Mississippi Land Bank Stockholders Participate in Farm Credit Young Leaders Program

CLARKSDALE, Miss. — Scott and Julie Flowers of Clarksdale recently learned about the role they can play in shaping the policy that affects this country’s farmers and ranchers. They were among 28 young agricultural producers selected to attend the 2011 Farm Credit Young Leaders Program. Member-borrowers of Mississippi Land Bank, which is part of the Farm Credit System, the couple interacted with government, financial and agricultural decision-makers and got an inside look at how the System operates.

During the sixth annual event, sponsored by the Tenth District Farm Credit Council, participants traveled to New York City and Washington, D.C., while the 2012 Farm Bill was taking form. Each lending co-op in the district chose participants who have shown outstanding leadership and involvement in the agriculture industry.

A third-generation farmer, Scott grows cotton, corn, soybeans and wheat on about 9,000 acres in four counties in the Mississippi Delta. He has a bachelor’s degree in agribusiness from Freed Hardeman University and an MBA from the University of Mississippi. Scott is married to Julie, a financial advisor with Barnes Pettey Financial Advisors. They have two sons, Gaines and Jonathon.

A visit to the U.S. House Chamber during a vote capped off the four-day trip, which included meetings with agriculture industry representatives, Farm Credit Council officials and congressional staff in Washington, D.C. The group also had a briefing at the Federal Farm Credit Banks Funding Corporation 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 Farm Credit Bank of Texas and its affiliated institutions throughout Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas.

Scott and Julie Flowers with Stan Ray,
Chief Administrative Officer for Farm Credit Bank of Texas