Why Farmers Call Me When the Bank Says “No” or “Not Yet”

(And why lenders move faster when I’m involved.)

Most farms don’t fail because of a bad year.
They fail because they run out of time.

Banks rarely say “no” outright.
What they say — over and over — is something much worse:

“Let’s wait and see.”
“Let’s revisit after harvest.”
“Let’s review final year-end financials.”

Meanwhile, farming doesn’t wait.
Land leases need to be renewed.
Seed discounts expire.
Vendors want paid.
Grain needs hauled.
Input prepay windows close.
And every delay costs money the farmer can’t afford to lose.

This is where I live professionally:
in the dangerous gap between a lender’s timeline and a farm’s reality.

For 15 years I’ve been CFO of a multi-entity grain operation.
Fractional CFO for farms across Kentucky, Illinois, and Indiana.
Before that: agribusiness credit at MetLife and commercial real estate lending during the 2008–09 mortgage meltdown.

So when a farmer calls me, they’re not calling for theory.
They’re calling because things need to happen now… and the lender is still requesting “one more document.”

Here’s the truth most farmers already feel but rarely say out loud:

Lender delays are a form of risk.
The longer the process drags, the more fragile the farm becomes.

My job is to eliminate that drag.

I take the messy, complicated financial picture — the real one, the one buried under entities, leases, insurance claims, and vendor payables — and turn it into the clean, lender-ready package that actually gets a green light.

And I don’t let the lender drift.
I keep the file warm.
I anticipate questions before they’re asked.
I explain the story in the language lenders trust.
And I get answers faster because lenders know I’m not guessing — I’ve sat in their chair.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

• Farmers need momentum.

• Lenders need clarity.

• I translate between the two.

Sometimes we’re securing a brand-new operating line.
Sometimes we’re moving a loan from a slow lender to one who wants the business.
Sometimes we’re preventing a good farm from sliding into distress because communication has broken down.
And sometimes — yes — we’re fighting to avoid bankruptcy by negotiating with vendors and restructuring debt.

But the goal is always the same:

Get financing unstuck so the farm can keep moving.

Farmers say I bring peace of mind.
Lenders say I bring order.
Both say I bring results.

If you’re tired of waiting on a bank’s timeline…
If you need someone who understands both sides…
If you need the next step, not another delay…

I’m here.

Because “no” or “not yet” shouldn’t be the reason a farm falls behind.