Colonial Farm Credit is celebrating its 100th year of providing support to agriculture, forestry and rural communities by giving back.

“What better way to commemorate such a meaningful milestone than to give back to those who are the reason we’ve been around for 100 years – our customers,” Colonial Farm Credit President and CEO Greg Farmer said.

Through its patronage refund program, Colonial Farm Credit is returning more than $7.2 million of profits to its borrowers.

U.S. Rep. Robert Hurt visited the cooperative’s Farmville office to meet with farmers and rural community members in his district.

“Farm Credit’s century-long dedication to the agriculture industry is inspiring,” Hurt said, “and their patronage program continues to be a valuable benefit for this area.”

The cooperative’s customers received more than $4 million in Hurt’s district this year. This is the 18th consecutive year Colonial Farm Credit has given a patronage refund to its customers, amounting to more than $95 million since the program began.

Returning the equivalent of 25 percent of interest paid reduces a borrower’s cost of doing business by approximately one percentage point.

“This is the second year we have given a record return of an entire ‘quarter-back’ to our customers,” Colonial Farm Credit Board of Directors member and farmer Bobby Jones said. “As a director, I am honored to be part of such a dedicated and reputable organization. Not too many businesses can say they have been around for 100 years and have such an impressive story to tell.”