NFBM Conference medallion
Looking Up Through the Trees
“Looking Up Through the Trees” by Chris Connelly (CC BY 2.0)

Topic Overviews

Agriculture & Ag Lending in a Black Swan Environment

Dr. David Kohl

The black swan or unusual event of the century in the form of COVID-19 has landed on our doorstep. What is the domestic and global economic outlook, both in the short and long run given the unfolding circumstances? What are the positives for the agricultural industry? How can producers and lenders work together to bridge the gap for a brighter future? What does a recovery look like? What are the lessons learned from past economic and financial shocks? What specific actions are needed by both lenders and producers to navigate the economic and business whitewater?

Join this webinar to find out some answers to these questions plus engage and interact with Dr. Dave Kohl as he draws on five decades of academic, industry and business experience. This session will bring the expertise to your doorstep virtually to energize your leaders, team members, customers, and community.


Forming an LLC, Dos and Don’ts

Mark Balzarini

Mark will be covering the following topics:

  • Reasons to Establish the LLC
    • Farm Operation
    • Land Management
    • Discount Value
  • Flexibility of Operating Agreement
    • Management and Control
    • Transfer of Ownership
  • Protections
    • Liability
    • Death
    • Disability
  • Divorce

COVID-19 and Agriculture

Jackson Takach

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every corner of the global economy, from transportation to trade. Although the agricultural and rural economies are more isolated, they are not immune to its reach. Join Farmer Mac’s chief economist Jackson Takach as he dives into the breadth of effects the agricultural economy is experiencing from the pandemic, including case development in rural communities, commodity demand disruptions, global trade implications, and farm financial impacts.


TED talk: Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin’s TED talk covers a little about her work with the livestock industry and her experiences because of her autism. She also urges us as educators and maybe as adults to connect with kids and give them some encouragement to figure out what they like to do, and then make a career out of it.


An Overview of the Hemp Industry in Colorado

Dawn Thilmany and Dan Mooney

We will overview some key trends in the US and Colorado hemp industry, including important developments at the production and market level. We will also give a quick overview of the Colorado Hemp Advancement Management Plan (CHAMP) and ongoing collaborations with the USDA Ag Marketing Service to improve the quality and availability of data for producers to use in their decisions.