Brad, a next generation member of a family business was venting to me: “It happened again. I brought up my expansion idea and Uncle Fred said that we’ve tried that before, it didn’t work and we won’t be making that dumb move again. He doesn’t care what I think.”

Separately, Fred told me that Brad, “…just isn’t stepping up. He doesn’t seem to take initiative on anything.”

Clearly, these two aren’t hearing each other. Creating space for next gens to both offer their ideas and listen to feedback is an untapped opportunity for growth and development – for both generations! To help family business folks take full advantage of these opportunities for engagement, we propose you think about both preparation and practice.

Preparation

No one is born an excellent communicator. Instead, effective communication is a skill to learn and hone. Communication skills that serve family business leaders are learned in a classroom and during real-life experiences. To build these foundational skills, take advantage of a class, book or podcast that focuses on developing self-awareness, conflict management, active listening or giving and receiving feedback.

Additionally, learning communication skills together can give a group of next gens (or an entire management team) common language, a shared experience and accountability in application of the learned skills.

Practice

It is important for the next gens to have actual, real-time and real-life opportunities to put into practice the skills they are developing and get some coaching and feedback as they go. Consider the following techniques that the leading gen can model and next gens can develop and practice.

Listening

A common misperception of leaders is they must know all the answers. This isn’t good leadership, and as businesses and families grow in complexity, this belief is particularly unrealistic and harmful. Instead, good leaders listen, ask thoughtful questions, and continuously learn about challenges and opportunities. Learning to listen well – to hear what is being said and notice what is not being talked about – requires a mindset of humility and is a critical communication practice. If listening isn’t a strong trait in the leading gen, it probably won’t be a skill easily developed by those in the next gen.

Practice active listening. Instead of simply answering someone’s statement or question, first “mirror back” what your speaker said in a slightly modified format, using starter phrases like: “If I’m right, what I hear you saying is…” OR “As I understand it, you’re feeling/thinking…”

Seek Feedback

Next gen employees in family businesses don’t always get great feedback on performance and attitude. Sometimes it’s because they’re in a small business that doesn’t practice a lot of regular feedback conversations. And sometimes their last name prevents even the most skilled of supervisors from giving honest input. Therefore, next gen family business employees must intentionally seek feedback. Mom, dad or Uncle Fred may work closely with their next gen. If so, these leading gen members should work hard on the skills to give input on work performance. Additionally, leading gens might ask trusted vendors (agronomists, vets, nutritionists, lenders, etc.) for specific performance input. These folks often see lots of next gens and are equipped to give broader perspective on how a next gen is doing. And, they usually have to be asked to provide it.

Create Space

Besides looking for real-time opportunities, leading gens can also create specific experiences during which next gens can practice communication skills. Creating a “safe” space to fail is critical in building the confidence of the next gens. Be mindful: if you’re giving next gens a decision to make, be sure you’re able to be comfortable with whatever they choose. Trumping or overturning a next gen decision sets their development and commitment back faster than nearly any other action.

• Ask older next gens to present key learnings from a conference they attended to the family or management team. Bonus points for asking a pair or team to collaborate and then share their joint insights.
• Pair two next gens up, provide them with introductions to other family businesses and ask them to research and report on a family business choice, e.g., what has been the outcome of requiring next gens to work outside the family business before returning?
• Identify opportunities for next gens to serve on non-profit or industry boards or committees.

Conclusion

Based on our experience working with a large number of next gens, many have significant motivation, plans and hopes for their future contribution in the family business. This approach can allow for intentional, practical, focused communication skill development – one of the most foundational skills to sustain family and business well into the future. This is work of both the leading and next gens. It can be uncomfortable and will include mistakes. And, it can be some of the most rewarding work you will do in your family business!

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

Moving forward, stability and clarity are a critical factor in any business operation, and farming is no exception. The complexities of farming are unparalleled and one of the underpinnings of sustainable agriculture practices is having a strong Farm Bill.

The Farm Bill is complex and reaches well beyond the farm. The path to reauthorizing the Farm Bill is like an old farm field filled with rocks.

The starting line for a potential 2023 Farm Bill in the U.S. House of Representatives is the Committee on Agriculture. There is a parallel process in the Senate, but this article focuses on the House. To provide some perspective on the reauthorization debate, it is important to understand the diversity of the districts represented by members of the House Agriculture Committee. 

If Congress reauthorizes the omnibus suite of programs and policies in a farm bill this year, that path begins at the committee level. Committees are the workhorses of Congress; they hold the hearings, investigate, provide oversight, and either review bills introduced or initiate the drafting.

For complex, omnibus legislation like a farm bill, the committees often take the lead on negotiating and writing early drafts, as well as consolidating various bills introduced by other Members. A committee print of legislation will be brought before the committee or subcommittees in a process known as a markup where members consider and debate the bill, as well as offer and debate amendments to revise it. If the committee agrees on legislative text, it will vote to report it to the full chamber for consideration, debate and possible further amendment or revision.  

The chair and ranking member of the committee manages the bill on the floor. If a conference committee is convened to work out the differences between House and Senate versions, the four committee leads (chair and ranking from House and Senate, commonly referred to as the “four corners”), along with other committee members appointed by leadership, will resolve differences and produce a final legislative text. This conference bill is reported back to the House and Senate for final consideration and, if passed, is presented to the President for signature or veto.

The House Agriculture Committee is composed of a diverse group of members. For perspective, given relatively proportional representation, the total population represented by each caucus on the Committee is close: the 28 Republicans represent a total of 21.4 million people, while the 25 Democrats represent just over 18 million people. These millions of people are very diverse and often have “uncommon interests”, agriculture belongs to the entire population and should be beyond political party. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (“SNAP”) take up most of the Farm Bill budget, and therefore get much scrutiny.

Both Republicans and Democrats represent relatively similar numbers of households receiving SNAP benefits in FY2018: 909,260 for Republicans and 882,771 for Democrats. USDA typically administers 15 domestic food and nutrition assistance programs that together affect the lives of millions of people and account for roughly two-thirds of its annual budget. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, USDA launched additional programs and expanded the scope and coverage of existing ones. 

While the view from the starting line in the Committee on Agriculture of the U.S. House of Representatives is one of stark differences between Republicans and Democrats, both represent nearly equal numbers of households receiving SNAP, districts represented by Republicans have far more farmers, land in farms and receive a larger share of total farm payments. Among other things, one result is that Democratic districts represent a much larger ratio of SNAP households to farms. If a Congress narrowly divided between the parties is to achieve a farm bill reauthorization in 2023, it will likely require strong bi-partisan support. 

Communication churn at every level to bring people and the Farm Bill together will be necessary to produce a bountiful legislative crop. 

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

Mental health is often an overlooked fight that millions of people, especially farmers, face nationwide. However, each year we strive to raise awareness and help in the fight against this challenge through shining a light on the many available resources. 

Mental health and physical health go hand in hand. To ensure a healthy and happy lifestyle, both aspects need to function properly together. When someone catches a cold or comes down with a stomach bug, they tend to seek help from medical professionals right away. But when someone experiences frequent anxiety or depression, they rarely seek help. If you wouldn’t ignore an issue with your physical body, don’t ignore your mental health issues either. A body with an unhealthy mind will start to see physical issues as well, such as stomach pain, headaches, and fatigue. 

Mental health can be affected by factors including unemployment, family conflict, grief, and many more. For farmers, mental health can be affected by a number of specialized factors including farmland issues, rising inflation and production costs, weather disasters, or farm injuries. Due to many farmer’s rural location, mental health services can be hard to locate. In hopes of combatting this disparity, there are now multiple virtual avenues available to provide help for everyone no matter their location or circumstances. For example, you can connect virtually with a telehealth professional, explore farm financial resource options, or contact a specialist all online. To learn more about mental health resources available, visit Managing Farm Stress (msu.edu).

Many of the factorsaffecting mental health are beyond your control. Instead of focusing on the uncontrollable, turn your focus to what you can control- your healthcare.1 in 4 people experience mental health related illnesses, this is more than a million people worldwide. Out of the millions, less than half seek help leading to generation cycles of untreated illness and preventable tragedies. Break the stigma by knowing you are not alone!

Along with seeking help, you can also work on stress management techniques. Farm Credit has developed a stress management course to help everyone, not just farmers, understand the sources of stress, manage their own stress, learn the warning signs of stress and suicide, and identify effective communication strategies. The course is free and available to everyone! Visit Farm Credit to take the course today.

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

The budgeting process for the MI GreenStone PAC was completed with the conclusion of the record setting 2023 MI GreenStone PAC contribution campaign.

Elected government officials were identified on a bipartisan basis by the Board of Directors to be recipients of MI GreenStone PAC funds with input from Kelley Cawthorne, GreenStone’s lobbying consultant. Delivery of the funds has begun and the steady communication updates of our rural communities and agriculture continue. The beneficiaries are made aware that the funds came from farmer cooperative members that appreciate the work being done to address challenges and create further opportunities for Michigan agriculture.

In Wisconsin, since the conclusion of the 2023 WI Farm Credit PAC contribution campaign, opportunities to connect legislators to customers and staff are being identified. When legislators are able to accept contributions to their campaigns, the WI Farm Credit PAC will make disbursements.   

The national Farm Credit PAC also continues to disburse funds within GreenStone’s territory as a result of the positive engagement of our elected delegation on issues of importance. Members, directors, and management have been involved in meeting U.S. Senators and Representatives. All meetings have been mutually beneficial as the Farm Credit story is shared and the happenings of DC are relayed. In addition, follow-up legislative meetings are taking place to focus on discussing the Farm Bill, and specifically talk about the importance of getting it done on time, having strong farm safety net programs, and access to markets.    

Your support of elected officials is commended and greatly appreciated by recipients of PAC funds. As champions of the agriculture industry, we all must continue to work closely to raise awareness and gather support. This is just one part of reminding and ensuring elected officials recognize agriculture as an essential component to a thriving economy and safe food system. 

This year, delivery of 10 PAC checks have been completed and more awaits. Keep an eye out for opportunities to get involved from your local branch!

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

Staying Safe with Online Banking

Using online banking features is a really simple way to handle your finances from home or on the go, but it’s important to know how to do this safely and securely.

Keeping your business’ book up to date can help you determine if an unauthorized charge has been made on your account. When you know exactly what money is coming in and what money is going out of your account, you can be quick to determine if a charge on your bank account is suspicious. 

Many financial institutions, including GreenStone, offer a Positive Pay option. This is a service that helps banks detect fraud by matching your issued draft check with the check presented for payment. If the dollar amount or check number you submitted as your drafts does not match the check that is cashing your check, you are alerted and have the option to approve or deny that transaction. This helps to stop check fraud before it hits your account.

Another way to monitor suspicious activity on your account is by setting up fraud alerts through your bank. Most financial institutions offer a text or email option when an unusual purchase is made on your account. Many institutions also allow the option to receive a text any time a transaction is made from the account. 

If you have a debit or disbursement card from your financial institution – like the one offered through GreenStone’s revolving line of credit accounts, it often comes with a smartphone app that allows you to see real-time transactions. If you see a transaction you did not make, you can report it for fraud. GreenStone’s disbursement cards use an app called Card Suite Lite. 

It is key to catch fraud early. The earlier you report a fraudulent charge on your account, the greater the chance of receiving that money back. 

Double Up to Reduce Risk

GreenStone experts also suggest having more than one person handling for operation’s finances. It’s important to have one person submit check drafts and keep the books up to date while another person approves certain transactions. Even the best teams can be infiltrated by a good actor doing bad actions, leading to fraud happens within the company. It’s important to have more than one set of eyes on where money is coming and going. 

Another method of fraud is scammers using your identity to take out new loans, open bank accounts, or open up credit cards. GreenStone’s information technology experts recommend keeping your credit frozen at all times through the main three credit bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. The only time you will need to unfreeze your credit is when you are taking out a new loan, or opening up a new credit card or bank account, to allow the authorized institution to pull your credit. Each of these bureaus allows you to freeze and unfreeze your credit by using an app, and by law, it’s free to do so. For more tips on protecting your personal information, visit our Security & Privacy Center.

Buying equipment for your operation? Make sure it’s lien-free. 

If you’re in the market for a new piece of equipment for your operation, it’s important to make sure there’s not a lien on your purchase. A lien is when there is a legal right to possess someone’s property until a debt is repaid. 

If the person you’re buying the equipment from still owes money to their lender on it, when you purchase the equipment from them, that lien can then become your responsibility. If the seller defaults on their loan for that piece of equipment, that can put you in a sticky situation –the lender can repossess the equipment from you, and you will be out the money you paid for it. 

Preventing this headache is as simple as an internet search. For about the price of a cup of coffee, you can search if the seller has a lien on their equipment on your state’s website. This is called a Uniform Commercial Code, or UCC, search. This quick and inexpensive search can save you thousands in the long run. 

If you find there is a lien on the product, you can ask the seller to get the lien released. They can do this by paying off their debt on the product to the lender, or by working with the lender to negotiate a release. 

Buyer’s Beware: Purchasing Equipment Online

These days, you can do almost anything online. Buying equipment for your operation on the Internet is a convenient and quick option to find deals, but it comes with the risk of scams. 

Before making a purchase online, do your research. Oftentimes, when doing a simple Google search for a company, you may come across articles or reviews that indicate it is a scam. You can also check reports from the Better Business Bureau’s website to see if there are any red flags. You may also consider talking with other people in your industry to see what trusted websites they have used to purchase equipment. 

Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it most likely is. 

Before making an online purchase, confirm that the website is secure before typing in your credit card, debit card, or bank account information. A simple way to check if the website is secure is to look for a “lock” symbol by the URL like the image below. 

 

If you are paying somebody you have met in person or on social media for equipment, and you have confirmed their legitimacy, before transferring money to their bank, confirm it is a legitimate banking operation by doing a search.  

Ask For Advice

We understand that dealing with the risks of hackers, fraudsters and scammers can be overwhelming and difficult to understand. The best route of action before utilizing mobile banking options, buying equipment, or transferring money to somebody, is to simply ask for advice from the experts. 

At GreenStone, our team is happy to pick up the phone and ease any anxieties or answer any questions you may have about these important topics. We have dedicated finance, legal, and information technology teams always keeping tabs on the latest methods fraudsters are utilizing. Our goal is to keep you and your bottom line safe. 

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

160 years ago, the Natzke family wanted to make a difference in their community. They broke ground on the development of Zion Lutheran Church in Greenleaf, Wisconsin, while at the same time, starting a farming operation that is known today as Wayside Dairy.

It’s that passion for agriculture and faith in God that has helped them become the community staple they are, all these years later. Through hard work and a passion to serve, their continued success is inevitable.

Equipped with four generations of knowledge, Dan Natzke shares the farm with the fifth generation, his children, Jeremy and Jenna. After growing up watching their father have a passion for the trade, they knew they wanted to do this important work as well – working full-time on the farm.

“I personally like the challenge,” Jeremy explained. “No two days are ever the same. You start your day off with an agenda, and it doesn’t always go according to plan, but it turns out a different way and that’s not always a bad thing.”

“It’s something different every day, and that’s what makes it exciting,” Jenna agreed. 

A Turning Point

Every farmer knows that life in agriculture is far from simple, and some days are tougher to bare than others. In 2001, when the farm was milking 400 cows every day, they suffered a barn fire depleting most of their facility.

Their cows were moved to an off-site facility for six weeks as they fixed up what they had left. Although a stressful and defeating situation, Dan keeps a positive spin on that fateful day.

“That was one of the worst days, but also one of the best days for us to start over and modernize,” said Dan.

And that’s exactly what they did. Today, the farm milks 2,200 cattle and harvests 3,200 acres of crops including alfalfa, corn for silage and wheat – much of which is used for feed. Nearly 211,000 pounds of milk per day is produced on the farm. 

Crunching the Numbers

Between the crops and a full-scale dairy operation, managing the books and making sure the farm’s 35 employees are paid is a full-time job. Jenna works in the office and handles day-to-day accounting and payroll with the help of her GreenStone tax accountant, Eric Vandivier. 

“They’re fantastic to work with and very down-to-earth people,” said Eric.

Eric handles the farm’s personal and business tax returns, quarterly payroll duties, year-end payroll and monthly accounting. Eric’s favorite part of helping the farm manage their books is getting to see them grow in real time.

“It’s always fun to see where they were at financially 12 months ago and compare that to where they are now,” said Eric. It’s fun to be a small part of a successful farm like this.”

That’s the kind of can-do attitude that Eric likes to deliver to all of his customers.

“Not a lot of people like talking about taxes, but I try to keep it as simple as possible for customers to understand what it all entails. I can help them plan for the future and give them information that helps them make the best business decisions possible.”

The farm doesn’t just lean on GreenStone for help with tax and accounting services, but also loans and crop insurance. Dan enjoys the one-stop-shop convenience that GreenStone offers.

“We’ve worked with GreenStone for more than 20 years, and through the years, GreenStone has been there,” said Dan. “They’ve helped us with loans, building projects, accounting, and crop insurance. It’s a great place to get all of that done at once. They have people handling all of those accounts. It makes it fun doing business with them.”

Another person on team Wayside, their GreenStone financial services officer, Michelle Backhaus. Michelle loves assisting the farm with new projects because she knows the energy she puts into the Natzke family benefits the entire community.

“They are a very community-based farm and family,” said Michelle. “They are very involved with the church. It has been fun to get to know how they give back to the community.”

Going Green

Not only is Wayside Dairy passionate about giving back to the community, but they value giving back to the earth, as well. 

Wayside Dairy began a digester project where there are able to collect methane from manure waste on the farm and turn it into natural gas. 

Leading the pack on this project is family friend Jesse Dvorachek, who grew up seven miles down the road from the farm. Soon, Jesse will have a share of the farm, after working on manure management for the operation for years.

“I know this family very well,” Jesse explains. “When the fire broke out in 2001, I was a little kid helping wrangle the cows running around.” 

Jesse also explained that the farm has moved away from sand as bedding for cattle and is using dried manure solids. This helps prevent truckloads of manure from leaving the farm reducing risk of pollution and saves them tens of thousands of dollars on sand. 

“We started producing the solids and we have a separator,” said Jesse. “We’re running the solids through an infrared dryer. We took out the sand and started putting in the dried manure solids. We transitioned all the cattle to this in about seven weeks.”

The farm is also hoping to plant cover crops regularly after each harvest season to use as feed and keep the soil fertile and sustainable. 

“We know large farms aren’t always well received, but if we can have grain fields that are good for the soils, it’s the right thing environmentally,” said Dan. 

The Road Ahead

Between working to make the farm more sustainable and making sure the next generation is inspired to continue the family legacy, the Natzke family is busy planning for the future. 

“We hope to get our kids involved,” said Jenna. “They could be our sixth generation. We hope they get excited about things here and eventually want to join.” 

From generation to generation, GreenStone will be there to help keep their crops protected, keep their books balanced and help make their ideas a reality. 

“They just want to be the best operation they can be,” said Eric.

“I value the relationship we have created together,” said Michelle. “I like to help them be a part of their day-to-day operations and a part of their success. Watching them climb the ladder is the most rewarding for me.”

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

The modern era, while bringing the world closer and making information accessible, has also brought unique challenges. One of these challenges lies in navigating the digital landscape safely. The 2023 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) underscores this.

According to the report, “74% of breaches include a human element, such as Error, Privilege Misuse, Use of Stolen Credentials, or Social Engineering. Furthermore, 49% of breaches by external actors involved the use of stolen credentials. Phishing made up 12% of external attacks, and attackers exploited vulnerabilities in 5% of breaches. As what drives these attacks is financial gains, 95% of breaches are financially driven.” (Verizon, 2023).

What does this tell us? Your role in protecting your information is more significant than ever.

Phishing is one of the most popular tricks in the scammer’s toolbox, largely due to its success rate. They send deceptive messages disguised as communications from a trusted entity, attempting to coax you into revealing crucial sensitive information. Because of the ease with which a phishing email can be crafted, they often take on the guise of fraudulent wire transfer requests, banking account changes, or even something as mundane as a bank account password reset page. GreenStone is committed to helping you stay secure. Here are some key ways you can identify and neutralize such attempts:

1. Unsolicited Requests: Be cautious of unexpected emails or texts, particularly those asking for wire transfers or sensitive information.
2. Urgency: A message that tries to create a sense of immediate action is often a warning sign.
3. Sender Verification: Always verify the sender’s details. Watch for slightly altered email addresses that closely resemble legitimate ones.
4. Links: Treat every link in an email with suspicion. Hover over it to check its destination before you click.
5. Spelling and Grammar: Typos or poor grammar in messages are often clear indicators of phishing scams.

Besides spotting phishing attempts, we should also understand the importance of vigilance in certain scenarios. Take, for example, a loan process. It is a chance of connections involving you, GreenStone, title companies, realtors, and possibly other participants. Each link in this chain is an email of information exchange. A single compromised link, infected by cyber attackers, could put the entire chain at risk.

That’s why we must be on guard when it comes to emails involving sensitive information including wire instructions or other personal sensitive information. Use your gut instincts, if something feels off, like the timing of the message or the language used is out of place, it’s critical to verify its authenticity.  

GreenStone takes your information and privacy seriously; all of our websites and emails are secured using current internet security standards of encryption, TLS, which stand for “Transport Layer Security” and ensures your information is encrypted between your computer and our website to prevent unauthorized access. We also offer a secure File Exchange platform to share sensitive information using our My Access customer portal. 

Remember, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link, our email conversations are only as private as the most secure email. With this in mind, let’s also ensure you’re well-fortified with:

1. Confidentiality: Never disclose sensitive information or conduct wire transfers based on unsolicited messages.
2. Device Updates: Keep your devices updated to patch security vulnerabilities.
3. Financial Monitoring: Regularly check your financial statements and immediately report any irregularities to your bank.
4. Multi-factor Authentication (MFA): Enable MFA on your accounts wherever possible, especially on your email and bank accounts.
5. Verification: Always verify wire transfer instructions, particularly if there are any changes. Use known, trusted channels for this verification.

Should you receive a suspicious message that appears to be from us or your bank, don’t hesitate to contact us. Use contact details that you trust, not the ones provided in the suspicious message.

We prioritize your security in the digital landscape. With vigilance, robust safety measures, and a keen eye, we can together keep your digital fields safe.

References:

• Verizon. (2023). Verizon 2023 Data Breach Investigations Report.

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

It’s spring time in Michigan, and that can have lots of different meanings to different people. 

We as Michiganders are some lucky folks. I know we all take it for granted, it is hard not to. We are surrounded by an endless amount of natural resources other states only wish they had.  

Where do we start. We could start with our endless amount of blue-ribbon trout streams. I suppose we could start with the over 11,000 inland lakes. Maybe it’s our elk population that other Midwest states don’t have. Maybe it’s that we harvest more Woodcock than any other state. Maybe it’s our deer, maybe our bear, maybe our 4.6 million acres of state land! I don’t know what our most prized natural resource is, oh wait yes, I do – it’s our Great Lakes!  And a top the fish swimming in the big water of Lake Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario is the chinook or king salmon.

The king salmon is such an amazing fish it’s hard to say just how much it means to the billion-dollar sport fishing industry here in Michigan. Folks here in our state and across the Midwest and beyond come here to tangle with this formidable hard fighting fish. Lake Michigan is not the only lake that holds the king salmon but does produce more than the other lakes and among the west Michigan coast ports that produce the most fish Grand Haven, Ludington, and Manistee are typically the hot spots for some of the best fishing. Last week found me in Manistee with the conditions just right, the fish feeding on some lingering bait fish and the cooler was full at the end of the day.  So, the problem is, what does one do with 60-80 pounds of fish?

Eat some, freeze some, give some.

Eat some. I always like to eat as muchas I can while its fresh so with in the first 2-3 days plan on grilling or smoking as much as you can!  My favorites recipe for the grill is as follows: 

• Cut the fillets into smaller pieces roughly the size of your spatula. 
• Marinate your fish in a zip lock, skin off, for 30 minutes in equal part soy sauce and Lemon Concentrate. I also will put some corn oil in the bag for some lubrication as well. I once put corn syrup in on accident and it was really good as well!  
• Once you let that sit for half an hour put on a hot grill for a few minutes per side until done and enjoy.  

If you want to smoke it, you can do skin off or leave on, do the same marinade but smoke for half hour at 225, then bump up to 350 for another half hour and enjoy!

Freeze some.

I like to bag in smaller portions.  Typically, 2-3 fillets per gallon size ziplock. That way you don’t have huge portions if you’re only going to be cooking for a few people. You can always pull more bags out. Try to label by date and species of fish. Try to eat within a month or so.  You may go fishing again and need the space!

Give some.

This is the best part. I have found real joy in going around town to the endless amount of people who love salmon who rarely get it. I just dropped off fish for about five families this past week and it was so much fun, and so appreciated!  

Catching a big king is awesome, giving some away is just as rewarding, give it a try! 

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

Integrating your operating loans with short-term investments through a GreenStone Farm Cash Management account gives you the dual benefit of easy access to operating funds while potentially minimizing net interest costs. 

Integrating your operating loans with short-term investments through a GreenStone Farm Cash Management account gives you the dual benefit of easy access to operating funds while potentially minimizing net interest costs. 

When your Farm Cash Management account is activated and funded, money drawn will be pulled from the investment account before advancing withdrawals from your GreenStone operating loan. The benefit is the Farm Cash Management program combines the availability of a revolving line of credit with the high return of a short-term investment account. 

As a result, you can save money by putting your funds into an account where they generate the best return. Farm Cash Management helps you make the most of the money you have now to help out with future expenses.

How does it work?

When you have available cash, your operating loan is paid first. Any excess funds are then invested in an account of short-term investment bonds. You’re then paid a return, similar to a money market account.

Why a bond?

Bonds pay interest at rates that are higher than typical commercial bank accounts like checking, savings, and certificates of deposit.

What is the benefit?

When you need cash for operating expenses, you can use the investment account funds first – before your operating loan – to help minimize your operating loan interest cost.

Plus, you don’t have to worry about access. If you need your Farm Cash Management money, you can get it at any time, with no penalty. If you access more money than your balance, Farm Cash Management will automatically use your credit line.

How do I get it?

Funds are immediately available by writing a draft on your revolving line of credit. You can transfer funds online or over the phone, and the investment funds are liquid.

There is also an option to utilize a debit card to access your Farm Cash Management funds. 

What are my limits?

Farm Cash Management has no limits on the number of drafts that can be written or the number of electronic funds transfers that can be made. In addition, there are no monthly or per check fees.

What about taxes?

Interest earned on your investment bonds is exempt from state and local income tax, so the tax-adjusted annual yield is even higher.

It’s a simple process. Using Farm Cash Management is as straightforward as making a payment on your loan or writing a draft on your operating loan.

Your Money is Secure

You will receive a monthly detailed transaction statement so you can make sure all purchases made with your Farm Cash Management account are valid. You can also receive text message notifications of credits or debits posted to your line of credit or debit card. 

Contact your GreenStone team for more information on Farm Credit Management, and start saving today! 

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.

At GreenStone, we understand that the success of our members is, in part, determined by the strength of the communities we serve. Each year, the co-op gives back thousands of dollars and volunteer hours to hundreds of organizations that align with our mission and vision. 

GreenStone aligns those dollars and hours to four target focus areas:

• Agriculture Advocacy, Customer and Industry Relations and Producer Leadership Development and Education

• Young, Beginning and Small Farmers Youth Education and Agriculture Awareness

• Rural Community Engagement 

As we mark the halfway point of 2023, GreenStone is once again leading the charge by dedicating 3,360 hours and $162,000 dollars to the community through local events, scholarships and partnerships with local organizations committed to advancing rural America and agriculture. 

Highlights of outreach efforts year to date:

Supporting the future of farming is a part of our commitment to supporting our rural communities. This year, GreenStone awarded $60,000 dollars in scholarships for current and incoming college students pursuing degrees that help advance agriculture.

GreenStone is committing to the advancement of youth in agriculture by being a proud supporter of 4-H in both Michigan and Wisconsin. GreenStone’s values align with 4-H’s goal to advance youth through rural community engagement and personal growth. GreenStone is an annual sponsor of the Michigan 4-H Volunteer Leader Recognition Training and a top sponsor of the Wisconsin 4-H program. In addition to these donations, staff from each of our 35 locations are involved year-round through community-building activities, county fairs and youth engagements. 

Advocating for farmers is another way GreenStone is committed to giving back. One way is through our partnership with Michigan Grown, Michigan Great, which promotes Michigan-grown products and the local farmers growing it. GreenStone donates to the group annually to help make it possible for them to attend farmer’s markets, community events and food festivals. The group aims to raise awareness of the food grown around us and the steps farmers take to ensure food is safe and wholesome. 

The diversity of agriculture in Michigan and Wisconsin is extensive, and the dairy industry is a key contributor. GreenStone advocates for the dairy industry. Among the partnerships is Dairy Business Association in Wisconsin through which GreenStone supports their Dairy Strong event, golf outing, policy meetings and the World Dairy Expo among others. Like many similar organizations, GreenStone teammates are involved and help promote and support their values. The Dairy Business Association is a large supporter of dairy farms in Wisconsin and aligns with GreenStone’s commitment of advocating for the agriculture industry. 

We know that the investments made in our communities today will help strengthen them and the next generation for tomorrow. GreenStone is proud to continue building on this promise to rural Michigan and northeast Wisconsin. 

To learn more about how GreenStone is showing up for our communities through sponsorships, outreach and scholarships, check out our page at www.GreenStoneFCS.com/community. 

 

To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.