Cheryl Bruene, Tama County Extension and Mark McKibben, Farm Credit Services of Americ

Grant provided by Farm Credit Services of America Working Here Fund for Agriculture Education MARSHALLTOWN, IOWA- Tama County Master Gardeners received a $2,000 grant for their demonstration gardens. The grant is provided through Farm Credit Services of America’s (FCSAmerica) Working Here Fund. The Working Here Fund grant will be used to build small demonstration pollinator gardens near the county annex building and Tama County Public Health building. Additional gardens will be located at the Extension office and fairgrounds. The gardens will offer educational opportunities to share with the community how pollination impacts the agricultural system. “The goal of this project is to take under-used plots and make them useful and more attractive while providing a needed educational component to the public,” said Cheryl Bruene, executive director. The construction of the gardens is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2020. “We value the opportunity to support local organizations, like Tama County Master Gardeners, dedicated to improving the rural communities where we live and work,” said Cheryl Mannetter, regional vice president of retail operations at FCSAmerica’s Marshalltown office. Tama County Master Gardeners is one of 58 organizations to receive a Working Here Fund grant in the fourth quarter of 2019. FCSAmerica awarded $94,165 during the latest grant cycle ending December 31, 2019. About Tama County Master Gardeners Tama County Master Gardeners uses research-based horticulture and gardening knowledge and practices to educate people and coordinate projects that promote healthy communities. Master Gardener trainees undertake 11 weeks of educational training and 40 hours of volunteer service to the community during the first year, followed by additional education and volunteer service each year. About Farm Credit Services of America Farm Credit Services of America is proud to finance the growth of rural America, including the special needs of young and beginning producers. With $29.9 billion in assets and nearly $5.8 billion in members’ equity, FCSAmerica is one of the region’s leading providers of credit and insurance services to farmers, ranchers, agribusiness and rural residents in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming. Learn more at www.fcsamerica.com