Saint Paul -- Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced the appointment of Susan Meyer and the reappointment of James Molenaar to the Minnesota Rural Finance Authority.

Susan Meyer, of New Prague, is a pork producer and row crop farmer. She is active in the Minnesota Pork Producers and the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association. Meyer is appointed to an Authority position for a public member and will serve the remainder of a term which ends January 1, 2007. Meyer replaces Les Anderson on the Authority.

James Molenaar, of New London, is the Dean of Management at Ridgewater College in Hutchinson/Willmar. He is a former farm business management instructor. He is appointed to an Authority position for a public member and will serve a four-year term which ends January 7, 2008. He first joined the Authority in 2000.

The Minnesota Rural Finance Authority offers a variety of loan programs through participating lenders. These loan programs help new farmers purchase agricultural land, expand livestock production, make physical improvements to farm operations, or invest in a Minnesota value-added farmer owned cooperative. The Authority also operates the Aggie Bond program. The Authority is made up of eleven members, including six appointed by the Governor.