NACS recently concluded our 2017 Zone meetings. A very big THANK YOU to the Zone Representatives and the members of the hosting states that planned and carried out the work necessary to make these meetings a success!!! We also appreciate the effort put forth by the National Office and NFAOC staffs. Considerable time and effort was given so that NACS members would be informed and have the chance to meet with management both in the group setting and individually.
I was told that the best part of being NACS President is attending each of the Zone meetings and meet new members. I found this to be very true. The Zone Reps are preparing a newsletter for each of their Zones to summarize the meeting, so I will not do that here. I will say that while each State or region may have some unique challenges, many of the issues important to our membership remain consistent across the country. I will attempt to touch on some of these. FUNDING: NACS worked with our partner organizations to ensure some legislative relief for our immediate funding concerns. We believe the Department has the ability to secure additional funding prior to the next continuing resolution and we believe that will happen very soon. BUDGET CONCERNS: Although the President's proposal was not what we hoped to hear, we have a long way to go until decisions are final. We must keep in mind that FLP continues to have strong support among the House and Senate agriculture committees and with appropriators. No drop in FLP funding levels have been proposed. USDA must retain adequate staff to provide record loan making levels and to service our existing $24 billion portfolio. NACS will continue to tell our story to the Administration and to Congress. We will not be alone; our private sector industry partners understand the need for the programs and service we provide and they continue to assist in this effort. DAFLP Jim Radintz stressed during our recent meetings that we should" keep calm and carry on". Similar words of encouragement were expressed by Acting Administrator Chris Beyerhelm. Very good advice; we keep doing what we do serving our customers and creating economic development in the rural communities where we live and work. NACS will not relent on advocating on your behalf. Your NACS Board is preparing for our Spring Board meeting next week. Please contact any or all of us with your questions and concerns. Don't forget to check the NACS web site for details on the upcoming convention scheduled for June 25th - 29th. Congratulations to the Ohio Association for signing 8 new members this past week!!! Please continue to share your success stories with us. John W. Gehrke NACS President
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Inauguration Day is quickly approaching and NACS is preparing to introduce your Association to the new Administration. We look forward to telling the NACS story and the great success of the farm loan programs that we deliver everyday! Chris Beyerhelm will be serving as Acting Administrator during the transition period. He has been a great asset to all employee organizations and to the Agency.
Congratulations to Bill Cobb! He has been named as Assistant Deputy Administrator of Farm Loan Programs. Bill has been a supporter and great resource for our organization. We look forward to continue working with him and the entire National Office staff. A legislative update has been sent out. I encourage you to look it over and become familiar with any legislators from your district and State. Never pass up the chance to tell the NACS story when the opportunity presents itself. You recently received a flyer regarding the upcoming Zone meetings. I will not restate what was in there, but I do encourage you to join us. Every single member has a chance to make a difference; to NACS and to the Agency. The same way we are given the chance every day to have a positive impact in people's lives. You will meet people that share the same successes, concerns, and frustrations you have. Most importantly, together, we can develop solutions. That is what we do. As a bonus, you will make great work contacts and new friends for life. I hope to meet you very soon at a Zone meeting. John W. Gehrke NACS President Merry Christmas! The holiday season is a hectic time for all of us. Rural America is facing difficult economic times and that can make this time of year even more stressful; both for FSA employees and our customers. Times like this remind us how important the work we do really is and the impact we have. Both what we do and how we do it is important.
I am a month behind publishing this update. The work and effort put forth by NACS members is ongoing and important, but it is also imperative that we share that information with you outside of Zone meetings and National Convention. I will do better; I may have just made my first New Year's resolution for 2017... I traveled the weekend of Veteran's Day to Indianapolis for the American Bankers Association (ABA) annual Ag Lending Conference. Farmer Mac sponsored an FSA guaranteed lender stakeholder meeting prior to the conference. I was able to visit with many bankers and listen in on the various FSA presentations and lender panels. FSA National Office presenters did an excellent job and Farmer Mac, as always, was a great host and gave NACS the chance to submit comments prior to the meeting. I was somewhat surprised that the major concern centered on our environmental regulations. The Agency noted that the hot topics sessions they conduct for employees is intended to distribute information, address concerns, and answer questions directly to the field employees. NACS member John Gehrke meets with Steve Apodaca and Ed Elfmann of the ABA Center for Agriculture and Rural banking. This was followed by the National FLP Policy Meeting held the last week of November. Our thanks to the Administration for inviting each of the employee associations! Jim Radintz, DAFLP, and the National Office staff did a very good job planning and presenting several days of material. We also thank Jim for the time he spent with NACS during the conference. We were able to ask several HR and IT questions during the panel discussions. Succession planning continues to be a priority for the Agency. The new Administration transition process was also on the Agenda. Overall, the meeting was a great opportunity to network with fellow FSA employees. We also appreciated the opportunity to attend the Farm Loan Chief's Association annual meeting. Don't forget to check out the ZONE MEETING REGISTRATIONS on the NACS web site at http://www.nacs-fsa.org/. Zone B will kick off the meetings the first weekend in February in Sioux Falls, South Dakota!!! Wishing you and your families a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year!!! John W. Gehrke NACS President Greetings NACS members! We find ourselves in the all too familiar place of operating under another Continuing Resolution. NACS has partnered with other farm organizations to ensure that members of the House and Senate Agriculture and Appropriations Committees are aware of FSA FLP funding needs this fiscal year and beyond.
By the time you receive the next NACS update, the election will be over and we will be preparing for a new Administration. This brings me to an important point. NACS is NOT a political organization. We do not endorse candidates, donate money to parties or individuals, or even promote a PAC. What we DO is tell the NACS story. We educate members of Congress on our efficient FLP funding mechanism, our program successes (and struggles), and the impact Agency programs have in rural America. We believe it to be the best of the best Public - Private Partnerships. Many of our commercial lenders agree. We never want to assume that these things are common knowledge among the legislative branch. NACS, through our legislative committee and our consultant McAllister & Quinn, has developed important relationships with other farm groups and Congressional staffers. We look forward to hosting our 2nd Ag Lenders Roundtable this coming spring, where we seek to collaborate on priority issues, find common ground legislatively, and further develop the relationships with these farm organizations. NACS members meet with Congressman Bost, IL, member of the House Ag Committee, during the NACS Day on the Hill in July. These efforts are not in conflict with our stated purpose to work with FSA management to address concerns and solutions we submit through our resolutions. The 2016-2017 Committees have been appointed and are working to obtain responses to the resolutions adopted at our National Convention. The final report, including National Office comments, will be posted to the website soon. This past week, the National Rural Lenders Association (NRLA) held their 2nd annual convention. Ben Herink, NACS Legislative Chairperson and non-voting member of the NRLA Board, was unable to attend this year due to the very recent birth of their second child. We all wish the family well! Andy Quinn, partner in McAllister & Quinn, represented NACS at the event and will be providing a full report to the Legislative Committee and your NACS Board. We look forward to attending the next NRLA convention this spring; to be held concurrently with our roundtable meeting. As we move forward into the new fiscal year, please feel free to contact me or any member of the Board with any concerns you have for us to address with the National Office. John W. Gehrke NACS President NACS recently concluded our 44th Annual National Convention, which was the first ever Convention held in Washington, D.C. I want to extend a big THANK YOU to the Convention Committee for all of their hard work and planning in organizing a very successful Convention. We were very fortunate to have several speakers from the National Office and the National Finance & Accounting Operations Center (NFAOC), including Val Dolcini, Administrator; Chris Beyerhelm, Associate Administrator; Greg Diephouse, DAFO; Jim Radintz, DAFLP; Sharon Sachs, Chief Farm & Community Services Branch; and Cindy Haas, Chief Farm Services Branch. NACS members were also able to have questions addressed by a large Q&A panel, which included Tom Mulhern, HR Director; Darren Ash, CIO; Radha Sekar, CFO; Brad Pfaff, DAFP; Tony Bainbridge, NFAOC Director; and Mark Rucker, DAM. I believe NACS members especially appreciated the special effort put forth by Jim Radintz and nearly the entire National Office staff to attend, introduce themselves, and mingle with members. A NACS Newsletter will be coming out soon to highlight convention events.
NACS was proud to honor Ben Herink, NE, with the "Blood, Sweat, and Tears Award" at our banquet on Wednesday evening. The award is the highest honor given by NACS, and Ben's humble, yet moving, speech showed why he was an excellent choice to be the recipient. There were also many adopted resolutions brought forth by the membership for improving our service to FSA customers, which the NACS Board will be discussing further with the National Office. The Committee Reports will be posted to the NACS website for your review in the near future. The newly elected NACS Board consists of the following members: John Gehrke, IL - President; Theresa Windham, GA - Vice President; Ray Bartholomew, KS - Secretary; Ryan Lukassen, NM - Treasurer; Lisa Liska, NE - Past President; Casey Toyne, CO - Zone A Representative; Joseph Grier, TX - Zone B Representative; Jeremey Burner, VA - Zone C Representative; and Jamelda Fulton, MS - Zone D Representative. Please feel free to contact any member of the NACS Board with any concerns or issues which you may have. In this upcoming year, it is important than we encourage and support each other and reach out to our fellow employees to join or again become involved in our Association. We will continue to tell the NACS story because what we do has a positive effect in rural America. As an Association, NACS does make a difference. We make the Agency work better for our customers and our employees, which, in turn, makes the Agency a better place to work. I look forward to this upcoming year and working with you! John Gehrke NACS President President's Update #11
National Convention is fast approaching next week in Washington, D.C. If you are planning to attend, remember to bring your LINCPass Card for access! The following members have announced their candidacy for office: President: John Gehrke, Farm Loan Specialist, Illinois Vice President: Theresa Windham, District Director, Georgia Secretary: Ray Bartholomew, Farm Loan Manager, Kansas Treasurer: Ryan Lukassen, Farm Loan Specialist, New Mexico Zone A Representative: Casey Toyne, Farm Loan Specialist, Colorado Zone B Representative Joseph Grier, Farm Loan Manager, Texas Zone C Representative: Jeremey Burner, Farm Loan Manager, Virginia Zone D Representative: Cheryl Brooks, Farm Loan Officer, Arkansas I want to strongly encourage all members to make sure they follow the happenings of NACS on our website at www.nacs-fsa.org and our Facebook page, NACS - FSA. Look for real-time updates and videos during the week of National Convention on our website and Facebook page. This past week, I had the opportunity to represent you at the Managerial Cost Accounting (MCA) Governance Board's Working Group in Washington, D.C. This group has been re-established to review the processes, procedures, and input to the MCA System. We had great discussions both as a large group and in small break-out sessions. The calculations and methodology used to develop the model result in a large project with many components to consider. I provided a field employee's perspective and a broad spectrum of knowledge from across the nation so your voice would be heard. It is important everyone understand how essential it is to accurately record programs and activities in WebTA, as the data is not only used to calculate staffing levels but also the production rate at which we do our jobs. The data is very informative in showing where county offices need more resources and/or training in order to successfully serve America's farmers and ranchers. A formal report will be compiled in the coming weeks to summarize the details and recommendations of the meeting, which will go out to all employees. Donald Dunn, NADD President; Susan Long, NASE Vice President; and I also plan to provide a short briefing of the working group meeting at National Convention. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Lisa A. Liska NACS President Dear Colleagues,
Just days out from the 2016 NACS National Convention in Washington, D.C. July 10th-14th and we're delighted to report we will have numerous first-time attendees! We look forward to welcoming each and every one of you next week as we come together to help build rural America, and do our part to make this great nation even stronger. Together, we are NACS: Leading The Way! This is our first convention in Washington, D.C. and our national office colleagues have worked closely with us to ensure it's a success. FSA Administrator Val Dolcini will be a speaker and national office staff will join us to explain their roles and participate in resolution sessions. We'll hear about the work done by our Legislative Committee in Congress, as they strive for better access to rural credit for farmers and ranchers. Join the team and NACS's government relations firm, McAllister and Quinn LLC, for a 'Day on the Hill' experience on Thursday, July 14th, and hear where the legislative campaign is headed next. We have a packed schedule with opportunities for everyone in leadership roles, decision-making and networking. We're especially excited to welcome the many first time attendees, and they'll be offered mentors to help walk them through the convention process. There's also plenty of fun to be had! Tour Washington monuments by night, dine at Carmine's and meet your colleagues from around the country. There are prizes too! "Fly VIP" 2 prizes, up to $500 cash back on flights/travel costs and "The Washington Welcome" 2 prizes, up to $500 cash back on hotel costs. For more on D.C., here's a city guide: http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?m=29075&l=1${"#"}{"issue_id":291122,"page":0} Reminder: Bring your LINC PASS, and be sure to clear leave with supervisors and SED - we want you to enjoy everything the convention has to offer! See you in Washington! Lisa A. Liska NACS President NACS National Convention Update
2016 National Convention July 10-14, 2016 'NACS: Leading the Way' Dear Colleagues, With only 2 weeks until the 2016 NACS National Convention in Washington DC, July 10th - 14th, it's time to remember some essentials - don't forget your LINCPass, it's your access to meeting rooms and everything the convention has to offer! Also remember, you may be eligible for official leave to cover part of your attendance. Two days of official time is authorized for NACS National officers, Committee members and State delegates to attend. Plus 6.5 hours of administrative leave may be granted to employees on Monday, July 11th or Tuesday, July 12th. Members should discuss and clear the leave benefits with their direct supervisor and SED. Details on the leave policy are in Handbooks 3-PM and 22-PM and if any member has questions, please contact your Zone representative. We have a packed schedule with opportunities for leadership roles, decision-making and networking. As the first convention in Washington DC, we'll have unprecedented access to our national colleagues and senior administration. FSA Administrator Val Dolcini will be a speaker and national office staff will join us to explain their roles and participate in resolution sessions. We'll also hear about the work done by our Legislative Committee in Congress, as they strive for better access to rural credit for farmers and ranchers. Join the team and NACS's government relations firm, McAllister and Quinn LLC, for a 'Day on the Hill' experience on Thursday, July 14th, and hear where the legislative campaign is headed next. We welcome all, familiar faces and new - first time attendees will have access to mentors to walk them through the convention process. Enjoy the fun side - tour Washington monuments by night, dine at Carmine's and meet colleagues from around the country. There are prizes too! "Fly VIP" 2 prizes, up to $500 cash back on flights/travel costs and "The Washington Welcome" 2 prizes, up to $500 cash back on hotel costs. For more on DC, here's a city guide: http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?m=29075&l=1${"#"}{"issue_id":291122,"page":0} See you in Washington! Lisa A. Liska NACS President NACS National Convention Update
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