A4O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 12, 2003 f FSA Farm Loans For Socially Disadvantaged Persons YORK (York Co.) The Farm Service Agency (FSA) can make and guarantee loans to so cially disadvantaged applicants to buy and operate family-size farms and ranches. Funds specif ically for these loans are reserved each year. A socially-disadvantaged farm er is one, of a group, whose mem bers have been subjected to ra cial, ethnic, or gender prejudice because of the identity as mem bers of the group without regard to their individual qualities. For purposes of this program, socially disadvantaged groups are women, African Americas, Amer ican Indians, Alaskan Natives, Hispanics, Asians, and Pacific Is landers. Direct Loans are made to ap plicants by FSA and include both farm operating and farm owner ship loans. Guaranteed Loans also may be made for ownership or operating purposes, and may be made by any lending institution subject to Federal or State supervision (banks, savings and loans, insur ance companies, and units of the Farm Credit system). Typically, N.D. Youth Receives NFU’s Seymour Scholarship AURORA, Colo. The Na tional Farmers Union Founda tion recently announced that Patsy Murphy of Bowman, N.D., is the 2003 recipient of the Hu bert K. Seymour Scholarship. The $2,000 scholarship, given an nually since 1995, honors Hubert K. Seymour, a Farmers Union leader and rural activist from Illi nois. “Mr. Seymour’s children estab lished the scholarship as a living memorial to their father to help deserving young people finance their college education,” said Leesa Witt, NFU director of edu cation. “The scholarship serves as a tribute to his commitment to education and his dedication to Farmers Union.” FSA guarantees 90 or 95 percent of a loan against any loss that might be incurred if the loan fails. Farm Ownership Loan funds may be used to purchase or en large a farm, purchase easements or rights of way needed in the farm’s operation, erect or im prove buildings such as a dwell ing or bam, promote soil and water conservation and develop ment, and pay closing costs. Farm Operating Loan funds may be used to purchase live stock, poultry, farm and home equipment, feed, seed, fuel, fertil izer, chemicals, hail and other crop insurance, food, clothing, medical care, and hired labor. Funds also may be used to install or improve water systems for home use, livestock or irrigation, and other improvements. Persons who think they might be eligible are urged to contact York County Farm Service Agency located at 120 Pleasant Acres Road, York, PA 17402-8987. Telephone number is (717) 755-2966 extension 2. Patsy is the daughter of Jim and Peggy Murphy and a recent graduate of Bowman High School, where she maintained a 3.99 grade point average. She has been a leader and an active par ticipant in cross-country, speech, track, band, chorus, science Olympiad, student council, and the National Honor Society. In addition, she is involved with the “Big Buddy/Little Buddy Pro gram Where Character Counts” in her community. Murphy will attend the Uni versity of North Dakota in Grand Forks in the fall where she plans to study biology and pre-med. She said she intends to become a doctor and would like to eventu ally have a medical practice in rural America. New FFA President Steps Into FFA 9 s i Legacy 9 (Continued from Page A 1) this young man, it does not take long to see how much FFA means to him and his commit ment to do his best this year as state president. However, as a freshman in high school, .Eric would have never believed that someday he would have the FFA’s top posi tion. He admits he did not know much about the organization until a few weeks into his first ag riculture class. “I walked into my ag class room my freshman year not real ly knowing why I signed up for agriculture,” said Rubenstein, “But I wanted to take an animal science class. I heard that I had to take this one agriculture class before 1 could take any other ag classes. When I walked in, I never really even heard of the FFA.” Eric became interested in join ing FFA after his agriculture teacher explained what the FFA was and what it could do for stu dents. He thought it would be fun and take advantage of the chap ter field trips. After joining, it did not take long before his passion and drive for FFA evolved to be come more than just enjoying field trips. Eric states that his first National Convention was a life-changing experience. “After that first year at Na tional Convention, it really show ed me what the FFA could give to you and the different opportu nities you could gain from the FFA,” noted Eric. Since his first National Convention, Eric has risen to the top in many different areas of competition, including a third place finish at the 2002 Na tional Convention in zoology competition. Inspiration to run for a state officer position came to Eric after meeting with state officers during their chapter visits to Danville FFA and after another chapter member was selected as a state =k h=l :th it: m a a irev it • Crowd Gates (we install) • Headlocks w/downed cow release • Tie Stalls w/stamless steel Curb Mount All Typ«» Of CUSTOM MANUFACTURING and REPAIR Phone:6lo-488-7801 Fax 610-488-8873 officer two years ago. Through those experiences, the inspiration for a state office became a goal. “(I thought that) it would be really neat to travel all across the state and meet different people and influence their lives, the same why that they would influ ence mine,” Eric said. His selection as the president of this year’s state officer team came as surprise at the state ac tivities days at Penn State Uni versity in June. As Eric noted his reaction was “extremely shocked, surprised, and amazed.” Although Eric and his fellow state officer team members are new to their offices, they are off and running with a very busy schedule that will keep them on the road for most of July, with visits to the Pennsylvania Gover nors School for Agriculture, agri culture education meetings, chapter visits, and a trip to Washington, D.C. At each event, the Pennsylvania FFA state offi cer team will attend, they will continue to promote their theme of “Step Into A Legacy” for FFA across Pennsylvania. This year’s theme, according to Eric, was selected by the state of ficers in recognition of the state association’s 75th anniversary. “As a state officer team, we are very privileged and honored to serve the state as the 75th team. We want to get more people to step into the (FFA’s) legacy,” said Eric, expressing that FFA members inheriting this legacy will lead to the building of a stronger organization in Pennsyl vania. Eric will be joined by a talent ed team of officers in the upcom- I M*| c:l y I yO t : Hi Calcium Lime ■ Manufacturers of I - , . , ■ Gates & ; Dry, applied with boom truck ; Fencing ■ 80% CCE-fast acting w/Round corners ■ _ . . __ ° • for Safety & ; Starting $14.25 per ton ; strength - Central Berks Co., PA : SSSSA Galvanized’ j tOH COD dISCOUnt j • Gutter Grates I j Dean Himeisen Lime Spreading E Jj| 610-775-3454 |; / i L ing year, including State Vice President Amber Frank of Cedar Crest FFA Chapter, Lebanon, Lebanon County; Eastern Region Vice President Brian Oberholtzer, Grassland FFA Chapter, East Earl, Lancaster County; North Central Region Vice President Melissa Sankey, Clearfield FFA, Clearfield, Clearfield County; Amy Kaucher, Cumberland Val ley FFA, Mechanicsburg, Cum berland County; Western Region Vice President Becky Hughes, United FFA, New Florence, Westmoreland County; State Secretary Heather Sisto, Bermu dian FFA, York Springs, Adams County; State Reporter Berna dette Nace, Big Spring FFA, Car lisle, Cumberland County; State Treasurer Eric Chamberlin, Brockway FFA, Brockway, Jef ferson County; State Sentinel Laura Grove, Shippensburg FFA, Shippensburg, Franklin County; and State Chaplin Jason Klouser, Tri-Valley FFA, Hegins, Schuyl kill County. Eric shares his favorite quote by Eleanor Roosevelt as his'ad vice to all FFA members this year: “ ‘You gain strength, courage, and confidence from every expe rience in which you can truly stop and look fear in the face. You can say to yourself I have lived through this. I can take the next thing that comes along. You must do the thing you think you can not do’,” said Eric. “With the FFA, if you don’t strive to achieve different goals and take your strength, your courage, or your confidence that you gain from different experiences, you are not going to achieve the goals you might have set for yourself.” 'XSisfi,
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers