Dr. Val Farmer
Search:  
Rural Mental Health & Family Relationships
  1. Val Farmer 35 Years of Counseling
  2. Rural Topics
  3. III. Farm Crisis and Stress

4. Debt, Options, Farmers & Lenders

Login

    Articles

    Farmers And Lenders: Yikes! Now What Do We Do? (April 1997)

    Most farmers and ranchers have operating loans to handle the production year. The lender and ag borrower work together to project goals, profits, cash flows and capital requirements for the year.

    With agriculture, both parties are taki

    To Stay In Business, Farmers Face Loss Of Independence (January 1996)

    Let's say some of your customers got together and said, "Give us your best price. By the way, this us how we want the product to look when it is delivered. If you can do that, we'll guarantee to buy your product and give you a price you can

    Avoid Foreclosure At All Costs (April 1999)

    I received a story from a successful farmer who was forced out of agriculture in 1998. He had many insights about the emotional and legal aspects of his battle with his lending institution. He titles his unpublished manuscript, "Final Harvest." This column contains excerpts from Chapter Five, "Don't do it, and why not."

    Four Flaws That Get Farmers Into Trouble (February 1999)

    Times are tough in agriculture. Prices are down and this year looks "iffy" at best.

    Farmers have enough trouble without adding self-inflicted wounds to their woes. I visited with a lender about four common weaknesses he sees farmers have in their management. At the risk of piling it on during a down year, here are some of his ideas about farmers who still fall short in their management.

    Banking 101 And The Foreclosure Issue (May 1999)

    I received another hard hitting response to the column I wrote which featured a farmer's account of his foreclosure by a lending institution.

    I swear I woke up and it was 1985 when I read your article, "Avoid Foreclosure At All Costs."

    A Loan Officer Replies (May 1999)

    Here is a lender's response to a column about a farmer's perspective on bankruptcy and foreclosure fights.

    As a 23 year Ag Loan Officer I found the article on the Successful Farmer to be vindictive and demeaning to all Ag Loan people in banks. Please allow me to give you a perspective from an Ag Loan Officer.

    Ag Financial Counselors Best Advice: Start Early, Get Help (May 2000)
    This article summarizes the best advice of ag financial counselors who often assist farm families at the last minute. They see the effects and the poor decisions of farm families facing high debts. They outline a few of the common mistakes and feel their best help could happen if they could work with these families a lot sooner than they actually do.
    Early Signs Of Trouble On The Farm  (March 2001)
    This article summarizes the ideas of ex-farmer Lowell Nelson and his wife Sandy on the mistakes they and others make as they edge toward fiancial insolvency in farming. There is a list of 18 behaviors that in hindsight could have been warning signs to get out of farming before losing everything.
    Myth Of Independence Obstacle To Progress (November 2001)
    This article highlights the dangers of individualism and independence for agricultural producers in trying to survive in today's ag economy. This dependence is a hidden factor in the reality of the complex marketplace - and sometimes hidden to the producer.