account in each customer’s name.

During the month of April, more than 1,200 customers received checks reflecting over $1 million dollars or 20% of the interest that accrued on their loans in 2010. More simply: for every $1.00 of interest that accrued on a loan, ArborOne refunded 20 cents.

“It is our goal to operate efficiently, profitably and manage risk in a manner that will enable us to return a portion of earnings to our customers,” said Jack Shuler, President and CEO. ArborOne has been paying patronage refunds for over 20 years.

For more information on how you can become a member-customer, call ArborOne Farm Credit at 800.741.7332, log on to www.ArborOne.com or visit us at either our Florence (800 Woody Jones Blvd.) or Conway (900-C, Suite A, Main Street) offices.

About ArborOne Farm Credit
An agricultural lending cooperative, ArborOne Farm Credit is owned by its member-borrowers and provides loans for land, equipment, livestock and production; recreational property; crop insurance; rural home mortgages and rural America bonds. It is part of the national Farm Credit System, a network of financial cooperatives established in 1916 to provide a dependable source of credit to farmers and rural America. ArborOne covers the twelve counties of the Pee Dee region of South Carolina.