[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 99 (Tuesday, June 21, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E969-E970]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 GENERAL LEAVE--FARM CREDIT CENTENNIAL REMARKS--NEW YORK 22ND DISTRICT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RICHARD L. HANNA

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 21, 2016

  Mr. HANNA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the cooperative 
owners and employees of the Farm Credit System for meeting the credit 
and financial-services needs of rural communities and agriculture for 
100 years.
  I was pleased to cosponsor House Resolution 591 commemorating the 
Farm Credit System centennial. Congress designed the Farm Credit System 
as a permanent means to support the well-being and prosperity of the 
Nation's rural communities and agricultural producers of all types and 
sizes. Congress designed the Farm Credit System as a network of 
cooperatives, independently owned and controlled by its borrowers, 
responsive to their individual needs for credit and financial services.
  Farm Credit East serves many farmers in my district through their 
offices in Cortland and Sangerfield. Further, the Farm Credit system 
actively supports our next generation of farmers with agriculture 
education and support for organizations like 4-H and Future Farmers of 
America.
  One of Farm Credit East's recent stewardship initiatives focuses on 
improving ag education. One of the top FFA chapters and ag education 
programs in the state of New York

[[Page E970]]

is located in my district at Vernon-Verona-Sherrill High School--VVS.
  In honor of the Farm Credit System centennial, Farm Credit East has 
committed substantial resources toward teacher scholarships to attend 
institutes sponsored by the Curriculum for Agricultural Science 
Education (CASE), a program of the National Association of Agricultural 
Educators.
  The CASE program trains ag educators how to deliver hands on, STEM-
based learning to agricultural students in subjects like plant and 
animal science. As a strong supporter of STEM education, I understand 
how valuable these investments in our children's education are, and I 
am grateful for their generous participation in this critical area of 
study.
  Farm Credit East recently announced 15 teacher scholarships to attend 
CASE institutes, including Paul Perry and Sara Tuthill from VVS. Two 
other recipients are also from the 22nd district--Crystal Aukema from 
Oxford and Johanna Fox-Bossard from Hamilton.
  VVS will be hosting an institute this summer to instruct educators on 
teaching the CASE introductory course: Introduction to Agriculture, 
Food and Natural Resources. Eleven of the Farm Credit East scholarship 
recipients will be attending this program.
  I applaud Farm Credit's support of ag educators as they train the 
next generation of farmers. No doubt many of those students will become 
members of Farm Credit during its second century of service. 
Congratulations to the Farm Credit System's cooperative owners and 
employees on the System's centennial.

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