Tompkins VIST Bank hosts area farmers
WYOMISSING >> Tompkins VIST bank recently hosted about 215 agricultural customers for the bank’s fifth annual agricultural luncheon.
The event is meant to show appreciation for the area’s agricultural community — including farmers and agribusiness, said Lynette Gelsinger, agricultural relationship lender.
“The luncheon is a thank you from Tompkins VIST that provides fellowship and acknowledgment of their efforts,” she said in an emailed response to questions.
The July 11 luncheon was held at the Leesport Farmer’s Market, and included attendees from the agricultural communities in Berks and Lebanon counties, according to Gelsinger.
Following a welcome from Scott Gruber, Tompkins VIST president and CEO, the lunch was served by bank senior leadership and staff, according to a press release.
“You are the reason we’re here,” Travis Werley, senior vice president, agricultural lending relationship manager, said as he welcomed the guests. He noted that it was a “privilege to work with people who are stewards of the land and who are working hard to overcome the challenges facing farmers today,” the release stated.
Werley and Gelsinger, in addition to being bankers, both have working farms with their families.
“Since Travis Werley and I are farmers ourselves, the foundation of our relationships is that we share common ground with the agricultural community. This allows us insight into specialized banking and lending needs to bet
“It’s important and it’s my job to ensure Congress and this administration hear these stories loud and clear,” said Democratic Rep. Abby Finkenauer of Iowa, who leads the House Small Business subcommittee that deals with rural development and agriculture.
With time and money invested in land and equipment, some older farmers are reluctant to cede their operations to younger workers. Technological advancements have made it easier for them to work longer, according to agriculture workers and experts.
“When it comes to machine work, climbing in and out of the (tractor) is about as much energy as it requires to do things. And in terms of steering, auto guidance has just been a freaking game changer,” says John Phipps, 71, a commentator for “Farm Journal” and “Top Producer” magazines who maintains more than 2,000 acres of farmland with his son in eastern Illinois.
McManus says cellphones have also been “a big help to keep track of the help and what’s going on,” though a recent car accident and subsequent back surgery have forced him to more actively consider stepping away from the operation.
Many farmers who need help because of aging or disability, turn to Agrability, a partially government-funded program that helps them more easily maintain their farms. Bill Field, a professor of agricultural and biological engineering at Purdue University and the project director at Agrability’s national hub in Indiana, says more than 1,500 consultants were sent to individual farms last year to assess the need and determine what resources might be available.
For farmers with considerable mobility issues, Agrability may recommend equipment manufacturers of assistive technology. For others who are battling arthritis or the wear and tear of age, options include different watering or harvesting methods, rigging additional lighting to tractors for improved visibility. The program also may recommend using more automated equipment or installing handrails to help workers better navigate the farm.