Submitted article
COLUMBUS, Ohio – State Executive Director for the Ohio Farm Service Agency (FSA), Steve Maurer, announced that Brooke Ison and Laura Rogers were selected as Farm Loan Officer Trainees (FLOT). Ison and Rogers began their duties on June 15.
Ison will be the FLOT for Ashland, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Erie, Holmes, Huron, Knox, Lorain, Medina, Morrow, Richland and Wayne counties while Rogers will cover Adams, Brown, Clermont, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton counties. While participating in the training program, they will assist the Farm Loan Manager (FLM) with making, servicing and supervising loans and providing technical advice, guidance and credit counseling to FSA loan applicants and borrowers.
Ison graduated from The Ohio State University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural business and applied economics and a minor in agricultural communications. While in school, she worked as a marketing intern for the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) where she assisted and coordinated the “Agriculture is Cool” program, “Ohio Proud” program and the “2014 Specialty Crop Block Grant” program. After graduation she continued to work for the ODA as an amusement ride safety intern.
Ison is an avid runner and enjoys spending time with her family. On the weekends she helps on her fiancé’s family dairy farm in northern Richland County.
Rogers started her career with the Brown/Clermont County FSA as a Program Technician (PT) in 2006. She administered the price support, compliance, Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP), disaster, risk management and highly erodible and wetland compliance programs.
Rogers attended Laurel Oaks Career and Technical Education School in southwest Ohio, where she focused on accounting, banking and financial services. Prior to starting her career with FSA, Rogers worked as an office manager for Smith Farms where she was responsible for accounting and bookkeeping, ordering farm supplies and maintaining records for all equipment repairs.
Rogers grew up on her family’s farm in Fayette County where they raised beef cattle, corn and hay. She relocated to Brown County in 1998 and continues her involvement in agriculture by raising beef cattle with her husband, who is the District Administrator and District Technician with the Brown Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD).
Ison and Rogers look forward to providing FSA farm loan assistance and support to Ohio farmers.