Top Producer
Vision without a written plan is just a daydream. Here’s why putting your goals on paper, and doing the math, changes everything.
People, insurance and having a plan in place are easy to overlook, but they can have a big impact when the unexpected happens.
Trial attorney and pork producer Jackie Bowman Ponder shares why passive complacency is the greatest threat facing modern farmers—and how to fight back.
As high capital costs disrupt traditional expansion paths, incoming swine producers must leverage technological expertise, creative equity structures and experienced mentorship to secure their family farm’s legacy.
The question facing U.S. agriculture is whether current farm aid is a bridge through temporary hardship — or a pier toward more structural government support.
In an era of rapid automation, your boots-on-the-ground intuition is the most valuable data point an algorithm can have.
Conducting a midyear financial check-in for your operation can help you spot money hiccups early, tweak plans and stay on track for a stronger finish to the year.
Inspired by her father’s resilience in the 1980s, Angie Traetow shares why farmers must trade distractions for deliberate planning.
Political perspectives are confined to 2- or 4-year election cycles, but these farmers show that farmers think in generations.
New data shows that winning in 2026 requires a ‘digital handshake'—using technology to remove friction while keeping the relationship front and center.
Four ways artificial intelligence helps these farmers manage their business.
The integration of artificial intelligence into financial systems is ushering in a more sophisticated era of tax management — one where software handles the heavy lifting.
When market pressures mount, “toughing it out” can feel like the only option—but it might be your biggest risk.
When the daily demands of an operation become overwhelming, long-term strategy is often the first thing to go. But what if hard times are actually the best time to grow?
As the farm share of the food dollar hits historic lows, new USDA data reveals a widening gap between the grocery aisle and the farm gate.
After a nearly $900 billion surge in growth over the past year, the U.S. food and agriculture industry continues to serve as a primary engine for national commerce, trade and local economic stability across every state, a new study shows.
Ambassador Julie Callahan outlines a transactional approach to global trade, targeting market access and regulatory reform
Consolidation risk is not limited to smaller operations. Succession gaps, management transitions and strategic exits are driving consolidation regardless of size.
The way you show up for your team on the farm shapes how work gets done and the kind of environment your crew experiences every day.
With the federal estate tax exemption at historically high levels, most family farms are no longer at risk of paying federal estate tax. Shift your focus to income tax planning and preserving the step-up in basis at death.
Conflict on the farm is a normal part of working with people, and if it’s addressed early and handled respectfully, it can help teams work better together.
The December Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor shows the farm economy will likely stay strained into 2026. As crops face tight margins, biofuels policy — especially E15 and biomass-based diesel — could influence recovery.
2026 will have USDA’s trade team in Indonesia, Philippines, Turkey, Australia and New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam
Some ag lenders are helping young producers and beginning farmers develop stronger financial skills so they can make more informed business decisions on the farm and reduce risk.
Ancient Greek philosophers viewed resources as abundant, not scarce, so economic action was judged not by the accumulation of wealth but by whether it enabled and served a praiseworthy end.
Reflecting a marked decline in expectations as margins tighten, ag lenders surveyed in mid-2025 report only around 52% of their farm-business borrowers will remain profitable this year.
A new report spotlights how agricultural acquisitions and business strategy linked to the Chinese government have amassed production and power, and it’s being called into question by policy thinktank America First Policy Institute (AFPI).