On February 15, 2010 Paul J. Strasberg, Program Manager, Caucasus Agricultural Development Initiative at USDA FAS in Washington DC while on his first trip to Armenia visited FC member-borrowers during his one-day tour to Ararat and Voyats Dzor marzes.
On February 15, 2010 Paul J. Strasberg, Program Manager, Caucasus Agricultural Development Initiative at USDA FAS in Washington, DC while on his first trip to Armenia visited FC four farmer member-borrowers during his one-day tour to Ararat and Vayots Dzor marzes.
His first visit was to the tomato growing operation in H. Hovhanisyan’s green house in Avshar village. While visiting the farm he was informed by H. Hovhanisyan about tomatoes growing and harvesting process, as well as their marketing. Mr. Strasberg’s second visit was paid to the Simonyan brothers’ dried fruit operation, winery, vineyards, apricot and peach orchards which were located in Areni village, Vayots Dzor marz. He observed the fruit sunny drying building, toured the winery and saw the first tractor leased by FC.
His last visit of the day was to Vayk city (Vayots Dzor marz), “Vayq Group” CJSC winery, the owner thereof A. Zakaryan is a new board member of Farm Credit Armenia. The company has its own wine factory, 430 sq. meters of wine cellar, storehouses. “Vayq Group” CJSC also has apricot, apple, prune, peach, and cherry orchards. Much of the fruit is dried in their drying operation.
The tour was very educational and enjoyable for Paul Strasberg. He now has a much better idea of FC’s lending and leasing programs having an aim to contribute to the development of rural Armenia
On February 03, 2010 Farm Credit Armenia UCO CC held its 4th annual meeting, which gathered over 90 member-borrowers.
During the meeting management of the company reported on actual results and developments achieved during 2009. Mainly, FCA CEO Mr. Armen Gabrielyan announced that the company’s capital increased by 471,000USD funds granted by U.S. Embassy in Armenia. The CEO mentioned that 2009 was the first profitable year for FCA, the portfolio increased by nearly 3 times, and the number of member-borrowers by more than two times. It was also mentioned that FCA launched a new financial leasing product and finances different types of agricultural equipment and machinery. Financial results of 2009 were presented to the general meeting by Chief Accountant of the Company, the COO of the company reported on the developments and future plans of FCA. The member-borrowers voted for a number of important policies, procedures and decisions of FCA.
During the second part of the meeting the member-borrowers elected board members of FCA. 3 new members were elected and 3 current members were reelected to the board. As of now FCA has 6 board members, each representing one marz of FCA’s activities; in addition the board has outside director, which is elected by the board members.
U.S. Ambassador for Armenia Mary Yovanovich was a guest-speaker at the meeting. She congratulated member-borrowers with the 4th anniversary and urged the farmers and agribusiness persons use true coops like FCA to develop their households and agriculture of Armenia.“If you keep growing and operating successfully you will be the model for true cooperatives in your country.I urge you as owners, controllers and beneficiaries of your coop to support it and take an active role in its governance. Tell your story here and in the region. The Armenian farmers and agribusiness persons here today give me hope that rural Armenia will become more viable in the future,”- said the Ambassador.
The general meeting hosted a number of official guests: Fred Johnston, Agricultural Project Coordinator for USDA Caucasus Agricultural Initiative (CADI), Central Bank representatives, representatives from cooperatives associations, Agrarian University, mass media etc.
U.S. Farm Credit Administration Chairman and CEO Lee Strom and his wife Twyla visited Farm Credit Armenia UCO CC during the last week of September. They stayed in Armenia for one week and had a number of meetings with high level officials and farmers.
Mr. Strom and FCA CEO Mr. Armen Gabrielyan had a meeting with Chairman of Central Bank of Armenia Arthur Javadyan, Central Bank board members and senior staff. During that meeting the officials discussed the role of Farm Credit Armenia in the development of agriculture in Armenia, the impact of financial-economic crisis on both U.S. and Armenia’s economies and the lessons learned. Mr. Strom introduced how important the role of U.S. Farm Credit System was for the U.S. at the beginning of the 20th century; he told that Farm Credit Armenia would definitely play the same role for the agriculture of Armenia.
During his stay Mr. Strom and Mr. Gabrielyan also had a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture of Armenia Mr. Gerasim Alaverdyan. Mr. Strom and Mr. Alaverdyan discussed the issues Armenian farmers encounter and the actions Armenian government takes to improve the economic and social conditions in the villages of Armenia. Introducing the role U.S. Farm Credit System for U.S. economy Mr. Strom expressed his confidence that Farm Credit Armenia could be an excellent partner for the Armenian government in the process of supporting the economic development of Armenian agriculture.
Mr. Strom also visited 8 member-borrowers of Farm Credit Armenia: a fruit drying factory, three wineries, vineyards, orchards, a fish breeding and growing operation and other agribusinesses and farms. He was very impressed by the working culture of Armenian farmers.
Mr. Strom was present at the ceremony of our leasing product launch in village Areni in Vayots Dzor, where Farm Credit Armenia’s CEO signed the stock certificate and the lease agreement with the first member who leased a tractor. Chairman Strom also drove the tractor and commented “these are nice handling tractors and should be what most Armenian farms and agribusiness need to increase their efficiency”.
Chairman Strom lectured to a class of FinanceBankingCollege students on Friday, October 2, 2009 while visiting Armenia. Chairman Strom spoke to the students about the history of the U.S. Farm Credit System (FCS) and its regulator the Farm Credit Administration (FCA).He also spoke about the beginnings of FCA and its role in the safety and soundness of the FCS.Farm Credit Armenia (FC) is patterned after the very successful cooperative FCS in the U.S which is almost 100 years of age.
The CEO of Farm Credit Armenia Armen Gabrielyan participated at 12th Microfinance Center Conference of Microfinance Institutions, which took place on 25-27 May, 2009 in Belgrade, Serbia andwas devoted to the topic of “Global Crisis: Threat or Opportunity to Microfinance”.
Over 450 microfinance practitioners, investors, policy makers and private sector representatives attended the conference. During the conference Mr. Gabrielyan met with a number of potential investors and other possible partners. During his discussions with some of the potential investors and possible partners future cooperation and plans were discussed.
From May 6 to May 8 FCA staff members and representatives from Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) visited MidAtlantic Farm Credit and Farm Credit of Virginias.
From May 6 to May 8 Armenian delegation visited MidAtlantic Farm Credit and Farm Credit of Virginias, which are associations in the AgFirst Farm Credit District. During those three days the visitors intensively shared ideas with the staff representatives of both associations. Different presentations, round tables and discussions took place on general management, credit, accounting/finance, internal audit and other units’ activities, processes, procedures and regulations. The group also visited some of the clients of the banks (a winery, a big plant retailer, John Deere tractor dealership) and in reality saw the results of the associations’ activities.
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On February 15, 2010 Paul J. Strasberg, Program Manager, Caucasus Agricultural Development Initiative at USDA FAS in Washington, DC while on his first trip to Armenia visited FC four farmer member-borrowers during his one-day tour to Ararat and Vayots Dzor marzes. 
On February 03, 2010 Farm Credit Armenia UCO CC held its 4th annual meeting, which gathered over 90 member-borrowers. 
Mr. Strom and FCA CEO Mr. Armen Gabrielyan had a meeting with Chairman of Central Bank of Armenia Arthur Javadyan, Central Bank board members and senior staff. During that meeting the officials discussed the role of Farm Credit Armenia in the development of agriculture in Armenia, the impact of financial-economic crisis on both U.S. and Armenia’s economies and the lessons learned. Mr. Strom introduced how important the role of U.S. Farm Credit System was for the U.S. at the beginning of the 20th century; he told that Farm Credit Armenia would definitely play the same role for the agriculture of Armenia.
The CEO of Farm Credit Armenia Armen Gabrielyan participated at 12th Microfinance Center Conference of Microfinance Institutions, which took place on 25-27 May, 2009 in Belgrade, Serbia and
From May 6 to May 8 Armenian delegation visited MidAtlantic Farm Credit and Farm Credit of Virginias, which are associations in the AgFirst Farm Credit District. During those three days the visitors intensively shared ideas with the staff representatives of both associations. Different presentations, round tables and discussions took place on general management, credit, accounting/finance, internal audit and other units’ activities, processes, procedures and regulations. The group also visited some of the clients of the banks (a winery, a big plant retailer, John Deere tractor dealership) and in reality saw the results of the associations’ activities.