Dr. Nicholas Paulson, University of Illinois College of ACES and farmdoc contributor, discusses continued challenges coming in 2020. Learn about the new reward program the Illinois Department of Agriculture is piloting in 2020 for farmers planting cover crops, check out the Fielding Forward crop insurance meeting schedule, review a list of questions farmers should ask before renewing their crop insurance, and discover 2020 crop insurance enhancement opportunities.

Larry Ellinger, of Sherman, is retiring from Farm Credit Illinois Dec. 31, after more than 41 years providing support to generations of farm families. Ellinger is the regional manager of the Sherman regional office, serving cooperative members in Logan, Menard, and Sangamon Counties.

In this issue learn how you can sign up for our upgraded texting clubs, learn about upcoming FreshRoots forums for young and beginning farmers, sign up for winter Fielding Forward crop insurance meetings, check out the latest auctions near you, apply for an agriculture scholarship or community improvement grant, read Dr. Kohl’s latest article, and listen to how creating a cash flow statement helps farmers better plan for tomorrow.

Director cup recipients honored at Illinois State Fair, learn about upcoming fall/winter Farm Credit College courses, and learn about opportunities for youth with agriculture scholarships and community improvement grants.

Director election results announced. Apply for the Cultivating Master Farmers Program. Board of Directors now accepting applications for the FreshRoots Directors Cup.

The post-harvest 2018 edition of Cultivation includes useful information about the Farmland Value Study, upcoming Farm Credit College programs, and how to apply for 2019 Scholarships and 4-H/FFA Grants. Cultivations comes out twice a year and is mailed to all FCI cooperative members and crop insurance customers.

In this issue learn how you can sign up for our upgraded texting clubs, learn about upcoming FreshRoots forums for young and beginning farmers, sign up for winter Fielding Forward crop insurance meetings, check out the latest auctions near you, apply for an agriculture scholarship or community improvement grant, read Dr. Kohl’s latest article, and listen to how creating a cash flow statement helps farmers better plan for tomorrow.

This issue includes a patronage photo slideshow, how to identify phishing emails, access to the land values benchmark study, a report on land sales in the last 90 days, and how lowered interest rates will impact the rest of 2019.

In this issue of ESSENTIALS, you'll watch a timely weather outlook update from Eric Snodgrass, learn about the new FCI cash patronage program, meet the Director's Cup recipients and also meet the 2019 Summer Interns!

Learn how prevent or delayed planting provided a safety net this tough planting season that helped soften the impact of weather. And harvest may be later than usual, but you will want to review a pre-harvest policy inspection list included in this issue. And you’ll also learn about other protection options that fall outside the common ones farmers are most familiar. 

Are mindsets and attitudes positive or negative difference makers in your farm business? Maintaining a strong network of people who are collaborative and can think critically will be the seed and fertilizer needed for success.

What does the recent rate reduction by the FOMC and the ending of the Fed's balance sheet runoff earlier than planned mean for the future of interest rates?

Phishing emails are one of the most common online threats. Being aware of this danger and knowing how to spot phony requests can protect your personal and farm business information.