During the summer months in southeast Michigan, you can count on at least one thing: four bright orange produce stands in Dundee, Ida, Milan, and Maybee will be stocked with fresh vegetables ready to feed a community on the honor system.
The man behind the stands is Tye Thompson – but his story starts long before these stands attracted lines of people waiting for their fix of his popular produce.
Tye didn’t grow up on a farm, but he always knew that being in the fields is right where he belonged. Many of Tye’s neighbors and family friends who babysat him were farmers, and watching the tractors and combines from his window sparked his childhood curiosity.
“For as long as I can remember, I have always liked growing plants and watching farmers in the field harvesting crops,” said Tye. “From the time I was a kid, I always wanted to farm.”
That curiosity turned into a drive to get started. By the time Tye was an early teenager, he was kickstarting his career in agriculture by working on his neighbor’s farm. When he realized that his neighbor had an acre he wasn’t using, Tye asked if he could rent it out and grow some crops.
From that point, Tye began to grow produce to sell – and he hasn’t stopped since.
“I rented that acre from him, built a little greenhouse, grew some plants, and bought my first tractor for $600,” said Tye.
That tractor was a bright orange Allis-Chalmers B — the inspiration behind the orange produce carts he still uses today.
“My first sale was a quart of jalapeños and a quart of banana peppers,” Tye recalls proudly.
When Tye was finishing up his senior year of high school, he knew he still had more to learn about agriculture before tackling it fulltime. He decided to pursue a degree in horticulture at Michigan State University. During his time there, he continued his farm operation on the side selling produce out of his stand.
After receiving his diploma in 2019, he began his dream of farming fulltime.
From Dreams to Reality
As a young farmer, Tye worked with GreenStone to secure financing to expand his operation – so he could turn a profit and remain a full-time farmer long-term. He worked with Rich Dubke, who, at the time, served as a financial services officer in GreenStone’s Monroe branch.
Rich already knew of Tye because of his signature orange produce stands, and he was excited to work with a young farmer ready to grow his operation.
“His work ethic is second to none,” Rich explained. “He asks the right questions, and he puts the right people around him. The presence he has in the community is huge. You have a hard time not seeing multiple cars lined up at his produce carts in the summer.”
“It has been nice to talk to Rich and hear about different options he has for me,” Tye explained. “He has helped me weigh the pros and cons of buying things.”
Rich was able to utilize GreenStone’s CultivateGrowth resources to assist Tye in expanding his operation. The CultivateGrowth program provides flexibility in the loan approval process for young, beginning, and small farmers.
“GreenStone has really helped out a lot, especially when I was starting out on my farm,” said Tye. “They have been there to help me make improvements on my property.”
Tye has expanded from one produce cart to four – all bright orange, of course. He now has four greenhouses and 39 acres of farmland. His popularity has also expanded – as he became a staple in the community.
“It’s a hard job, so for the community to be so appreciative, it’s really nice,” said Tye.
Producing the Next Generation
Because so many people helped Tye follow his dreams in agriculture, he now gives back by investing in even younger aspiring agriculturalists. Aside from farming full-time, Tye began working in the classroom fulltime in 2021 at Dundee Community Schools teaching classes like agriculture business, botany, and zoology as part of their agriscience program at the school and leading their FFA Chapter as the advisor.
“It makes life extremely busy, but I enjoy teaching and I enjoy the kids. I like helping expand their knowledge on agriculture,” said Tye.
“I know Tye is aware of how important young farmers are, as an agriculture educator himself,” said Rich.
Recently, his students helped open a greenhouse at the school for a full hands-on experience. Tye hopes to continue in the field of agriculture education in hopes to inspire more people to get into the field.
Tackling Transition
Tye and Rich have built a close relationship working together. GreenStone takes great pride in the type of quality service we provide our members. That’s why when Rich recently made the choice to move from GreenStone’s Monroe branch to the Ann Arbor branch, he didn’t make that decision lightly.
“The hardest decision I’ve made in my six years at GreenStone was moving on to a new opportunity knowing that I’m leaving my customers, but I know they’re in good hands with Mark, so it made that decision easier,” said Rich.
When these transitions happen, customers like Tye are certainly not left in the dark. GreenStone’s leadership team thoughtfully considers the right partnership and communicates those staffing changes with any affected customers.
Long time Financial Services Officer Mark Buuck now works with Tye to help him continue growing his popular operation. It’s a transition that Rich and Mark have worked together on to make sure these vital relationships with our customers remain informed and strong.
“I’ve talked to Rich almost every day during the transition to make sure there are no hiccups,” said Mark. “When I take on new customers, I like to get on their farm, answer questions about the transition, and ask questions about their operation.”
As far as working with Tye, Mark is more than ready to get started.
“I know the success he has had, and I’m looking forward to working with him on his next steps,” said Mark.
A Bright Future
Tye’s future is as bright as his produce stands. He has a long list of goals he wants to accomplish including the addition of a farm store and dipping his toes into agri-tourism.
He also hopes to add a pole barn and more greenhouses in the future to be sure he’s able to provide produce even when the weather outside is unfavorable.
“Every year, I always try to expand in some way. I believe if you’re not growing, you’re dying,” said Tye.
“People like Tye are the future of agriculture,” said Rich.
Through it all, GreenStone will be there to help him grow.
To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.
In GreenStone’s 2022 annual report released earlier this year, we explored the ways our customers and co-op alike are moving forward to meet the needs of our farms, families and customers.
Here, three GreenStone directors take a minute to reflect on where they see the focus of GreenStone moving forward, and how they themselves are embracing the future on their own farms. Together, we are moving forward for a strong future!
Bruce Lewis
As we think about the future of GreenStone, there are many things that come to mind. We need to continue to build relationships between GreenStone and our membership, and between GreenStone and other Farm Credit associations. The personal engagement between GreenStone’s staff and the customer is what I value most in working with GreenStone. They know me and my farm, my priorities and future goals, and they are always ready to stop by and help me explore options. That’s something GreenStone will continue to provide as we move forward. That same relationship is just as important when we think of our peers across the Farm Credit System. Being able to brainstorm and collaborate together creates even better results. And having those existing relationships makes future transitions of associations even stronger.
We need to continue to be advancing the ease of use for members, from DocuSign for electronic document sending and signatures to online banking for customers to have instant access any time, and securely doing business digitally. As we leverage technology, we must be mindful of the efficiencies we can create.
When we look to the future, GreenStone must remain a reliable and consistent source of credit for our customers now and in the future.
Ed Reed
GreenStone is moving forward with a new CEO! Travis Jones has been leading the management team for almost a year now; it feels and looks like the same team with a few new teammates. Our goal was a seamless transition and I am confident we are accomplishing just that.
Farmers are a tough bunch, I can say that now that I’ve just turned 60. I am optimistic about the future of agriculture, and the next generation of farmers who have grown up using technology. We are retrofitting hog buildings with a distributed control system and internet connection allowing us to control all facets of the barn in real time. Irrigations have electronic valves and can be changed and started all from your phone. With advanced vision technology, it has been demonstrated with AI the ability to score the health of animals. Michael Bloomberg couldn’t be more wrong with his take on how a modern farm works.
This technology comes with a cost and GreenStone is here to assist with all your capital needs. I see a much different agricultural industry; we are doing more with less. Human capital is a limiting factor on most operations, we must embrace technology to maximize returns on our operation’s assets. I can’t wait to see what AI programs like ChatGPT and Watson will provide agriculture.
Let’s move forward!
Scott Roggenbuck
In this fast paced ever changing world we live in, few things change as fast as agriculture. And GreenStone is “moving forward” to meet the needs of our members. GreenStone’s hardworking and talented information services team has recently launched Journey+, a cloud based loan origination system; your board and management team just entered into a capital markets collaboration with three other Farm Credit associations – AgHeritage Farm Credit Services, Farm Credit Services of Mandan, and Farm Credit of Western Arkansas. These are only two examples, as our team works hard to stay ahead of change and continue to move forward.
Your board is always working diligently with management to monitor credit quality, loan growth, hold positions and adjusting to the ever changing regulatory environment.
We are moving forward on our own farm also. We, like many of you, have enjoyed several years of good commodity prices and low interest rates. We have put some of this away having learned some hard lessons back in the 80s.
Yes, I have learned some lessons over the last 40 years in this business we love. Good times don’t last for ever, neither do bad times. Get strong when you can, to weather the storms ahead. Keep good books – you don’t want to be the last one to find out the money’s gone. Never stop building relationships, you never know when you will need them, and people that trust you will have your back. And finally, don’t let pride get in the way of making the right decision, that’s why football teams have punters.
To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.
For many people, especially self-proclaimed or “want to be” grill masters, summer is the best time of the year.
Instead of spending the evening indoors isolated over a stove, you get to embrace the outdoors with family and friends, and enjoy the options of making dinner outdoors.
The sounds of laughter as kids play in the yard and the smell of the fresh barbeque on the grill is what makes the memories of a great summer!
A little prep work and planning can go a long way to ease the stress and focus on the fun. Here are a few tips and tricks to help!
Of course, the best way to start is usually the most dreaded task: cleaning. It’s important to take the time to clean your grill and cooking tools after they have sat unused all winter. A mixture of dish soap and water can help break down any leftover residue and ease the scrubbing. Some experts suggest the final step of rubbing vegetable oil on the cooking grates to help prevent rust and avoid food sticking.
Along with the cleaning the cooking area is the yard prepping. A fresh lawn cut is nice to avoid overgrown grass to walk in and can help limit bug hideouts. Cutting a day or two before your gathering not only ensures an appropriate grass length but also avoids fresh clippings from gathering on your guest’s feet.
Bugs seem to enjoy parties too. Be sure to test out the area a few days before the party to know what to expect from these uninvited guests. Sitting outdoors at the same time as your party is planned will give you an accurate picture to be able to plan accordingly. Bug repellent, citronella candles or other tools may be appropriate to have on hand to keep pesky bugs away.
If you’re grilling, make sure you have enough propane, wood chips or pellets, or charcoal to supply your grill of choice. And of course, if a bonfire is in the plan, be prepared with ample dry wood in various sizes, including kindling and larger pieces for extended burning and warmth.
Lighting and sound are great additions to the ambiance. For lighting, you may consider solar powered lights or light strings. Timers on your lighting is another great touch to automatically come on at dusk and turn off at a predetermined time for consistency and energy conservation. Sound can be sourced from a variety of different music boxes and, if necessary, spread throughout the area using Bluetooth speakers. If you plan to leave them outdoors, ensure they are designed for the elements.
And while a back yard gathering is a perfect summer experience, Mother Nature doesn’t always agree. So the final tip is to always have a back-up plan – whether it means you’re now hosting a garage or barn party, converting to the comforts of the indoors, or possibly popping up a few tents.
To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.
As a GreenStone intern, students gain exposure to real-world projects and experiences aligning with their career goals.
Jourdyn Armstrong
Real Estate Appraisal Intern
College: Attending Central Michigan University with a major in Business Administration.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I enjoy going out on the farm and doing construction inspections. I like having a first look into real estate and land values. I find it interesting to watch those markets and I like having that knowledge.
Jason Juengel
Appraisal Intern
College: Attending Oakland University with a major in Business Economics and a minor in Business Analytics.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I’m most looking forward to farm inspections.
Jaxson Gray
Business Analyst Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Finance and a minor in Information Technology.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Learning about the corporate world.
David Rocendo
Client Support Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Information Science.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Develop skills, network and job shadow other roles.
Harshil Chaudhary
Client Support Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Data Science.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I look most forward to working closely with likeminded people while learning from one another and gaining knowledge that will continue to help me throughout my life and career.
Ali Willenborg
Credit Intern
College: Attending Murray State University with a major in AgriScience Technology and a minor in Finance.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I’m mostly look forward to learning more about every department and networking with other interns throughout the summer. I am also excited to see all the different aspects of agriculture that Michigan has to offer.
Dakota Spink
Credit Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Education.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Learning more about the agriculture industry and more specifically farm credit and understanding how ag professionals can expand their operations.
Eric Gumz
Credit Intern
College: Attending the University of Alabama with a major in Finance and a concentration in Banking & Financial Services.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I am most looking forward to having the opportunity to speak with customers about their specific experiences and operations, because every farm or business is different in ways that are often not represented on their financial statements.
Luke Harry
Credit Intern
College: Attending Northwood University with a major in Finance.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Learning from experienced professionals and applying knowledge learned in the classroom to something that has an impact.
Holly Lashua
Crop Insurance Intern
College: Attending UW-River Falls with a major in Agribusiness and a minor in Crop Science.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I look forward to applying what I know from my agricultural background at GreenStone.
Kirsten Langmaack
Crop Insurance Intern
College: Attending Olivet College with a major in Insurance and Risk Management and a minor in Claims Investigations.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Learning how to do crop insurance and what crop insurance consists of.
Haniah Kring
Data Analyst Intern
College: Attending Hope College with a major in Computer Science.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Being able to work with messy data which I can transform using my skills into useful insights and analysis for the company.
Alexander Shaltry
Finance & Accounting Intern
College: Attending Northwood University with a major in Accounting.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I look forward to learning from everyone I work with. We have many people who have been in the accounting profession for a long time so being able to tap into their knowledge is something I think will really benefit me.
Ashby Henderson
Human Resources Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Human Capital and Society and a minor in Leadership of Organization.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I most look forward to learning about the functions of Human Resources outside of school, and networking with the other interns and departments.
Tomas Ruiz
Information Security Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Computer Science and minor in Philosophy.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Learning a lot with cybersecurity and learning how to protect not just an organization but to learn the craft and be able to teach others how to protect themselves.
Grace Hull
Legal Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Agribusiness Management and a minor in Agronomy.
What do you look forward to in your internship? To continue learning more about the different sides of farm credit.
Mia Vander Hoff
Marketing, Events, & Sales Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Agribusiness Management and minor in Food Industry Management.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I look forward to learning from and working with everyone in both the marketing and sales departments.
Olivia Gallt
Marketing & Graphic Design Intern
College: Attending Lansing Community College with a major in Graphic Design.
What do you look forward to in your internship? I most look forward to making connections within this internship and gaining knowledge about agriculture.
Samuel Koresky
Project Management Intern
College: Attending Arizona State University with a major in Organizational Leadership Project Management.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Learning how other project managers work and execute projects within the Farm Credit System.
Alex Rolls
Quality Engineering Intern
College: Attending Davenport University with a major in Computer Science.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Gaining valuable real-world experience in software development.
Pratham Pradhan
Service Desk Intern
College: Attending Michigan State University with a major in Computational Data Science.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Assisting in projects that can ultimately change the interactions between the employees and technology for the better.
Andrew McGovern
System Administrator Intern
College: Attending Illinois State University with a major in Computer System Technology.
What do you look forward to in your internship? All the learning and meeting cool people.
Brian Lapetina
Tax & Accounting Intern
College: Attending Western Michigan University with a major in Accounting.
What do you look forward to in your internship? Experiencing what summer work is like as a Tax Accountant, and how it differs from busy season.
To view the article in the online 2023 Summer Partners Magazine, click here.
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.