As the final days of the year wind down, the pace on your operation often shifts. The heavy lifting of harvest or winterizing your ranch is likely behind you, the equipment is being tucked away, and the focus moves from the field to the office. While the physical work slows, the “pencil work”...

Why a Real Estate-Backed Line of Credit is a Smart End-of-Year Move As the holiday season settles over your operation, this quieter time allows for reflection—and, more importantly, preparation. The crops are stored, the cattle are settled, and the focus shifts from the demands of the field to the...

As the Year Wraps Up, So Does Another Growing Season Between harvest and the holidays, it’s easy for financial prep to fall to the bottom of the list. But taking a few key steps before year-end can make a major difference in your operation’s financial health — and set you up for success heading into...

Across rural America, many farmers and ranchers are asking the same question: What happens to the operation when I’m ready to step back? For generations, family farms have passed down not only land and assets — but values, traditions, and a way of life. Yet today, rising costs, complex finances,...

Harvest as Both an Ending and a Beginning As combines roll across fields and cattle are shipped to market, harvest represents the culmination of months of hard work and dedication. But for farmers and ranchers, harvest is more than just the finish line of a season—it’s also the starting point for...

In the world of agricultural finance, your balance sheet is one of the most critical tools for understanding your financial health. It provides a snapshot of your assets, liabilities, and equity at a given moment in time, giving you and your lender insight into the overall strength of your operation. However,...