A large part of dairy farming is recordkeeping. Reproduction dates, feed rations, production records, employee timecards, financial information, equipment information and more are things stored either physically or digitally somewhere on your farm. What are you doing to protect it?

As people who live in rural areas, we are all used to the potholes that jar our vehicles and rattle our teeth. Likewise, the financial statements that measure the position and performance of our dairy businesses have potholes that are sometimes difficult to navigate.

An effective risk management adviser should be able to provide you with advice on local feed contracts as well as strategy on managing longer-term price risk using futures and options. With this team, you can take control of your financial future and achieve your long-term goals.

A wise person once said you can have more money over a long time if you make more than you spend or spend less than you make. The roller coaster of grain prices has pinched many farmers who are saying “I shoulda … ”

Are you a profitable business owner? Are you looking for ways to reduce your federal income tax liability without spending cash?

“Nothing in life is free; you always pay in the end.” That old quote rings true, even when what is said to be “free” is the influx of funds into dairy farmers’ bank accounts, courtesy of the federal government’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Increasing ingredient costs have wreaked havoc across the dairy industry, leading to elevated ration costs not seen in many years. Feed costs per pound of dry matter (DM) are rising as much as 20% or more as corn and soybean meal prices climb, minimizing farmers’ profit margins.