Farm Credit Services of America

As we head into 2025, now is a great time for producers to take another look at their risk management strategy. Tony Jesina, our SVP of insurance, spoke with Brownfield Ag News about how base-level coverage may not be enough to protect your operation in this lower-price environment. Link to full interview in the comments.

Area nonprofits have been awarded more than $3.3 million in Working Here Fund grants in 2024. Learn more about our grant program and the three focus areas we support.

Students from Iowa State’s ag business club recently visited our headquarters in Omaha to learn more about how we serve agriculture. Our teammates enjoy each opportunity to share our mission and speak with ag students from across the country. It’s one of many ways we show our commitment to supporting the next generation of agriculture.

Tony Jesina, our SVP of insurance, attended National Association of Farm Broadcasting's annual Trade Talk this week. He spoke with journalists about the economic pressures facing producers and the proactive risk management strategies essential for financial success in 2025. #NAFB24

Our economist Matt Erickson discusses the key indicators shaping the Federal Reserve’s next interest rate moves and possible impacts on agriculture. What it means for producers? Stay current on the overall interest rate environment and understand what it means for your operation. In a tight margin environment, finding ways to manage and cut costs while building working capital and gaining efficiencies will be critical to bottom lines for 2025.

No two farming or ranching operations are exactly alike – and the same can be said for implementing sustainability goals and practices. What works for one operation, won’t necessarily work for another. Take a look at what sustainability means to some of our customer-owners.

While above-normal yields in areas will help offset higher crop input prices and lower grain prices, production is uneven across the country. Our economist Matt Erickson shares an outlook for each commodity along with a state-by-state comparison of yield projections to their 30-year trends. https://bit.ly/4hMs0U4 #WASDE

We’re at the Farm Credit booth alongside other Associations at the Agriculture Future of America Leaders Conference. Supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders is integral to our mission. Organizations like AFA directly impact the future of our industry by preparing undergraduate college students to become leaders in the areas of food, agriculture and natural resources. We’re having a great time connecting with these bright young minds from across the nation. #AFALC24

Working capital is one of the most talked-about indicators of financial well-being in today’s agricultural industry – and for good reason. Working capital is a producer’s first line of defense in challenging times and is critical to capitalizing on opportunity. This is a good time to revisit a conversation we had with ag economists David Widmar and Brent Gloy about how producers can measure working capital. Producers can use one of the following measures: ? Total dollars ? Dollars per acre or per head ? Current ratio: current assets/current liabilities ? As a share of gross revenue Which ratio you use to track your working capital is less important than choosing the one that works for you. By using the same measurement to track working capital, producers can identify trends and take corrective measures if needed.

Serving rural America means more than financing those who farm and ranch. We are proud to support local emergency response programs through our Working Here Fund grants. These grants help fund the purchase of tools and training needed to assist emergency response throughout our communities. In South Dakota, the Madison Fire Department used grant funds to purchase updated radios for emergency communication among first responders in Madison and five surrounding communities. The Charlotte Community Fire Company in Iowa used funds to purchase grain bin rescue equipment. The equipment is compatible with surrounding department equipment and training. In Nebraska, the Campbell Volunteer Fire Department upgraded 20-year-old Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) gear to provide breathable air for firefighters when entering contaminated situations.