Spokane, Washington - February 26, 2015 – The Northwest’s leading financial cooperative, Northwest Farm Credit Services, announced the return of $64.1 million in cash patronage to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, commercial fishermen, timber producers and cooperatives located primarily in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana and Alaska.

“Northwest Farm Credit Services had another year of strong financial performance in 2014,” reported Karen Schott, Northwest FCS Board Chair and Montana farmer. “Our patronage program allows us to share earnings with our customer owners, which provides a significant financial boost to rural communities throughout the Northwest.”

Since the patronage program began in 2000, $498.7 million in cash patronage has been paid to customers who borrow money from the cooperative.

“Our continued financial success has allowed us to provide a consistent level of patronage to our customers, while at the same time, build our overall financial capacity. Strong earnings and capital allow us to work with our customers through the economic ups and downs of the global marketplace,” said Schott.

Northwest FCS is a customer-owned 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 provides approximately $13 billion in loans and is a member of the Farm Credit System, a nationwide network of borrower-owned lending institutions that provide approximately $208 billion in loans to rural America.

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Contact
Jennifer Rohrer
Public Relations Coordinator
509-340-5303 or Jennifer.Rohrer@northwestfcs.com