The protection you need from the people you trust. CROP INSURANCE HIGH STAKES MANAGEMENT
In a good year, the deep, rich soil along the Missouri River near Franklin will produce 200-bushel per acre corn and 65-bushel per acre soybeans. And in a bad year? For Ron Hackman, that’s when crop insurance becomes the most important management decision of the season. “Everything I farm is in a floodplain,” the veteran farmer explains, “and most years we get along pretty well. We have a good levee and pumps — we do everything we can to keep from collecting on crop insurance. But when Mother Nature decides the river is going over, that’s all there is to it. “With the cost of seed, fertilizer, fuel, chemicals — we just can’t afford not to have crop insurance.” Of course too little rain can be just as damaging as too much and there’s always a chance for a hailstorm to come rumbling down the valley. With all that’s at stake, crop insurance from FCS Financial is the cornerstone of Hackman’s risk management strategy. “Your agent is what it’s all about,” says Hackman whose crop insurance specialist is Dan Rhoades from the Columbia office. “He knows all the rules and regulations and helps me get the coverage that’s best for my operation.” Since FCS Financial is Hackman’s lender, there is also a convenience factor, he says, but primarily the decision to source his crop insurance needs through FCS Financial comes down to expertise. “It’s their knowledge of the coverage options available as well as their knowledge of my farming operation,” he explains. “And, it’s more than just the agent. The whole office staff is knowledgeable and very helpful. “I’ve been with FCS Financial forever, it seems like, and I wouldn’t even think about switching to something else.”
By Mark Parker
PROTECTING WHAT’S PRECIOUS
When Mark Petzoldt says crop insurance was a real lifesaver on his corn crop this year, he’s talking about more than just business. The investment the Marshall corn and soybean grower has made in land, equipment and inputs is for his family — wife, Judy; sons, Zach and Josh; and daughter, Taylor. “The bottom-line for crop insurance is to make sure I can cover my debt and, most importantly, provide for my family,” he says. With a background that includes grain marketing and ag retail management, Petzoldt uses his unique perspective to better manage every facet of his farming operation and that includes making the best crop insurance decisions. “There are a lot of nuances in crop insurance coverage,” he observes. “Is it best to go with trend-adjusted actual production (TA-APH) or actual production history (APH)? There are a lot of decisions to be made. “FCS Financial knows my operation and they help position me for the coverage that fits my needs and goals. Kelly Christopherson (from the Marshall office) is my agent and she’s excellent. She’s very knowledgeable and if there’s
something she doesn’t know you can count on her to find out.” Petzoldt knows his expenses to the penny and he’s already projecting next year’s costs. He’ll be shooting for corn yields in the 190- to 210-bushel range and soybeans that will fill the bins at a 55- to 65-bushels per acre clip. But at the investment level it takes to get there, Petzoldt wants to make sure that the future of his farm — and his family — is as secure as he can make it. “You try to cover all your bases but every farmer knows there are a lot of factors that are out of his hands,” he concludes. “If that worst-case scenario happens, the goal has to be to live to farm another year.”
CUSTOMIZED ADVICE
As a young man getting a start in agriculture, Greg Leatherman’s strategy is to be diversified and to minimize risk whenever he can. Near Walker, Leatherman has a unique ag-based business. He operates a lawn care enterprise in the summer and a pecan harvesting business in fall and winter. He also runs a commercial cow/calf herd with his brother, David, and his father, Paul. He also partners with his father on growing corn and soybeans. “I have used FCS Financial for all my operating and equipment loans for all the other enterprises so when I partnered with Dad on crop production, it just made sense to go to FCS Financial for my crop insurance coverage as well,” he explains. With his first experience using crop insurance, Leatherman opted for coverage at a 65 percent level. “I used pretty minimal coverage because I mainly just wanted to make sure that I would cover the investment we made in expenses and minimize our risk,” he says. “It was
COMMITMENT TO PRODUCTIVITY
Menno Attema uses intensive management to push the corn and soybean yield envelope on his farm near Platte City. Twin-row corn, grid sampling, precision ag techniques, high populations, in-season fertility through pivots — they’re all geared to maximize production potential and profitability. And they add up to a big investment that Attema wants to protect just as he protects his crops. “There is always something that can happen,” he notes. “What I like about getting my crop insurance from FCS Financial is that they are very professional. Jeff Rhode (FCS Financial crop insurance specialist with the St. Joseph branch) is very familiar with my farm. He’ll come out and ride with me to learn more about what I’m doing and what I need. That kind of insight into my farming operation is very important in helping me get the best coverage. We have a very good rapport and that’s something I value.” Born and raised in the Netherlands, Attema has been a Missouri farmer for a good long while. He raises 2,500 acres of soybeans and corn — including some waxy corn — and has 750 acres under irrigation. The increasing complexity of production agriculture demands a sharp learning curve and access to high-level expertise. Crop insurance is just one aspect of the expertise FCS Financial offers that makes it Attema’s financial partner. “FCS Financial has no-frills lending but they also deliver extra service,” he says. “I appreciate the business analysis of my operation and help with long-term planning. And I really like the educational opportunities they offer. As a farmer, you can never stop learning. “FCS Financial is big enough to provide very professional services and yet it’s still small enough that, when you shake hands, you know what you’ve decided on is good for another year.”
real dry for most of the growing season here and having that insurance made me feel a lot better knowing I had that protection.” As a first-time crop insurance customer, Leatherman relied heavily on the expertise of his FCS Financial crop insurance specialist Maureen Cope in the Nevada office. “Crop insurance wasn’t something that I knew very much about so it was important to work with people who are very knowledgeable,” he says. “And they know me and my business — I think that makes a big difference in getting good service. “I don’t know if the office staff at the other FCS Financial locations are as nice as they are at the Nevada office but the people there are all very helpful, very friendly and they know what they’re doing — they’re great people to do business with,” Leatherman says.
Our People are the Difference
Managing your business risk not only depends on having a variety of products that offer the best protection but the right person to provide accurate information and follow through. The Crop Insurance Team at FCS Financial is ready with the expertise you need to make sound decisions. By presenting a variety of scenarios, we will help you find the exact risk management products that protect your operation and give you peace of mind. So before you sign on any dotted lines, visit your local FCS Financial office. We are dedicated to bringing the right resources to you to make your business successful. Contact us today to learn more about our risk management products. Remember March 15 is the last day to sign up for spring crop insurance and to make any changes to existing coverage. Call 1-800-444-3276, visit myfcsfinancial.com or stop by an FCS Financial office, and let us put our experience to work for you.
Multi-Peril Crop Insurance • Yield Protection/Actual Production History • Revenue Protection • Revenue Protection with Harvest Price Exclusion
• Rainfall Index-Pasture, Rangeland, Forage & Apiculture • Group Risk Plan • Group Risk Income Plan Crop Hail Insurance
Your FCS Financial Crop Insurance Team Front row: Maureen Cope, Lisa Hyde, Christine Beamon, Kathy Bauer, Jonni Creger, Linda Hammond, Kelly Christopherson, Jessica Hamill, Shelly Hartmann, Haily Rook. Back row: Nick Barron, Chris Dryer, Shane Albertson, Dan Rhoades, Jeff Rhode, Corey Neill, David Niederjohn, Wendy Howell, Kristie Hulet, Amber Hulet.
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