Compeer's AgEdge

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Perry Aasness, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, look back at September in Washington and ahead to a lame duck session as Congress breaks for the midterm elections. Perry explains where Farm Bill 2.0 stands after clearing the Senate Agriculture Committee, what the expiration of the current extension means for farmers, and the long list of must-pass legis...

Recorded on September 16th, Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts opens with an agricultural economic update, covering the latest USDA crop report, shifting corn and soybean prices, and the Federal Reserve's newest interest rate decision. She's joined by Nick Tsiolis, Founder and CEO of Farmer's Keeper, a grain marketing and risk management firm, for a harvest-ready look at basis and cash marketing....

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Perry Aasness from Legislative Affairs open with the Farm Bill's stalled path in the Senate Agriculture Committee, where an unresolved dispute over SNAP cost-share provisions and Senator Mitch McConnell's extended absence forced Chair Bozeman to recess the markup until mid-September. Perry also covers the continuing resolution that funds the federal governmen...

Cole Patrick, Director of Crop Insurance Products and Strategy at Compeer Financial, delivers Compeer's Fall Outlook on weather, markets, and crop insurance decisions heading into next year. Cole breaks down a growing season marked by variability — from severe spring storms to shifting global weather patterns — and examines the gap between competing yield estimates for this year's corn and soybean...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts opens with an update on crop prices, interest rate trends, and how global events are shaping farm margins and income. She's joined by Jade Kruschke, Appraisal Regional Manager at Compeer Financial, for Compeer's annual look at cropland values across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Illinois. Jade walks through how farmland values are holding steady across the region, wi...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs open with the Federal Reserve's latest rate decision and what it signals about the path ahead for inflation and interest rates under new Fed leadership. Ben breaks down the House's final moves before August recess, including budget reconciliation efforts, disaster assistance for agriculture, and the Farm Bill's next step...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts is joined by Erin Cumings, senior consultant on the sponsor relations team at Nationwide®, to examine what it means to build a truly resilient farm operation. Erin introduces Nationwide®'s Farm Risk Ready℠ program, a free tool designed to help producers identify vulnerabilities, create contingency plans, and prepare their operations for a wide range of disruption...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs break down a busy week in agricultural policy as Congress returns from recess with a packed calendar before its August break. Ben covers the Senate's newly released Farm Bill draft and how it compares to the House version, along with the many priorities competing for floor time this summer. The conversation turns to trad...

Compeer Director of Dairy Lori Fetzer hosts Corey Geiger, Lead Dairy Economist at CoBank and 2026 World Dairy Expo Industry Person of the Year, and Megan Roberts, Ag Economist at Compeer Financial, for a forward-looking conversation on what progressive dairy operations should be focused on over the next six to 18 months. Corey examines why protein has overtaken butterfat in milk check value, why b...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Perry Aasness, Vice President of Legislative Affairs, examine the June agricultural policy landscape as the Farm Bill moves to the Senate with a narrow legislative window before August recess. Perry breaks down the Senate's path forward on the Farm Bill and year-round E-15, the competing priorities crowding the congressional calendar, and where USMCA trade re...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts is joined by Thad Schunkwiler, Associate Professor at Minnesota State University Mankato, licensed behavioral health provider, and founder of the Center for Rural Behavioral Health, along with Paul Kohls, Chief Administrative and Mission Officer at Compeer Financial, to examine mental health challenges facing agricultural communities during Mental Health Awarenes...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts is joined by Jeff Kazin and Mike Rohlfsen, co-owners of Agris Academy and veteran grain traders with nearly 50 collective years at Cargill, along with Compeer Financial Officer Mark Cook to examine risk management strategies during one of farming's most operationally intense periods. Jeff and Mike walk through five foundational best practices that bring commercia...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs cover a landmark week in agricultural policy as the House passes Farm Bill 2.0 with bipartisan support — the furthest the bill has advanced since 2018. Ben breaks down what's in the bill, why E-15 was separated into its own upcoming vote, and what to expect as the legislation heads to the Senate. Megan recaps the Fed's d...

Compeer loan officers Jessica Held and Jessica Horsley walk through the construction loan process from pre-approval to move-in day. They explain how construction loans differ from standard mortgages, the advantages of Compeer's one-time close construction-to-permanent program, and what borrowers need to know about eligibility, selecting a builder, and managing draws throughout the build. The episo...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs examine an eventful week in agricultural policy as planting season approaches. Ben provides updates on Farm Bill progress in both the House and Senate, explains the newly announced E-15 summer waiver and the momentum building toward permanent year-round legislation, and discusses how ongoing Congressional priorities may...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts opens with a macroeconomic and crop market update, including the Federal Reserve's latest rate decision and current WASDE projections heading into planting season. She's joined by Jeff Kazin and Mike Rohlfsen, veteran grain traders with decades of experience at Cargill who now educate and consult with farmers across the U.S. and Canada. Together, they walk throug...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts, Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs, and Cole Patrick from Crop Insurance break down a volatile week in ag policy and economics as planting season approaches. The team covers how geopolitical disruption in the Strait of Hormuz is rippling into fertilizer input costs, the latest Farm Bill 2.0 progress out of the House, tariff developments following a key Supre...

Compeer's Director of Insurance Strategies, Cole Patrick, and Brandon Pezanoski, State Insurance Product Officer with Compeer, examine the 2026 crop insurance landscape as producers approach sales closing. Cole opens with agricultural outlook projections, explains the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, and breaks down how the One Big Beautiful Bill delivers significant premium savings across all co...

Compeer's VP of New Markets Paul Dietmann examines creative strategies for transferring farm assets to the next generation as land values become increasingly disconnected from agricultural production value. Learn how retiring farmers are structuring lease-to-own arrangements, converting equipment into depreciable rental facilities, and using self-directed IRAs for farmland investment. Paul highlig...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts joins Ben Duncanson from Legislative Affairs and Cole Patrick, Director of Insurance Product Support, to examine the accelerating agricultural policy landscape as Congress advances multiple priorities. Ben explains why President Trump's signing of the appropriations package keeps most government operations funded through September, why E15 year-round sales remain...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Vice President of Legislative Affairs Perry Aasness examine the congressional agriculture agenda as lawmakers navigate competing priorities in a midterm election year. Perry explains why Farm Bill 2.0 remains on hold while Congress works to pass final appropriations by the January 30th deadline, and why House Agriculture Committee Chair GT Thompson appears re...

Compeer Managing Director of New Markets Bryan Stanek and VP of Sustainability and Carbon Markets Dr. Anil Koirala break down the complex landscape of agricultural and forestry carbon markets to help landowners evaluate enrollment opportunities. Bryan introduces Compeer's educational focus on carbon marketplace development, while Anil explains the fundamental difference between compliance markets...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Amanda Mosteller, Director of Talent Development at MRA, examine strategic workforce planning for agricultural operations through the lens of employer branding and employee experience. Megan opens with December macroeconomic updates including the Federal Reserve's third consecutive rate cut, the end of quantitative tightening on December 1st, and the December...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Vice President of Legislative Affairs Perry Aasness examine the agricultural policy landscape as Congress heads toward year-end recess. Megan breaks down the November World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) release, and Perry explains the November 24th launch of Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) Stage 2 signup for specialty crops, sha...

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts and Anna Meyer, Senior Analyst with Directions Group, unpack the dramatic shifts in consumer behavior reshaping agricultural markets. Megan opens with the November WASDE release following the government shutdown, plus analysis of the Fed's second consecutive rate cut despite inflation remaining above the 2% target. Anna reveals why consumers feel financially stre...