A new customer-owned credit cooperative will open its doors to Ashe County this week as Carolina Farm Credit Country Mortgages will hold a building dedication and open house ceremony at 545 East Main St. in Jefferson on Tuesday.

According to a company press release, Carolina Farm Credit serves 54 western counties in North Carolina and operates 37 service centers between Durham and Tennessee. The cooperative is part of the national Farm Credit System and can offer agricultural credit.

CFC offers a wide range of loan products including financing for farm land and improvements, timber tracts, operating expenses, equipment and vehicles, homes and improvements, education, and living expenses, CFC officials said.

Outside of loan programs, CFC offers customers various agricultural policies including crop insurance, credit life insurance, fee appraisals, and agricultural leasing.

CFC offers loans to both full and part-time famers, marketing and processing businesses, farm related enterprises, and country mortgages to rural residents.

On Tuesday, Chief Executive Officer Michael Morton will be on hand to offer his comments on the new Jefferson location and will provide a history of farm credit to attendees. Local CFC officers, including AgricConsumer Loan Officer Betty Wood and Senior Loan Officer Jim Hunt, will also be in attendance during the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Jefferson Mayor Dana Tugman and the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce will join CFC in the commemorative ribbon cutting ceremony.

For more information on CFC services, please contact (336) 246-8856 or (866) 294-6254. The company can also be reached through their Website, located at www.carolinafarmcredit.com.