Weather, mental health complicate agriculture

With pressure already exerted by years of low commodity prices, trade uncertainties and pandemic complications, farmers and ranchers in the central states faced a year of difficulties in 2020. Weather varied across the region, and Iowa notably endured the effects of a derecho storm in August that caused billions in damage.  [Continue]

Pandemic affecting credit card payments

CardX, a Chicago-based company that passes the fee for credit card transactions on to consumers and away from merchants, considers itself both a fintech and a regtech. Michael Tomko, chief operations officer, explained how redirecting this fee helps small businesses and their banking partners.  [Continue]

COVID-19 roils the ag economy

Although farmers and ranchers are resilient and used to adversity, all aspects of their lives and industries have been affected to some degree by COVID-19, whether mentally or physically. Here, regional ag banking experts way in on the impact of the pandemic and the economic downturn have had on the country’s ag industry. [Continue]

Farms yield uncertainty for ag bankers

2020 has been a year of great uncertainty and extreme swings in the ag economy. The year started out with some optimism on grain prices and improved trade conditions with China, Canada, Mexico and other countries. Then COVID-19 hit in March and everything changed. [Continue]