Member Spotlight- Lane Farms
A Commitment to Agriculture: Lane Farms
The ninth generation is now farming at Lane Farms in Gates, North Carolina. For the Lanes, a commitment to agriculture is important. That commitment is not just seen in their dedication and love of farming, but through their partnerships.
Lane Farms is a diversified operation, growing row crops of cotton, corn, soybeans, wheat, and peanuts. They also have a sow farm with Smithfield Foods, raise purebred Angus cattle, and sell their own brand of Angus beef.
The farm is currently being farmed by three generations—Bundy and Marinda Lane, Bundy’s parents, Roger and Rita, and Bundy and Marinda’s son, Tucker.
“It's a family business. Family is everything. It's the reason I'm here in the ninth generation. I've learned so much from my dad and my grandpa. That's who I've grown up around,” said Tucker Lane. “They’ve worked 80-hour weeks and from the time I was little to now, I've always been right there. So, I've learned it from them.”
The Lanes are committed to agriculture and the success of the farm. They looked for that same commitment in their partnerships.
After their previous bank said they were considering getting out of agriculture, Bundy Lane decided to look at a lender that was committed to and understood agriculture. That’s where AgCarolina came in.
“I decided to get involved with somebody who's dedicated to agriculture, who understands agriculture, understands the ups and downs, because our banking is different than commercial banks and commercial businesses, and so we have to have that kind of connection—someone who’s committed to agriculture,” said Bundy.
A dedication to agriculture wasn’t the only connection the Lanes had with AgCarolina. Loan Officer, Austin Britton went to school with Tucker and Emma, and Marinda was his substitute teacher for many grades. After college, Austin came back to serve the community he grew up in with AgCarolina. The Lanes are a part of that community.
“Relationships and service are the most important things of aspects of our business,” Austin said. “I mean the financing and numbers are extremely important but what we do on a daily basis and how we serve our members and building the relationships where we're one phone call away, is the most important thing we do.”
In a world where fewer and fewer people are connected to agriculture, nine generations of farmers isn’t all that common. Helping farm families like the Lanes carry on that legacy is a privilege for AgCarolina.
“Agriculture has been everything to our family. I grew up on the farm, and so did Roger. We’ve never known anything else, and it’s been a good life,” said Rita Lane.
So long as farmers like the Lanes are committed to farming, AgCarolina will be committed to serving them and the communities they live in.