Farmers Mutual Telephone Company (FMTC) is a member-owned telecommunications cooperative with a customer-focused, community-friendly team and ethic, providing telecommunication services in Fruitland since 1908 and Nu Acres since 1998.
Customers in Fruitland who have FMTC phone and/or Internet service are members of the cooperative with many benefits.
- Capital Credits
FMTC gives member-owners a share of profits based on patronage and create a sense of community among customers.
- Voting by proxy at the Annual Meeting
Members can vote for Board Members.
- Customer Appreciation Day Dinner
This dinner is held yearly in late September or early October and features tri tip from the Fruitland High School Ag Department’s mobile catering unit.
- Foundation For Rural Service Youth Tour
One or two Fruitland High School students that will be 16 or 17 during the Youth Tour are chosen for the trip of a lifetime to Washington D.C. from the students that apply. This trip educates students about the policy making process through meetings with Congressional and FCC staff members. In addition, students gain insight into the challenges of providing quality broadband in their rural communities. This is also an opportunity to visit famous historical sites including the Lincoln Memorial, the U.S. Capitol, Mount Vernon and Arlington National Cemetery. It allows students to meet youth from rural areas across the country, develop leadership skills and help point their communities toward the future. Unfortunately, the 2020 Your Tour has been cancelled due to COVID-19, but we are hopeful this will be available to students in 2022.
- Foundation For Rural Service Scholarship Opportunity
The Foundation For Rural Service (FRS) annually awards scholarships, in conjunction with FMTC to give exceptional rural students scholarship awards for their first year of college or vocational school. FRS has awarded over $1,000,000 since its inception and FMTC has had several past award recipients. Scholarships will be available to apply for early in 2021.