FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Helle and Schafer Elected to Northwest FCS Board of Directors

SPOKANE, Wash. (March 14, 2017) – Stockholders of Northwest Farm Credit Services re-elected John Helle of Dillon, Mont., and elected Derek Schafer of Ritzville, Wash., to the Northwest FCS Board of Directors. They will each serve five-year terms.

John Helle is a rancher and an owner of Helle Livestock, Rebish & Helle, and HR Wool, LLC, multi-generational family businesses that raise sheep, cattle, hay and small grains and produce wool products.  A Northwest FCS customer since 1999, Helle had served one five-year term and was chair of the Strategy Committee for one year before his re-election to the board. He has also served as a Northwest FCS local advisor (chair). Helle also represents the American Sheep Industry (ASI) on the National Public Lands Council; co-chairs the Resource Management Council and is a member of the Public Lands Committee and Wool Roundtable of ASI; the Montana Wool Growers Association where he chairs the Land Use Committee and serves on the MSU Advisory Committee; and serves on the MSU Animal and Range Science Advisory Committee.

Derek Schafer is a full-time farmer and president of the Family Plow, Inc. and Homestead Family Grain Co.; vice president of Schafer Ranch, Ltd. and More Prophet Seeding, Ltd.; and treasurer of Fields & Furrows, Inc.  His fifth-generation family grain farm operation includes his wife, Susan, their two children and his parents. Schafer has been a Northwest FCS customer for 14 years and has been a local advisor and served on the Northwest FCS Nominating Committee in 2013. He's a board member of the Pacific Northwest Direct Seed Association; treasurer of the Adams County Association of Wheat Growers and lifetime member of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers; and president of the Lind Ritzville FFA Alumni Council.

In addition to Helle and Schafer, members of the Northwest FCS board include Christy Burmeister-Smith, Newman Lake, Wash.; Susan K. Doverspike, Burns, Ore.; Jim Farmer, Nyssa, Ore.; Skip Gray, Albany, Ore.; Dave Hedlin, Mt. Vernon, Wash.; Greg Hirai, Wendell, Idaho; Herb Karst, Sunburst, Mont.; Dave Nisbet, Bay Center, Wash.; Nate Riggers, Nezperce, Idaho; Karen Schott, Broadview, Mont.; Julie Shiflett, Spokane, Wash.; and Shawn Walters, Newdale, Idaho.

About Northwest Farm Credit Services
Northwest FCS is an $11 billion financial cooperative providing financing and related services to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, commercial fishermen, timber producers, rural homeowners and crop insurance customers in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. Northwest FCS is a member of the nationwide Farm Credit System that supports agriculture and rural communities with reliable, consistent credit and financial services.

Contact:
Debra Strohmaier, Communications Specialist
debra.strohmaier@northwestfcs.com
509.340.5443

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