A random introduction many years ago provided me with the opportunity to accept a position with a community bank which has turned into a thirty-plus year career that I have loved. During that time, I have had many different job roles, worn many hats, taken on lots of assignments and worked to help numerous customers with various financial needs.
My current role as a Community Bank President and Commercial Lender in a rural area allows me to work with a wide variety of customers and their individual lending and investing needs. One of the many things that I have learned is that I really enjoy Ag lending! The banker and farmer work together and, over time, establish a banking relationship that is built on respect, trust, and teamwork. As you get to know your Ag customers, you begin to understand each individual farm operation and will discuss crop plans, input needs and costs, equipment needs and, of course, financing options for the year. Together, we spend time adjusting last year’s plans to improve on the upcoming year and make sure that all the necessary financing is in place. Then, the conversations change to topics like “are the crops all planted, how are current weather conditions affecting the crops, what are today’s crop prices and how do your cotton, corn or soybeans look?” The fall season brings on the harvest with long days and short nights to reap the benefits of all the work put into these crops. When you finally do see your Ag customers after the harvest is complete, conversations change and include “did you have a good crop, what prices are you seeing and wanting, are you going to store or sell crops, do you want to pay interest on your operating line now or in January” – essentially planning for next year.
If you had told me at the beginning of my career that I would end up having to physically count gilts in a barn on several occasions, trek through numerous fields to check on the productivity of the crops and their steward or find myself at the local CO-OP discussing the latest news, I would have never believed you. In truth, my career in agricultural lending occurred much like an August rain – unexpected and with great appreciation. When I started my career in banking, there weren’t many women represented in my field – at the office or out there with the farmers. I had some hurdles to overcome as a woman in banking, but I learned so much from each one of those obstacles. Each obstacle taught me valuable lessons on how to be a better person, banker, and friend.
To read the full article click here. Shared with permission from Ozark Farm & Neighbor.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Andrea Hughes and are not endorsed by, and do not necessarily reflect the views of, Simmons Bank. Simmons Bank does not provide tax, accounting, or legal advice.