Risk has always been a part of agriculture. But farming has changed dramatically over the past few years. The most successful farmers are looking for an innovative approach to risk management as a critical part of their overall strategy. Farm Bureau’s goal is to help producers find ways to better manage their risks through effective, market-based risk management education.
Farm Bureau offers education that can be delivered in a variety of methods from local workshops to webinars. For more information on Farm Bureau’s Risk Management programs, please contact Zach Brummer, Farmer Education Program manager.
Upcoming Webinars
Farm Bureau offers a variety of webinars on timely topics critical to managing your farming operation. A list of upcoming and recorded webinars are listed below.
New Webinar coming soon
Coming soon
Past webinars
Webinar: Iowa's 2025 Growing Season Weather Outlook
With warmer temps and first planting dates rapidly approaching, many producers are eager to begin spring field work for the 2025 planting season. Join the Iowa Farm Bureau as we host Iowa's State Climatologist, Dr. Justin Glisan to discuss the upcoming growing season, and what we might expect bases on the most recent data and long range weather models.
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Utilizing Livestock Risk Protection Alongside Record Cattle Prices
As the market boasts record cattle prices, the demand for Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) has skyrocketed as producers look to lock in a price floor and minimize the impacts of potential future price declines while maintaining the ability to participate in continued price appreciation.
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Section 1031 Exchanges in Agriculture: Examples and Issues Webinar
The Section 1031 like-kind exchange provision of the Internal Revenue Code is one of the most powerful financial tools available to landowners, allowing them to defer taxes and preserve their capital while remaining invested in real estate assets. Join the Iowa Farm Bureau as we host one of the nation’s leading exchange companies and its Certified Exchange Specialists (CES®) on the benefits and guidelines of Section 1031 exchanges.
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2025 Hog Market Update & Outlook with the National Pork Producers Council
Join the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation as we welcome back Economist Holly Cook from the National Pork Producers Council to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the hog sector in 2025.
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2025 Crop Insurance Update
Join the Iowa Farm Bureau as we welcome Farm Bureau Financial Services and their team of experienced crop consultants to discuss key factors to consider when selecting coverage options for the 2025 planting season. The session will also focus on ECO coverage and explain why choosing the 95% coverage level could be beneficial for 2025.
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Feeding Fewer: How Demographic Shifts are Reshaping Global Food Demand and How U.S. Agriculture Can Prepare Recording
What happens when the fundamental drivers of global food demand, population growth, economic development and globalization, reverse course?
Drawing from extensive international experience and years of demographic analysis and demand modeling, Todd Thurman reveals why he thinks agriculture's "normal" is not normal and about to change dramatically.
The agricultural industry has built infrastructure, supply chains, and business models around assumptions that Thurman says are rapidly becoming obsolete. Thurman will share his perspective on possible solutions. Thurman thinks the industry is largely unaware of this issue and clings to outdated narratives about feeding the world.
Thurman believes the faster agriculture recognizes the issues and begins an industry dialogue about solutions, the quicker it can begin making the necessary changes.
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How to Write a Pre-Harvest Marketing Plan Recording
Ed Usset has spent his career studying and developing grain marketing strategies to help producers proactively & successfully market grain. The downturn in commodity prices & farm income has increased the need for a disciplined marketing strategy as we look to 2025. We have already sat down with Ed this past November to get his post-harvest marketing plan for the 2024 crop, now join us once again as we sit down with Ed to go over his thoughts on a pre-harvest marketing plan for the 2025 crop year.
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2024 Iowa Farm Income Tax Webinar Recording
The Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) will present its annual Iowa Farm Income Tax webinar on Monday, November 18th at 1:00 p.m. Farmers know that staying up to date on the latest tax changes and preparing farm income taxes can be a real challenge. This webinar is designed to help farmers overcome that challenge. Join us as we cover the key information farmers need to know as they look towards this year’s tax preparation & provide the latest information and tax tips to help farmers navigate the challenges of tax preparation. Live webinar participants have the opportunity to ask the presenters questions.
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How to Write a Post-Harvest Marketing Plan Webinar Recording
"Grain Marketing is Simple... It's Just Not Easy", is the title of the book written by Edward Usset, Grain Marketing Economist at the University of Minnesota's Center for Farm Financial Management. Ed has spent his career studying and developing grain marketing strategies to help producers proactively & successfully market grain. The downturn in commodity prices & farm income has increased the need for a disciplined marketing strategy as we close out 2024 and look to 2025. Join the Iowa Farm Bureau as we sit down with Ed to go over his thoughts on a post-harvest marketing plan for the 2024 crop and beyond! To view the recording, click the button below.
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Successful Self-Care in a Challenging Ag Economy Webinar Recording
As profitability in the agricultural sector becomes more challenging, farmers and farm families often feel alone in the battle to maintain solvency through difficult economic conditions in the Ag industry. Producers can often feel a sense of personal failure despite a complete lack of control over the broad range of market forces that contribute to downturns in profitability. It is critical to remember that you are not alone, your neighbor, banker, seed salesman, equipment dealer, the industry as a whole are participating in these challenging times. Join the Iowa Farm Bureau as we host David Brown, Behavioral Health State Specialist with Iowa State University, to discuss ways to navigate these challenging conditions and resources available to producers who need assistance managing stress, and stressful situations, on their operations. To view the recording, click the link below.
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Carbon Farming Programs - Should You Be Signing Up? Recording
Join the Iowa Farm Bureau as we host Dr. Alejandro Plastina, Associate Professor/Extension Economist in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University, to discuss current updates in the world of carbon farming. Topics include: - What is the current status of soil "carbon farming" programs? - What are the benefits and costs of enrolling in such a program? - What question do farmers need to ask when approached to enroll in such a program? - How might enrollment interact with other emerging carbon initiatives: insets, tax credits (e.g., SAF or 45Z), the "supply shed" approach, etc.
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2024 Ag Contracts & Land Easement Update Webinar Recording
Contractual agreements are an important part of agriculture. Regardless of the type of contract, farmers should be aware of basic contract components.
Understanding a contract at the beginning is an important first step. Erin Herbold-Swalwell, an experienced attorney with agriculture expertise, will present important contract factors and real-world, practical information. She will also spend time discussing complexities surrounding land easements at a time when pipelines, wind turbines, and solar power are creating unique situations for landowners to consider.
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Grain Indemnity Fund Update with IDALS Webinar Recording
Join Zach Brummer with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and James Kennedy, Bureau Chief at the Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship as he discusses the history, present, and potential future for the Grain Indemnity Fund in Iowa and how the reimplementation of state grain fees in September 2023 has been received.
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Navigating the cycles of agriculture. Where have we come from and where are we going from here?
High input costs, falling crop prices, drought, record land values and significant increases in interest rates are changing the landscape, and outlook for farm families across Iowa and the U.S. Join Zach Brummer, Farmer Education Program Manager with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation as he hosts Chad Gent, Senior Vice President of Retail Credit at Frontier Credit and Farm Credit Services of America to discuss and answer your questions on topics including: implications for margin compression in key Midwestern commodities, the impact of a return to 'normal' interest rates, Farm Credits approach to real estate financing, and who is positioned for growth at the bottom of the cycle?
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Soybeans, Renewable Diesel, and the Future Recording
The soybean processing industry plans to significantly grow over the next few years largely driven by growth in renewable diesel. With announcements for 23 plant expansions, adding nearly 750 million bushels per year in crush capacity, many are likening the expansion plans to that of ethanol for the corn market. What could this mean for prices? Where do additional bushels/acres come from? Join Scott Gerlt, Chief Economist for the American Soybean Association as he gives an update on the current expansions & explores the potential implications to the soybean market.
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Putting U.S. Meat on the World’s Table Webinar Recording
Exports support and increase the value of Iowa livestock products. Join John Hinners, Senior VP, Industry Relations at US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) as he presents on the organization's work to increase market access, work on trade policy, use checkoff dollars effectively and establish international connections to boost exports. The efforts on meat trade directly help Iowa livestock farmers and are vital to the future.
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International Trade: Crucial for Iowa Crops Webinar Recording
Iowa farmers rely on international trade to provide essential demand for ag products. Iowa is the 2nd largest agricultural exporting state in the U.S, shipping $10.3 billion in domestic agricultural exports abroad (USDA, 2017). Our state ranks #1 in corn exports and #2 in soybean exports. In addition, Iowa exports corn and soybean products throughout the world.
Expert speakers from the U.S. Grains Council (USGC) and U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) will present on the organizations’ work to increase market access, work on trade policy, use checkoff dollars effectively and cooperate with the USDA and United States Trade Representative office. USGC and USSEC work tirelessly on behalf of farmers and it shows!
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Search for a Pre-Harvest Crop Marketing Advantage Webinar Recording
In these volatile markets, setting a crop price is a difficult decision. It doesn’t need to be complicated though! Historically, early sales have been some of the best for a portion of the crop. Can you manage risk in a committed plan to price crops before harvest?
This session uses 30 years of history to help learn crop risk management with celebrity players – Grandma, Barney Binless, Terry Timer, Justin Price and others – each representing a different approach to pre-harvest marketing. Will you recognize yourself among our celebrities searching for a pre-harvest advantage? Can you take what you learn from the celebrities and customize a better plan for your individual risk management needs?
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Understanding Ag Contracts: What You Need to Know Recording
Contractual agreements are an important part of agriculture. Regardless of the type of contract, farmers should be aware of basic contract components.
Understanding a contract at the beginning is the important first step. Erin Herbold-Swalwell, an experienced attorney with agriculture expertise, will present important contract factors and real-world, practical information.
Click here to view.
Cybersecurity 101 for Farmers: Risks and Protection Strategies Webinar Recording
Iowa Farm Bureau will host a timely, informative webinar to raise awareness of cybersecurity for farm operations. With farms connected to the web and the increased dependence on digitized data, the risk to the farm business is real and deserves attention. Join Jonathan Braley, Operations Manager, IT-ISAC for a look at the threats and ideas on low cost/high impact measures that can be implemented to protect the farm business.
Central to the Information Technology-Information Sharing and Analysis Center’s mission is a commitment to cyber-security. IT-ISAC enables collaboration and sharing of relevant, actionable cyber threat information and effective security policies and practices for the benefit of all. IT-ISAC established a one-of-its kind forum which assembles some of the brightest minds from the world's leading IT companies to minimize threats, manage risk, and respond to cyber incidents.
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Reap the Benefits of Farm Financial Records Webinar Recording
Keeping good farm records is work! But the benefits are enormous and can make the farm more profitable and resilient! Join two Iowa experts to learn about improving farm records, how they are used in farm management decisions and easy resources that can help.
Whether you are just starting out or have been keeping records for years, Kent Vickre (Iowa Farm Business Association State Coordinator) and Charles Brown (ISU Farm Management Specialist) will use their experience and examples to show how important farm records are to farming success!
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Introduction to High Tunnel and Produce Production Webinar Recording
Joseph Hannan works with many commercial fruit and vegetable growers to expand and improve their operations. Using a high tunnel gives growers the potential to increase production of certain crops, expand into different crops, and extend the growing season. Joe will provide information to consider prior to building a high tunnel and expanding your operation into produce production.
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Successful Grazing and Pasture Management for Beef and Dairy Cattle Webinar Recording
In order to be efficient as possible using your grazing forage, dairy and cattle producers should have a grazing plan. Dr. Armstrong and Dr. Heins will discuss different grazing systems, and the importance of pasture management to maintain a successful grazing system.
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