COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Extension invites lenders serving farmers and rural communities to “What Ag Lenders Need To Know in 2025.” The 44th annual seminar will be hosted in six locations across the state.

Agricultural business and policy specialists will present market outlooks, farm financial conditions and land values, said Ben Brown, MU Extension agricultural economist and event organizer. Brown encourages both new and seasoned lenders to attend a seminar and equip themselves with insights to service their clients in the year ahead.

Seminar topics include:

• 2025 commodity outlooks.
• Production costs and 2025 agricultural enterprise budgets.
• Update on local land values and cash rents.
• Outlook on farm policy and farm bill update.

“Crop and livestock producers frequently ask what management options exist to weather a period of low margins and high interest rates, which indicates that liquidity concerns are building,” said Brown. “Additionally, there continues to be interest in enterprise budget calculators and support available through federal safety net programs. All these questions signal producers are looking for management recommendations. By attending a ‘What Ag Lenders Need To Know in 2025’ seminar, lenders can help their clients mitigate risk and make sound management decisions.”

In-person “What Ag Lenders Need To Know in 2025” seminars will be held at six locations in Missouri, with programming starting promptly at 10 a.m.:

• Nov. 5 – Jefferson City.
• Nov. 7 – Mount Vernon.
• Nov. 14 – Sikeston.
• Nov. 19 – Bolivar.
• Nov. 21 – Chillicothe.
• Nov. 26 – Mexico.

In addition to in-person seminars, an exclusive webinar series will be available to registered lenders that can be shared with clients. Available in early 2025, these webinars are designed to provide updates on emerging issues ahead of spring planting, Brown said.

Attending the Missouri Agricultural Lenders Seminar is a tradition for many, he said. One 2023 attendee said, “Great meeting, always look forward to it every year.” Another attendee from the 2023 seminar series wrote on the program evaluation, “Thank you for being a great resource!”

Find location-specific details and registration links at http://muext.us/aglenders25.

For more information, contact Ben Brown at bpbrown@missouri.edu or 573-882-6527, or any MU Extension agricultural business and policy specialist.