Lisa Quist from Nationwide's Land As Your Legacy program explains the critical difference between estate planning and transition planning for agricultural operations, emphasizing that family harmony depends on communication rather than documentation alone. Through her personal experience transitioning into a seventh-generation family farm and the challenges that led to their 2012 auction, Lisa reveals why an estimated 70% of US farmland will change hands over the next 20 years and why only about 10% of farms have complete transition plans despite common assumptions. The episode covers implementing structured family meetings as the most transformative tool for succession success, creating family mission statements to guide difficult decisions, avoiding family gossip through transparent communication, and understanding why Generation One struggles to relinquish control after decades of sacrifice. Lisa provides specific strategies for making family meetings effective safe spaces, balancing the needs of on-farm and off-farm children, and treating agricultural operations like the multimillion-dollar corporations they are.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs navigate the resolution of the 43-day government shutdown as the House votes to reopen federal operations on November 12th. Ben explains the Senate-negotiated deal that extends government funding through a continuing resolution until January 30th, 2026, and includes a critical mini-bus appropriating USDA and FDA through September 2026. Learn why a full-year Farm Bill extension was unexpectedly included in the package, pushing comprehensive Farm Bill 2.0 provisions into next year while extending the 2018 Farm Bill framework once again. Megan breaks down the landmark China trade agreement committing to purchase 12 million metric tons of soybeans before year-end and 25 million metric tons annually for three years starting in 2026. The episode covers what to expect from the delayed November WASDE report releasing November 14th, historical context on soybean acreage expansion since the 1930s compared to corn, and ongoing discussions about ad hoc assistance payments to bridge farmers through the margin squeeze until new Farm Bill provisions take effect. Ben and Megan also analyze the Federal Reserve's second consecutive rate cut of 25 basis points in October and the 60-40 split among experts on whether another cut will come at the December meeting despite persistent inflation above the 2% target.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Vice President of Legislative Affairs Perry Aasness navigate the uncertainty facing agriculture as the federal government enters its third week of shutdown in mid-October. Megan opens with macroeconomic updates on another potential Fed rate cut and delayed USDA reports including the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates, while Perry explains the standoff between House Republicans seeking a clean continuing resolution and Senate Democrats leveraging their position for concessions on healthcare and Medicaid funding. Learn which USDA services remain operational during the shutdown, including crop insurance and border inspections, versus what's closed, including Farm Service Agency offices unable to process farm program payments, new farm loans or CCC loans. The discussion covers why a comprehensive Farm Bill 2.0 remains stalled despite bipartisan committee support, and Compeer's priority of expanding rural community facility financing authority. Perry analyzes escalating China trade tensions following new tariff announcements and explains emerging details about potential agricultural assistance packages. The episode addresses narrow congressional majorities complicating negotiations, the Supreme Court hearing on presidential tariff authority, and what producers should watch as Congress attempts to navigate shutdown resolution, budget agreements, and farm policy modernization before the 2026 midterm election season begins.

Cole Patrick, Mike Bowen, Brandon Pezanoski, and Michelle Sell from Compeer's insurance product strategy team break down the major crop insurance changes coming from the Big Beautiful Bill and what producers need to know for 2026. Learn how premium support for ECO and SCO products jumped dramatically, making area-based coverage significantly more affordable with favorable loss ratios for farmers. The team explains upcoming coverage expansions and why producers can now take both SCO and ARC payments simultaneously. Hear harvest reports from across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota showing variable yields, plus October price tracking updates. The discussion covers Beginning Farmer Rancher program expansions, how government shutdowns affect FSA but not crop insurance, and strategies for farming profitability over yield using precision technology.

Lisa Quist from Nationwide explains the critical difference between estate planning and transition planning for agricultural operations. Through a detailed case study of Bill and Sue's farm, Lisa reveals how typical "I love you" wills can unintentionally destroy family farms by dividing every acre into equal shares among all children, regardless of who's actually farming. Learn why beneficiary designations trump wills, how joint account ownership can override estate plans, and why old contracts can derail inheritance intentions. Lisa explains that while only an estimated one-third of farms have transition plans, the real number with complete plans may be closer to ten percent due to confusion between estate and transition planning. The episode covers the six essential components of comprehensive transition planning: succession planning, business structure evaluation, risk management, financial independence, mentorship and knowledge transfer, and estate document creation. Lisa emphasizes the importance of communication with all heirs about plans, assembling the right professional team including attorneys and CPAs who understand agriculture, and treating transition documents as living plans that require regular review.

Regional Appraisal Manager Jade Kruschke breaks down Compeer Financial's latest benchmark data revealing surprising stability in Midwest farm real estate despite declining commodity prices. Using comprehensive analysis of thousands of farm sales across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois, Jade explains why land values continue modest appreciation even as market activity contracts significantly from previous years. Learn how recreational land is dramatically outperforming cropland with shorter marketing times, why capitalization rates keep falling as investors accept lower returns for farmland stability, and what's driving Wisconsin's stronger performance compared to neighboring states. The episode explores sector-specific insights across swine, poultry, and dairy operations, revealing how beef-on-dairy programs are reshaping producer profits while facility transactions remain limited. Jade also examines development pressures near metro areas and explains why cash rents have remained surprisingly stable despite rising land values.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts opens with a fresh macroeconomic update on the Federal Reserve's recent rate cut decision, driven by weakening job growth despite persistent inflation concerns, before diving into artificial intelligence applications with Jennifer Coleman from The Directions Group. Jennifer breaks down the different types of AI and showcases cutting-edge tools for agronomy, livestock management, and real-time field monitoring currently being used on farms worldwide. She also addresses AI's limitations, including its inability to access unpublished data, make ethical decisions, or replace human intuition and relationship-building skills. The discussion covers implementation barriers including economic costs, cultural resistance, technological challenges, and quality concerns, while emphasizing why core farming skills like contextual decision-making and hands-on precision work remain irreplaceable.

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts hosts Sara Dorland from Ceres and Compeer's Jim Moriarty to dive into the dairy industry's current challenges as milk supply recovery across the US, New Zealand, China, and Europe creates temporary oversupply pressures. With Class III milk prices dropping and futures pointing even lower for early next year, the experts explain how beef-on-dairy programs are providing crucial revenue support to farm profitability. Learn about the dramatic shift in consumer demand from butterfat to protein products, driving explosive growth in cottage cheese, high-protein milks, and cultured products that processors can barely keep on shelves. The episode explores how low feed costs are helping maintain farm margins despite lower milk prices, why base plans may return to manage production growth, and what's driving massive new dairy processing investments. The group also discusses construction cost challenges limiting farm expansion, the potential impact of Fed rate cuts on investment decisions, and fertilizer supply concerns heading into next year.

Compeer's AgEdge team tackles the perfect storm facing agriculture as Congress returns from recess. Ag Economist Megan Roberts joins legislative affairs experts Ben Duncanson and Perry Aasness to break down the critical 30-day window ahead, where funding the federal government, extending the Farm Bill, and potential Fed rate cuts all hang in the balance. With USDA slashing 2024 farm income forecasts by $11.3 billion and corn prices dropping to $3.90 per bushel amid record yields, producers face a brutal cost-price squeeze just as production expenses climb higher. The team explains why the "Skinny Farm Bill" containing crucial farm credit provisions—including increased FSA loan limits and rural community investment authority—may have to wait until appropriations battles are resolved. Learn how the September 16-17 Fed meeting could deliver the first rate cut of 2025, what the unemployment report means for monetary policy, and why additional ad hoc disaster assistance might be necessary before year-end.

Crop insurance expert Alex Offerdahl and Compeer's Cole Patrick break down the game-changing updates to federal crop insurance programs following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. With over two decades in the crop insurance space, Alex explains how increased subsidies are making coverage more affordable while expanding protection options for farmers. Learn about the dramatic changes to Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO), which now offers 90% coverage with 80% government subsidy, and why the elimination of conflicts between crop insurance and FSA programs creates new opportunities. Cole adds insights on how these changes, combined with updated ARC and PLC reference prices, are reshaping farm risk management strategies. Discover practical examples showing how premium costs could drop by half while maintaining the same coverage levels, plus get a roadmap for navigating critical coverage decisions. This episode provides essential guidance for maximizing your farm's financial protection in an uncertain agricultural economy.