Latest News From Sara Schafer

As you look at transitioning leadership and ownership of your farm to the next generation, be ready to tackle entitlement issues. 

Potassium (K) is a fascinating macronutrient. In corn, it sets the stage for a healthy and vigorous plant that produces a beautiful ear. 

The grain markets are focused on planting progress — or the lack thereof. Jerry Gulke says the markets are building in weather premium as progress could see delays periodically especially in northern areas.

With the popularity of electric and hybrid vehicles growing, long-term gasoline use could drop, taking ethanol consumption with it. Will ethanol continue to be the juggernaut in the corn market?

Scale tickets from elevators could soon be a document of the past. In the future, your grain could have all its characteristics filed digitally and accessed via a QR code as it moves through the supply chain. 

With a focus on networking and business education, the 2023 Top Producer Summit welcomed farmers and ranchers to Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 23-25.

We all know one of the most dangerous phrases in business is: We’ve always done it this way.

The situation in the grain markets this spring looks much different than a year ago, says Jerry Gulke, president of Gulke Group. Unfortunately, the picture is not as price positive for the 2023 crops.

During the 2024 Top Producer Summit, Top Producer will recognize remarkable farmers who have taken risks, built thriving businesses and given back to their communities. 

If weather conditions allow crop yields to return to trend-line levels in 2023, prices for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton and many other crops are likely to fall.

Rich Redmond has created a no-nonsense system to supercharge your personal and professional life, whether you are a farmer or the drummer for Jason Aldean.

Follow this strategy to reduce turnover and increase morale on your farm team.

USDA’s Prospective Plantings and Quarterly Grain Stocks reports tend to produce big price moves, and this year was no different. Jerry Gulke provides his analysis of the important data.

Create a process to brainstorm, prioritize and implement ideas for your operation.

In farming and in life, success can be defined in endless ways. Five farmers share their perspective.

With the Prospective Plantings report out on Friday, share with us how your crop mix is shaping up for 2023.

We've all had one of those horrible, no good, very bad days. Check out these seven photos!

Agricultural lending by U.S. farm banks increased 8.1% in 2022 to $103.1 billion, according to the American Bankers Association's annual Farm Bank Performance Report.

Given the collapse in the grain markets, will USDA’s report on March 31 matter this year? Jerry Gulke provides his insights. 

Rate increases can put a squeeze on farm profitability. Have you factored in how these cost-of-money increases affect your storage costs?

You are about to plant the most expensive crop of your career. But just how much more expensive? 

This year marks the second-largest increase in the market value of agricultural land in Nebraska since 2014 and the highest non-inflation-adjusted statewide land value in the 45-year history of the survey. 

While the fall of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank is unique, the situation does provide lessons for farmer's financial management and risk management.

The financial industry was hit with a black swan due to the shuttering of two high-profile banks.  This has implications for ag markets and lessons for farmers, says Jerry Gulke of Gulke Group. 

Farmers can harvest incredible value by stress testing their business margins, says Chris Barron, a national financial consultant for Ag View Solutions and Iowa farmer.

Economic growth is stalling in rural America. That’s according to the Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University. 

Here’s to a safe planting season and a fantastic playlist.

Here’s what farmers should consider with this sometimes complex question.

Total land in farms decreased 1.9 million acres to 893,400,000 acres in 2022 versus 2021. Here is other noteworthy farmland data, courtesy of USDA’s Farms and Land in Farms 2022 Summary. 

Winter is not the high precipitation time frame for many portions of farm country, Snodgrass says. One spring storm system can deliver the same amount of soil moisture as all the snowfall during the winter.

“What I look for as an agent and as a farmer is if I can get close to 2.5 times or more return on coverage versus extra premium,” says Jamie Wasemiller with Gulke Group and Wasemiller Insurance Agency.

As you gear up for planting season, let’s have a little fun. Which song below best describes your attitude about #plant23?

The rural economy seems to be set on cruise in neutral gear. That’s according to the Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University. 

Could agriculture face a Southwest-type meltdown?

With more than 1,500 responses, we have a clear winner for the two most common tillage types.

"There's a place that you put on risk and there's a place that you take it off. So, we decided to take some money off and put in the bank,” says Jerry Gulke, president of Gulke Group.

As a young Nebraska farmer, Maggie Holub is in a league of her own. She has a complete, but flexible, succession plan — in writing.

Each system can have its place on your farm. Which is your primary tillage practice?

“Our CEO will always be the Chief Risk Officer – a task it is irresponsible to delegate,” says American investor Warren Buffett.

The acreage numbers were not too surprising, says Jerry Gulke, president of Gulke Group. What held a bigger punch was the demand picture.

In 2022, the average interest rates on farm loans skyrocketed from record lows to decade highs. While that jump is remarkable and expected to continue, a little perspective is needed.

You can’t always predict the weather; but you can put plans in place so you’re ready to plant in all conditions.

Little steps can ease frustration and improve communication on your farm.

With higher-than-average costs and spring planting on the horizon, farmers are locking in their 2023 input needs.  

The sources of stress and uncertainty for the season ahead are plentiful. When uncertainty is plentiful, so is decision paralysis. To play offense and face the biggest risks to your farm, use this decision framework. 

The rural economy seems to be set on cruise in neutral gear. That’s according to the Rural Mainstreet Index (RMI) from Creighton University. 

What will the next decade hold for your farm? What factors should you use to weigh investments or crop planning?  Here are five trends and data sets to ponder from USDA's latest Agricultural Baseline Projections.

Early projections show a clear trend of higher input costs for 2023. Are these projections causing you to lock in inputs sooner or later? Take our poll!

Since their inception in 2014, you’ve been choosing between Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). You have until March 15 to make your choice this year. 

The grain markets had a good week, with prices up across the board.