Earl Neff, of McLeansboro, is retiring from Farm Credit Illinois Oct. 31, after 40 years providing support to generations of farm families in southern Illinois. Neff is an assistant vice president of lending at the Marion regional office, serving cooperative members in Alexander, Gallatin, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union, and Williamson Counties.

Neff was raised on his family’s Wayne County grain and hog farm. Throughout his 40 years of service, he worked in four locations including Fairfield, Harrisburg, Mt. Vernon, and Marion. He served as a loan officer for 25 of the 40 years and as a credit analyst for 15.

He and his wife Pamela have four children – Dr. Caroline Neff, Charlotte Neff, Kyle (Tiffany) Ingram, and Heather (Brian) Lux – and three grandchildren – Carli and Drew Lux, and Kloey Ingram.

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Farm Credit Illinois is a farmer-owned and directed agricultural cooperative serving the southern 60 counties of Illinois with competitive and flexible financing, crop insurance expertise, and Rural 1st lending for country living. Farm Credit Illinois manages a $4.34 billion loan portfolio, sells 1.35 million acres of crop insurance coverage, and employs 220 staff based in the Mahomet headquarters and 14 regional office locations. The U.S. Farm Credit System supports rural communities, farm families, and agriculture with reliable, consistent credit and financial services today and tomorrow.