MANHATTAN, Kan. — Kansas Agriculture and Rural Leadership (KARL) has received $10,000 from CoBank on behalf of Ronald J. Rahjes, a member of the cooperative bank’s board of directors.

KARL is a two-year program that provides study, training and travel opportunities for emerging leaders in the state’s agriculture and rural communities since 1990.

Rahjes, who was a member of KARL’s first class, is a partner in a family farming corporation that produces wheat, corn, soybeans, and grain sorghum, and is owner of R&C Tax Service, an accounting and tax firm in Kensington, Kan.

“The generosity of donors such as CoBank is critically important to the continuation of our efforts to create ambassadors for rural communities, agriculture and the way of life associated with each of those,” said Jack W. Lindquist, president of KARL. “This gift will benefit the current Class XI and future program classes.”

The cost for each two-year KARL class is about $500,000.

“I had the distinct privilege of being selected to participate in this program and what I learned has been invaluable to me over the years,” Rahjes said. “CoBank’s donation will help KARL in its mission to develop strong, progressive leaders for our community.”

CoBank, based in Denver, is a cooperative bank that provides loans, leases, export financing and other financial services to agribusinesses and rural power, water and communications providers. It is a member of the Farm Credit System. The contribution to KARL is part of CoBank’s corporate giving program, which allows employees and board members to direct bank donations to their choice of non-profit organizations and programs.

More information about the KARL program is available on its website.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus, Manhattan.

Story by: Mary Lou Peter
mlpeter@ksu.edu
K-State Research & Extension News

KARL Program office – 785-532-6300 or karl@ksu.edu