Roseau Times-Region - Serving Roseau County for over 100 Years - The Official Roseau County Newspaper

Bethany Erickson of Roseau is among 18 students who recently completed the Farm Credit Fellows Program through North Dakota State University in Fargo, N.D. This special undergraduate program in agricultural finance was created by the NDSU College of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Natural Resources and AgCountry Farm Credit Services in Fargo. Participating partners in the program also include Farm Credit Services of Mandan, Farm Credit Services of North Dakota and United FCS.

The Fellows program provides a unique opportunity for students to gain a better understanding of the agricultural credit system as well as provide advanced real-world experience in the area of ag finance," says Bob Bahl, President and CEO of AgCountry. "The student response has only been positive since we began the program three years ago."

The Fellows Program is open to Department of Agribusiness and Applied Economics and College of Business undergraduates in their sophomore, junior and senior years at NDSU. Students apply to the program during fall semester at NDSU. They complete a segment of educational training through AgCountry FCS followed by an advanced agricultural lending course taught at NDSU during spring semester.

Applications for the 2016-2017 program will be available through the NDSU Agribusiness and Applied Economics Department in early September. Those who are accepted receive a $1,000 Fellowship Scholarship. Upon completion of the program, the students are designated as Farm Credit Fellows.

Headquartered in Fargo, N.D., AgCountry provides credit and financial services to farmers, ranchers and rural customers in eastern N.D. and northwest and west central Minn. and to agribusiness across the United States.