Do you know a high school senior who is planning to go to college and major in agriculture?  Our company is offering five scholarships again this year.  I talked about this program with Dewey Nelson from KRVN.  Water Street Solutions Scholarship Program - Lang AUDIO 

Not just high school seniors are eligible.  If you are already enrolled in an ag program at college with at least one year remaining, you can also apply.  We are accepting applications from students originally from Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska and Ohio this year.  Apply HERE.

For the text of the interview, click here: Scholarships for Agriculture Students

Many farmers don't plan for their death, because they never plan to die....let alone retire.  But retirement from the farm can allow some time for things you've always been wanting to do - or just a gradual ratcheting down of responsibilities.  Water Street Solutions Legacy Advisor Brian Hensley talks here with WIRL's DeAnna Thomas about this topic.  Retirement Hensley AUDIO

Crop insurance may have saved your business this past crop year.  But what can we expect from the program for the upcoming crop year?  Deb Etheridge, Vice President of Insurance with Water Street Solutions, talked about that with Dewey Nelson from KRVN.   What Will Crop Insurance Look Like This Year Etheridge AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: What Will Crop Insurance Look Like This Year?

Here's a bowl of 1,000 lemon drops.  Brian Hensley and Ben Metzger from Water Street Solutions used this to show a point when they spoke to young farmers at Tomorrow's Top Producer in Chicago today.

One thousand lemon drops equals one thousand first generation farmers.  During the business transfer from the first generation to the second, 70% will fail, leaving

300 lemon drops.  Ninety percent don't transfer from the second generation to the third, leaving

30 lemon drops.  And from the third generation to the fourth, we lose 96%, leaving

one lemon drop.  So one in a thousand farms makes it to the fourth generation.  The point is, planning helps.

The Congress made some changes to the Estate Tax laws at the beginning of this month - and that means the situation is different for estate planning.  Ben Metzger, Director at Water Street Solutions talks through the changes with Dewey Nelson from KRVN.   New Estate Tax Laws and How They Affect Farmers - Metzger AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: New Estate Tax Laws and How They Affect Farmers

You might have already blown your new year's resolution by now.  So here's a new one that you can start, and still get some high impact.  How about financial fitness on your farm?  Tim Brhel, an Ag Finance Specialist with Water Street Solutions talks about this idea with Dewey Nelson from KRVN.  Farm Financial Fitness Brhel AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Farm Financial Fitness - Resolve This!

Did you just say what I thought you said?  What do you mean by that?  Sometimes it takes more than one try to communicate something, even when we think we know people pretty well.  Dean Heffta, Senior Director of Development with Water Street Solutions talks about communicating on the farm with Dewey Nelson from KRVN.  Clarifying Communications on the Farm Heffta AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Clarifying Communications on the Farm

Does conflict ever happen on your farm?  It probably always will, but better communication skills can help us navigate it more easily.  Dean Heffta, Senior Director of Development with Water Street Solutions talks about this touchy subject with Dewey Nelson from KRVN.  And they didn't even fight about it either.   Conflict Management on the Farm Heffta AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Conflict Management on the Farm

It's that time of the year when we're getting together.  If we've been away from home, we see how our parents are aging and think about the future of the farm.  Now's a perfect time to talk about legacy planning.  Brian Hensley, Legacy Advisor with Water Street Solutions talks here with Dewey Nelson from KRVN about this sometimes thorny topic.  Use Family Get Togethers to Start the Legacy Conversation Hensley AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Use Family Get Togethers to Start the Legacy Conversation

This week is a great time to bring up the awkward topic of what will happen to the farm.  The family's together.  The presents are opened.  It's snowing.  So sit around and talk about what each of you wants for your future.  And if you can't get started, listen to this cheesy interview with Water Street's David Dam and Dewey Nelson from KRVN to jump start your thinking.   Legacy Planning and the Holidays Dam AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Legacy Planning and the Holidays