A businessman and farmer from Atlantic received notice Thursday that was nominated to be a Member of the Farm Credit Administration Board, Farm Credit Administration.

Glen R. Smith (Photo courtesy Fischer Photography)

The nomination of Glen R. Smith, of Atlantic, was announced Thursday by the White House Press Secretary. The nomination has been sent to the U-S Senate for confirmation, and Smith will appear before the Senate Ag Committee later this Fall for a hearing, prior to any action on approval.

Smith is currently the President of Smith Land Service, Co., and owner/operator of a corn and soybean farm in western Iowa, in partnership with his wife Fauzan and son, Peter. He told KJAN News the process of being nominated began “By happenstance.”

After a brief conversation with Iowa Senator Joni Ernst, Smith said his curiosity led him to apply to the Trump transition team website. It wasn’t long afterward that he was called to Washington, D-C and interviewed at the White House at the end of April.

He says they called back in May and “Passed the mustard,” as far as receiving clearance checks in July. Since then, he’s been waited for word on whether or not he would be nominated.

If he is appointed by the President and approved by the Senate, Smith will serve on an advisory policy and rates Board for the Farm Credit Administration, an independent Federal agency that regulates and examines the banks, associations, and related entities of the Farm Credit System (FCS).  FCS is the largest agricultural lender in the U-S, and is a nationwide network of lending institutions that are owned by their borrowers. It serves all 50 states, and Puerto Rico.

The advisory Board members, Smith says, typically serve a six-year term, but he would be filling the term of a board member who died in March. Therefore his term would expire 2022. If he is appointed, Smith says he’ll need to make accommodations for himself and his family in Washington, D-C. 

(That includes trying to find a residence there, along the lines of a modest condominium or apartment. They will continue to maintain their home in Atlantic.)