This week is a great time to bring up the awkward topic of what will happen to the farm.  The family's together.  The presents are opened.  It's snowing.  So sit around and talk about what each of you wants for your future.  And if you can't get started, listen to this cheesy interview with Water Street's David Dam and Dewey Nelson from KRVN to jump start your thinking.   Legacy Planning and the Holidays Dam AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Legacy Planning and the Holidays

Here's something you might have asked Santa for....that could REALLY impact the ability to succeed on your farm.  Better communication skills.  Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions talks about this in his weekly Finance First post on www.farmfutures.com.  Read it HERE.

If you'd like to see this session on Conflict Management on the Farm, Laurie Richards is presenting it again at our Ag Edge meetings in Peoria, IL and Indianapolis, IN.  Check the schedule and sign up HERE.

Merry Christmas to you!  Today Water Street Solutions Senior Market Analyst Arlan Suderman discusses the fundamental factors in the market with farm broadcaster John Jenkinson.   Arlan Tuesday December 25 2012 945am report

Invest in yourself this winter through learning and working on your business skills.  Join us for a unique learning opportunity at the Ag Edge Farm Business Seminar.  Gain new insights from speakers.  Sharpen your business and management skills.  Network with other like-minded farmers.

The hotel reservation deadline for Ag Edge in Peoria, Illinois is quickly approaching - December 26th. The deadline to register for the seminar is January 7th.  Click here to learn more about this winter's Ag Edge seminars and register online to take your farm business to the next level.

Have you thought about the value of your farm estate?  What about the current value of it, with the large increases that we've seen in land prices?  It's important to think about that as you're making your legacy plans.  Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions talks through the issue with Dewey Nelson from KRVN.   Land Prices and the Impact on Your Estate Plan Frye AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Land Prices and the Impact on Your Estate Plan

With the holidays coming, chances are you'll be spending quite a bit of time with family.  In farm families, relationships can get a little more complicated when the talk turns to legacy planning.  Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions, talks about how the greatest gift this year is keeping peace in the family with a plan that addresses fairness - toward on- and off-farm siblings - in this week's Finance First post on www.farmfutures.com.  Read the article HERE.

Building trust with other people is key as we grow and build our farm businesses - but it can be challenging, especially when we're working with new people.  This month, Dean Heffta, Senior Director of Development at Water Street Solutions, talks about some ways to approach these challenges in his Profits column in Corn and Soybean Digest.  Read it HERE.

For many farmers this year, whether or not they excluded the harvest price made a big difference in terms of the crop insurance payout they received, with the drought. You want to understand what's going to be best for your operation when you're choosing crop insurance coverage, especially if you use it in conjunction with your marketing plan. This month in Money Matters in Illinois AgriNews, Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions talks about some things to consider when you're looking at crop insurance as a way to reduce your risk.

ILAgrinews_2012_December_Crop insurance there to reduce marketing risk

We're all watching the auctions for farmland and wondering how much longer that per acre number can continue to increase.  Maybe you have extra cash from some good years and are wondering if this is a good investment.  Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions talks about it this week with Dewey Nelson from KRVN.  Are High Land Prices Sustainable - Frye AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Are High Land Prices Sustainable?

Do you know the full value of your estate?  High land prices can impact that value and change your strategy for how to keep the farm in the family.  Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions, talks about how high land prices can impact your estate plan in this week's Finance First post on www.farmfutures.com.  Read the article HERE.