NorthWest Farm Credit Services Donates $75,000 to MSUN Auto/Diesel Center

Today, NorthWest Farm Credit Services nhttp://www.northwestfcs.com presented Montana State University-Northern with a $75,000 gift for the new Auto/Diesel Technology Center.

"We are honored to partner with MSU-Northern in support of the Auto/Diesel Technology Center project," explained Bill Perry, Montana President of Northwest Farm Credit Services. "This project will not only benefit the university and its students, it will provide a positive impact to industry partners as well as the North Central Montana community. Modern agriculture is reliant on diesel technology, and highly skilled diesel technicians are needed to keep farm machinery operating efficiently. We believe our investment today will pay dividends for the next generation of agricultural producers, and we are excited to contribute to this important project," said Perry.

"Northwest Farm Credit Services has made a commitment to serving higher education projects as well as rural community development across the northwest," explained Jim Bennett, Director of the Northern Alumni Foundation. "They are excited to partner with MSU-Northern on this project because they see the educational and economic impacts that this project will have, not only in Havre, but across the Hi-Line. I would like to specifically thank Shaud Schwarzbach from Northwest Farm Credit Services’ Havre office for advocating on Northern’s behalf. The discussion of this gift started in October and Shaud took the helm and turned this generous donation into a reality. I cannot be happier to partner with Northwest Farm Credit Services and I thank them for their support for this project," said Bennett.

Farm Credit ServicesTM, also known as Northwest Farm Credit Services or Northwest FCS, is a customer-owned financial cooperative providing financing and related services to farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, commercial fishermen, timber producers, rural homeowners, and crop insurance customers in Montana, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Alaska. Northwest FCS provides approximately $12 billion in loans. They also provide leasing and appraisal services, and life, mortgage, disability, and crop insurance programs.

They serve customers through 45 branch offices located throughout the Northwest and they corporate headquarters office is in Spokane, Washington. Northwest FCS is part of the 98-year-old Farm Credit System – the largest single provider of credit to American agriculture.

The 2013 Montana Legislature appropriated 4.9 million dollars to MSU-Northern to help build a new Automotive Diesel Technology Building. MSU-Northern must raise the remaining amount needed to build this building through corporate and private donations.

Thanks to NorthWest Farm Credit Services’ gift, the college is on track to begin the building process in the spring of 2015. The new Automotive/Diesel Technology Center will be located where the current Automotive/Davey Pioneer Building is located.

MSU-Northern’s new Auto/Diesel Technology Center is designed in keeping with today’s training techniques and will be equipped with the latest equipment and instrumentation, surpassing anything previously offered to our students. The proposed facility is 7,000 square feet larger than the existing structure, meets all code requirements, can incorporate future technological advances, and will attract and accommodate more students, allowing us to grow one of our strongest and most vibrant programs.

MSU-Northern’s Diesel Technology program is highly regarded throughout the diesel industry. This fall, Northern secured a record enrollment of 287 diesel students. These are students who will help meet the workplace shortage of qualified technicians. Business and industry employers welcome growth in the number of students who wish to prepare for well-paying careers in diesel technology, and the future facility will help us accommodate current and future needs for specialized classroom and laboratory space.

Montana State University-Northern

P.O. Box 7751

Havre, MT 59501-7751

Phone: 406-265-3727

Contact: Jim Potter, Director of University Relations

[email protected]

NorthWest Farm Credit Services

Jennifer Rohrer, Public Relations Coordinator

Phone: 509-340-5303

[email protected]