Now that the 2023 harvest is coming up, many farmers are preparing for the 2024 growing season.  In a recent article by Elizabeth Williams, skating on thin ice, she outlines the landscape for many farmers. With grain prices remaining at the bottom of the chart, many operations will have a remaining balance on their operating line.  Bridge loan products that allow balance sheet restructuring to take place will be a key tool allowing farmers to maneuver through the cyclical down turns in the market.

With land prices remaining high it is a perfect opportunity to use the equity in real estate to pay off more cumbersome, shorter amortized loans, such as equipment and evergreen current debt. Adding working capital and cash to the balance sheet is also a great way to prepare for downturns when cash is king.