(SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ.) – Dan Carothers was the recipient of the 2014 National Crop Insurance Services Outstanding Service Award in recognition for outstanding service and outreach to small, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers. Tim Weber, Chairman of the National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) Board of Directors, and Tom Zacharias, President of NCIS, presented the award at the 2014 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention.

Mr. Carothers served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to1975, and then obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from California State University Chico. He was a County Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency from 1980 until 1988. In 1988 he formed Personal Ag Management Services in order to assist farmers in dealing with the USDA. In 1998 Mr. Carothers saw a need for professional crop insurance representation in Kern County, California, and started his career in crop insurance. With his expertise in farm programs he was in a unique position to provide comprehensive guidance for his farmer clients in all aspects of USDA farm programs.

Mr. Carothers has served on the American Association of Crop Insurers (AACI) PAC Committee, the AACI Agent Advisory Committee, and as the Affiliate Representative on the AACI Board of Directors. During his many trips to Washington D. C. Dan has met with members of the House and Senate Ag Committees as well as with members of Congress from California.

Narinder Dosanjh, Ron Cruz, Kathy Medina, and Todd Snider are all California-based crop insurance agents who are employed by Personal Ag Management. These agents were originally recruited, in part, to effectively reach out and provide service to the diverse farming community in California. Narinder Dosanjh and Ron Cruz are both bilingual. Mr. Dosanjh is fluent in Punjabi and specializes in reaching out and servicing the Indian farming community. Mr. Cruz is fluent in Spanish and is able to reach out and communicate with the Mexican farming community. Kathy Medina is able to relate to and provide service for women in California agriculture. Todd Snider provides service to limited resource and underserved growers and all four agents routinely attend the various RMA-sponsored outreach seminars for underserved and minority growers. In addition, Personal Ag Management has customer service representatives that are fluent in Spanish and Punjabi.

Congratulations to Dan Carothers on receiving the NCIS Outstanding Service Award.

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Photo (left to right): Tim Weber, Chairman of the NCIS Board of Directors, Dan Carothers, and Tom Zacharias, President, NCIS