By LIZ NOGOWSKI

Director of Marketing

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit, an agricultural lending institution, paid a patronage distribution of $2.85 million to their customers based on their 2010 earnings.

As a cooperative, the association pays patronage, a form of profit sharing, to its member-borrowers.

Over the past two decades, Southwest Georgia Farm Credit has returned more than $90 million to its customer-owners.

Southwest Georgia Farm Credit makes loans for agriculture, ag-related businesses and rural real estate. Additionally, the association finances home purchases and offers refinancing to homeowners.

“We’re proud to serve Southwest Georgia by providing a source of dependable credit and a competitive interest rate to farmers and agribusinesses,” said Richard S. Monson, president. “The association has survived a downturn in the economy, and 2010 proved that with careful portfolio management and a focus on quality customer service, we could achieve a comfortable profit margin.”

Headquartered in Bainbridge, Southwest Georgia Farm Credit serves 21 counties in Georgia bordering Alabama and Florida.