AgGeorgia Announces New Hire in Mortgage Loan Department
AgGeorgia Farm Credit is pleased to announce the addition of Sherri Hinson as Mortgage Loan Originator. Ms. Hinson is a graduate of Georgia Southern University where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in finance, emphasis in real estate. Having worked in the financial industry for 25 years, her experience in banking and mortgages has afforded her the experience to provide knowledge for home purchases, construction and refinancing through the various programs that AgGeorgia offers.
Sherri is a resident of Dodge County and has 2 children, Megan (21) and Chase (18). She enjoys reading, hunting, fishing, managing the family farm and is active in showmanship of her horse Amigo which features the show name “Riding with Ronnie” in memory of her dad.
AgGeorgia Farm Credit to Distribute Additional $8 Million to Members
AgGeorgia Farm Credit is pleased to announce a distribution of $8,218,788 to borrowers of the cooperative. Members who held loans with AgGeorgia in 2015 will receive a portion of this payout, with checks expected to be delivered by the last week of June. AgGeorgia’s board already declared a cash dividend of over $15 million in April to members who had loans in 2022. The upcoming distribution brings the total paid to borrowers in 2023 to $23,513,748.
Jack Bentley, Chairman of AgGeorgia’s Board of Directors, said the disbursements mean a great deal to members of the co-op. “So many over the years have told me that their dividend check from AgGeorgia came at just the right time for their family or farm operation,” said Mr. Bentley. “Members have told me that these checks have helped them do everything from putting their children through college to making ends meet in a tough year.”
The June payout consists of surplus revolvement from AgGeorgia’s 2015 Patronage Refunds. Surplus portions were taxable when declared at that time, so no additional income taxes are due on the disbursement. Members with outstanding surplus earned from 2016-2020 will continue to receive surplus checks over the next several years, subject to annual board approval, while AgGeorgia completes its transition to the all-cash patronage plan. Starting with the 2021 refund, patronage refunds are now paid in all-cash rather than a cash/retained surplus split.
2023 marks the 35th consecutive year the cooperative has returned profits to its borrowers, with over $450 million in cash being paid out since 1988.
8/1 UPDATE: AgGeorgia has completed the upgrade to our loan systems. However, due to the transition we are still experiencing some intermittent delays in posting payments and isolated issues with payment application. We are actively working to resolve and apologize for any inconvenience. Please contact your local branch for any questions regarding your account.
AgGeorgia Farm Credit is upgrading our loan systems to better serve you with faster service and added convenience. To ensure a smooth transition, some services such as online and mobile access to your account may be limited beginning Friday, July 14. We will restore full account access Tuesday, July 18, as this significant systems upgrade is finalized. Here is what you need to know:
Draws/Transfers. No draws from lines of credit will be able to be processed Friday, July 14 through Monday, July 17.
Payments. Any manual or automated payments made during this time will be processed on or after Monday, July 17.
Payment due dates. If you have a payment due during this period, you will be able to make that payment on Tuesday, July 18, without any late payment penalties.
New loan numbers. Your new loan number(s) will appear on the first billing statement you receive after Thursday, July 13. However, other details of your account will remain the same. If you use QuickPay or Bill Pay from your commercial bank to generate payments on your AgGeorgia accounts, please update your commercial bank with your new loan number to avoid any bill pay service disruptions. For members utilizing AgGeorgia's AutoDraft service to automatically draft your payments from your preferred bank account, your payments will continue to be drafted and you do not need to take any action.
Redesigned billing statements. Following the upgrade, you will begin receiving redesigned, user-friendly billing statements to help you manage your account.
Digital Banking app. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to update our Digital Banking app on the App Store or Google Play and re-register your account for mobile access. Rest assured that if you have already re-registered, this change to your loan number will not affect your ability to log in to your account.
We look forward to bringing you more streamlined service that includes extended daily deadlines for cash transfer and payments, as well as enhanced security measures to protect your personal information.
AgGeorgia Farm Credit Announces New Hire in Cartersville - Alex Hayes
AgGeorgia Farm Credit is pleased to announce the addition of Alex Hayes as Consumer Ag Loan Officer in the Cartersville Office. Originally from Florence, Alabama, Mr. Hayes graduated from Georgia Southern University with a degree in Finance. Alex worked as a relationship banker at a commercial bank before joining the team at AgGeorgia. He lives in the Woodstock area, where he has lived most of his life, and is a big fan of the Atlanta Braves.
Mr. Hayes looks forward to using his finance knowledge and experience to service the needs of residents of Bartow, Cherokee, Cobb, Gordon, Paulding, Pickens, and Polk Counties.
AgGeorgia Farm Credit Issues $15 Million Distribution, Celebrating 35 Consecutive Years of Dividends
AgGeorgia Farm Credit is pleased to announce that dividends totaling $15,294,960 have been declared by its board of directors, marking 35 consecutive years that profits have been returned to member-borrowers. The cooperative’s Patronage Refund Program has now paid out over $442 million in cash over that span.
“I am proud of the consistency that this co-op has shown by managing to distribute Patronage Refunds every year since 1988,” said Jack Bentley, Chairman of the AgGeorgia Farm Credit Board of Directors. “AgGeorgia’s track record of issuing dividends has been recognized by our members, who value the reduction in their cost of borrowing.”
Another year of record financial performance made the distribution possible, according to AgGeorgia CEO Rob Crain. “We have an incredible membership and staff, which allowed us to set new highs for total assets, loans, stockholder equity, and asset quality,” noted Mr. Crain. “The result of that strong performance is our ability to push these profits out to member-borrowers, allowing them to grow their farm operations, pay down debt, or invest as they choose.”
The refund, from 2022 earnings, lowers the average member’s stated rate by 1.30%. All of the distribution is in cash, as opposed to 2021 and years prior, when refunds were divided between cash and surplus to be paid years later. Members who have previously signed up for ACH/direct deposit can expect their portion to be deposited the first week of April. Those who have not can expect a check to be mailed that same week.
Digital Banking Portal & Mobile App being Upgraded 4/10/23
Managing your account online and on the go will soon be easier, more convenient and better than ever with AgGeorgia Farm Credit! On April 10th, we will be upgrading our Digital Banking portal and mobile app so you can more easily access and manage your loans.
This upgrade means that if you currently utilize Digital Banking, upon your first login attempt on April 10th or thereafter, you will be prompted to re-register with us to access your account online. Beginning on that date, you will also be able to access a user guide on our website which will answer questions and walk you through the process to register for Digital Banking.
Here’s what you’ll be able to do once the upgrade is complete:
Enjoy a consistent look and feel across all your devices.
Manage your loans or access funds from your line of credit.
Schedule unlimited current and future-date payments.
Access up to 25 months of billing statements and transaction history.
Enable co-borrowers to register to view and manage loans.
Download and view annual statements and tax documents.
Benefit from enhanced login features that keep your online sessions safe and secure.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 800-768-FARM or at marketing@aggeorgia.com if you have questions or concerns.
Keeping the future of agriculture bright in Georgia
AgGeorgia has allocated $50,000 for 2024 to support non-profit organizations with grants of up to $5,000 to support non-profit organizations in their endeavors and to further the future of agriculture in our region of Georgia.
Fund Mission & Objectives The Fund's mission is to build strong partnerships and alliances, leveraging the resources within the fund to preserve and promote the farmer, the family, and our rural communities. The fund has two main objectives: to invest in the future of agriculture and to enhance and impact the quality of life in rural Georgia.
Applications The fund operates on an application-based grant system. Grants will be awarded for up to $5,000 per organization per year. To be considered for funding, organizations' values and purpose of their project must align with the fund's mission. As part of the application, organizations are to submit a project the grant will help fund. Applications must be submitted online. You will be asked to attach a copy of your organization's W9 to the application. Incomplete applications can not be accepted, please make sure you complete all fields before submission.
Eligibility Considerations Grants will be considered for programs only in the 79 counties and geographic areas where AgGeorgia Farm Credit conducts business. Grants will only be awarded to non-profit groups or organizations and will not be awarded to individuals or private farms.
Funding Cycle Grant applications will be accepted until June 30. Proposals will be reviewed and grants awarded in the fourth quarter.
Deadline The application deadline for the 2024 Community Mission Fund is June 30, 2024.
Questions
Please contact Jessica Bassett, Marketing Specialist, at Marketing@aggeorgia.com or by phone at 800-768-3276 x 630
2023 Community Mission Fund Winners
Adairsville High School FFA (Bartow County) Colquitt Christian Academy (Colquitt County) Crisp County Young Farmers (Crisp County) Emmanuel University (Franklin County) Lakeview Fort Oglethorpe High School FFA (Catoosa County) North Georgia Equine-n-Motion (Forsyth County) Southeast FFA Chapter (Whitfield County) STUDIO FARMER, Inc. (Richmond County) TJ Elder Middle School (Washington County) The Westfield School (Houston County) Turner Middle School (Turner County) Vienna Fire Department (Dooly County)
2024 Community Mission Fund
Accepting Applications until June 30, 2024
Home Loans
Looking to build, buy, or refinance a home?
AgGeorgia offers relationship-driven financing for all your home needs.
Get in touch with us today or call us at (706)287-5958 to discuss your options.
Loans Available for:
Purchase
Construction
Refinance
Homes with Acreage
Loan Products Offered:
Conventional Mortgages
Construction-to-Permanent (C2P)
FHA
VA
USDA/Rural Housing
Our financing advantages include:
Homes with large acreage accepted
Lock rate during construction with Construction-to-permanent (C2P) loans
Easy , one closing financing on C2P
Up to 95% financing on C2P
Up to 80% financing on land
Up to 100% financing on VA & USDA loans
Up to 97% financing on Conventional mortgages
866-744-1241
Your Guide to Buying or Building When Moving to the Country
Ready to Learn more about the home buying process? Download your free guide today to see how AgGeorgia can help you get started!
“If it hadn’t been for Farm Credit taking a chance on me when nobody else wanted to, then I guess I’d still be trying to find a purpose.”
– Mike Reynolds, Wounded Warrior & Farmer Veteran, Calhoun, GA
Talk to a Mortgage Loan Originator
Ready to get started? Reach out to one of our friendly, local Mortgage Loan Originators.
AgGeorgia Announces Promotion of Mitch Adams to Regional Lending Manager
AgGeorgia Farm Credit is pleased to announce the promotion of Mitch Adams to Regional Lending Manager. Mr. Adams began his career with AgGeorgia in 2015 as a Loan Officer in the Chatsworth Office. He graduated from The University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Science in Forest Resources and started his professional career working as a Consultant Forester with Geer Forestry Services. Prior to working at AgGeorgia, Mitch worked for Whitfield County in Mapping/GIS and real estate records for 14 years.
As Regional Lending Manager, Mitch will be responsible for the business development activities and member service for six branches (Cartersville, Clarkesville, Chatsworth, Gainesville, LaFayette, and Rome) that serve 28 counties in North Georgia.
Mr. Adams resides in Dalton with his wife, Alison, and children, Hayden, Hudson and Harrison. He looks forward to continuing serving farmers and rural residents of North Georgia in his new role.
AgGeorgia Farm Credit Announces New Hire in Clarkesville
AgGeorgia Farm Credit is pleased to announce the addition of Kristin Smith as Member Service Representative in the Clarkesville Office. A native of Banks County, Ms. Smith graduated from the University of North Georgia with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. Kristin worked an internship with Fieldale Farms the summer of 2022 and gained valuable experience. “It was eye-opening to see what all goes into the poultry business and what it takes to get it to grocery store shelves,” she explained.
Ms. Smith looks forward to servicing the financing needs of residents of Banks, Habersham, Rabun, Stephens, Towns and Union Counties.