LAKELAND, FLORIDA (RFD NEWS) — Farmers entering 2026 will face tighter lending standards and thinner margins, meaning financial planning will be as important as production decisions, according to AgAmerica Lending analysis.
Lenders are already adjusting underwriting and loan terms as operating stress builds across agriculture. Operations with stronger liquidity management are expected to be better positioned until commodity markets stabilize and trade conditions improve.
One major strategy involves restructuring debt. Refinancing loans, extending amortization schedules, or aligning payments with revenue cycles can preserve working capital for inputs and repairs. Producers are also reassessing equipment purchases — especially combines — through shared ownership, custom harvesting, or coordinated fieldwork to reduce capital costs.
Farmland equity remains a key stabilizer. Rising land values allow producers to access longer-term credit and strengthen succession plans, an increasingly urgent issue as lenders expect more retirements in the coming year.
Many farms are also cutting risk through precision technology, improved nutrient management, labor-saving automation, and diversifying revenue streams beyond a single commodity.
With 2023 projected to be a difficult year for agricultural producers, Chapter 12 filings may increase. One of the requirements to get a Chapter 12 reorganization plan approved is that be filed in “good faith.” In this blog post, RFD-TV Legal Contributor Roger A. McEowen explains exactly what farmers need to know about the process.
October 04, 2023 02:57 PM
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The failure of a grain elevator can cause large problems for farmers and for the local community it serves. A farmer who knows their rights and where they stand if an elevator fails can be in a better position than those farmers who aren’t as well informed. That is the topic of today’s blog post by RFD-TV Legal Contributor Roger A. McEowen.
October 04, 2023 02:46 PM
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Financial matters in farming can be frustratingly complicated, especially when it comes to the process of filing for bankruptcy. That is the topic tackled in today’s blog post by Farm-Legal Expert Roger A. McEowen—the definition of “insolvency” for purposes of the exclusion from income of CODI.
October 04, 2023 02:14 PM
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The “farm products rule,” and the 1985 Farm Bill modification and its application – that is the topic of today’s blog post from Agri-Legal Expert Roger McEowen.
October 03, 2023 02:43 PM
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Recently, a bank in Texas got confused on the financing rules governing agricultural crops and lost its security interest as a result. Ag financing and priority rules among competing security interests—that is the topic of today’s post.
October 02, 2023 02:42 PM
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The classification of persons conducting farming operations for a farm landowner—that is the topic of today’s blog post by RFD-TV farm-legal expert Roger A. McEowen.
October 02, 2023 02:27 PM
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