ENFIELD, Conn. — The 2020 director candidates were formally introduced at Farm Credit East’s Annual Meeting in March, and following, voting stockholders were mailed their ballots to vote in the 2020 Director Elections. As a customer-owned cooperative, the annual director election is an important opportunity for stockholders to express their voice in ownership and direction of the cooperative. Farm Credit East encourages members to vote. Ballots must be returned to our Enfield, Conn. office by 5 p.m. on Monday, April 13.
In 2020, there are six candidates running for the three open director seats on the Farm Credit East board. Each seat to be elected is for a four-year term. Following are this year’s six highly qualified candidates. More information on each candidate, including video interviews, are available on FarmCreditEast.com/
SEAT ONE, from the Eastern Region
- Barry Allan Buck, of Mapleton, Maine, is co-owner and cooperatively manages crop production, marketing and sales at Buck Farms since 1998. Buck Farms is a 1,000-acre cash crop and potato farm founded in 1958.
- Matthew J. Piscitelli, of Bridgewater, Mass., is CEO and Partner of Olson’s Greenhouses Inc., a wholesale greenhouse grower and producer of horticultural products. Matt is responsible for day-to-day operations and overseeing Olson’s senior management.
SEAT TWO, from the Central Region
- George Motel, of Goshen, Conn., is Founder and President of Sunset Meadow Farm, LLC, a 155-acre farm including 40 acres of vineyard and a farm winery. George handles administrative duties, winemaking and several vineyard functions.
- Douglas W. Shelmidine, of Adams, N.Y., is General and Financial Manager of Sheland Farms LLC, handling bookkeeping, business management and business leadership. Doug runs the 1,800-acre family dairy operation milking 980 cows alongside his brother, Todd and two sons, Devon and Erik.
SEAT THREE, from the Western Region
- David “Skip” Hardie, of Groton, N.Y., is the retiring senior partner of Walnut Ridge Dairy, LLC, along with Steve Palladino, John Fleming and Keith Chapin. The farm milks 1,600 cows and operates 2,200 acres. Skip assists in strategic planning, machinery operation and general farm maintenance.
- Brett D. Kreher, of Clarence, N.Y., is Partner at Kreher’s Poultry Farms and related entities, producing conventional and organic eggs across three farms totaling approximately two million hens.
Each voting stockholder is encouraged to vote for one candidate in each of the three open positions. For more information on this year’s candidates, visit FarmCreditEast.com/
–Dallas Kriebel, Farm Credit East