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3. 2026 Extension Risk Management Education National Conference

Approaching a Farmer in Financial Trouble: Assessing the Problem Type

Mariah Beverly, Pauline Van Nurden, and Kevin Klair

Summary

This past growing season has been tumultuous for crop farmers. Low commodity prices coupled with high input costs have created a financial strain that industry veterans argue approaches the 1980s farm crisis. However, a significant "experience gap" exists today: many educators who navigated the 1980s have retired, leaving a new generation of professionals seeking guidance on how to manage widespread financial distress.
The Center for Farm Financial Management (CFFM) seeks to bridge this gap. This session will provide a diagnostic framework to help educators who are not economists understand how they can help farmers and ranchers experiencing financial stress. The session will help educators identify the root causes of financial stress – whether this is collateral based (caused by devaluation of assets, high leverage, etc.) or cash-flow based (focused on identifying issues with marketing, production, family living, etc.) This session will discuss approaches educators used in the 1980s to help farmers and ranchers explore options that will improve their financial situation and better navigate the current agricultural financial environment.

Details

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