Will Collier of Snyder and Greg Hengst of Thorndale recently had an opportunity to interact with decision-makers and Farm Credit System leaders in Washington, D.C., as part of the third annual Farm Credit Young Leaders Program.
The four-day event, sponsored by the Tenth District Farm Credit Council, was designed to give young Farm Credit stockholders an up-close look at the Farm Credit System. Participants traveled to Washington, D.C., Newark, N.J., and New York City for tours, special briefings and meetings with government, System and financial leaders.
“This event was a great opportunity for these young people, who are the future leaders of the agriculture industry and their respective communities throughout our five-state territory. It gave them a firsthand look at the Farm Credit System and provided insight into our nation’s financial network and legislative process,” said Jimmy Dodson, chairman of the district council.
Collier and Hengst are both borrowers of Capital Farm Credit, one of 19 rural financing cooperatives that make up the district.
Collier is manager and owner of T&K Dairy Farm in Snyder, which milks approximately 1,000 cows. He and his wife, Lauren, have two children.
Hengst began farming in 2004 and today farms corn and wheat in Williamson and Milam counties. Hengst and his wife, Heather, are both graduates of Texas A&M University.
The trip included meetings with legislators, officials of the Farm Credit Council and congressional leaders in Washington, D.C. The group also had a briefing at the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation in Newark and toured a Wall Street brokerage firm in New York City.
The Tenth District Farm Credit Council is the trade association that represents the legislative and regulatory interests of the Tenth Farm Credit District.
