Preparing for 2026 with Blake Swindle, EVP AgHeritage
The 2026 lending season is coming fast, and for a lot of row crop farmers, the numbers aren’t penciling out to show any profit. That’s not just a gut feeling, it’s economic reality. Interest rates are high, inputs are still expensive, and a lot of folks are carrying more debt than they were just a few years ago. I sat down with Blake Swindle, Executive VP and COO of AgHeritage FarmCredit Services, to get real about what that means for farm families right now.
Here’s the truth: no matter what the markets do, we’ve got to control what we can. That means knowing your break-even, making your numbers make sense, and having a plan—before you walk into that loan meeting. Blake broke it down plain and simple: you can’t afford to wing it in this environment.
Row crop economics are tighter than they’ve been in a while, and the old habit of hoping for a better market come harvest just doesn’t cut it anymore. You need a marketing plan and, most importantly, the discipline to stick with it. That’s not easy, especially when your gut is telling you something different than your spreadsheet. But as Blake put it, “Have a plan and work that plan.”
We also talked about the other side of all this, the mental toll. The pressure to make it work, the fear of letting the farm or your family down, the silence around financial stress. Blake didn’t dodge it. He named it. And I’ll say it again here: it’s okay to not feel okay about it. What matters is that you don’t carry it alone. Whether it’s a banker, a neighbor, or a counselor—talk to somebody.
Farm Credit has a big role to play in supporting producers, and not just with dollars and cents. Advocacy matters. Policy matters. Representation matters. When lending institutions understand the boots-on-the-ground reality, they’re better positioned to fight for the tools we need to keep farming.
So, as we look forward to 2026, don’t just brace for the storm, prepare for it. Run your numbers. Ask questions. Talk to your lender early. Be honest about where you stand. This economy is tough, but you’re tougher. Let’s keep telling the story.
And if you missed the episode, go give it a listen. There’s something in there for everybody who’s ever worried about how to pay for seed and sleep in the same week.
🍎 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/preparing-for-2026-with-blake-swindle-evp-agheritage/id1795513436?i=1000731183537
💚 https://open.spotify.com/episode/6EDxpxTcyjUNhN478JrHAQ?si=5eIGLbDxRmOBAx_3rr3quQ
🍎 https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/preparing-for-2026-with-blake-swindle-evp-agheritage/id1795513436?i=1000731183537
💚 https://open.spotify.com/episode/6EDxpxTcyjUNhN478JrHAQ?si=5eIGLbDxRmOBAx_3rr3quQ