Dr. David Kohl, Ph.D.

Dr. Kohl’s extensive travel and work experiences with a wide range of groups including ag producers, agribusinesses, lenders and corporate board members give him a unique pulse on trends that will impact the landscape of agriculture.  Whether it is changing consumer trends, dietary trends, technology and productivity, global issues, international trade or the transition from baby boomers to millennials and generation Z, or the urbanization of global populations, this session is designed to link the global perspectives down to the business level.  There is an old saying, “think globally, but act locally” which is critical for the proactive business person attempting to gain a strategic advantage.  

The agricultural economic down turn is in the seventh year and counting.  Razor thin margins combined with increased volatility is the economic environment that most in the industry are facing.  The result is massive changes in the structure of agriculture and rural communities.  What is the state of the trade agreements and the short and long-term implications to the bottom line?  Where are interest rates, land values, and food trends leading the industry?  How can one adjust strategies and tactics to cope and survive in this environment? One must have the business intelligence and street smarts to be successful.  This session will discuss the assessment of management IQ that often places one in the top third or bottom third of profitability.  What are the financial and business management characteristics that one must focus on in planning, strategizing, executing and monitoring for 2019 and beyond? 

Previous generations were required to manage volatility, yet global and domestic economic forces have moved the bar to volatility in the extremes.  This will create more opportunity in the decade ahead than the past half-century; however, if not managed properly, it can create a high probability of failure. Join this energizing session and take a walk around economic trends followed by their implications to your organization, business, and personal endeavors.  Regardless of the cycle, if managed well and proactively, then you will be on the positive end of the profit spectrum. Be sure to attend this information-packed, high energy session presented by Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus, Department of Agriculture and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech.     

Dr. Dave provides key viewpoints from his travels on the road throughout the U.S. and globally.  He will share his knowledge of global economic trends and the state of the U.S. economy.  This session is designed for groups and individuals to critically think about how events around the world and in the U.S. are impacting their business’ bottom lines and the future of the industry.

On the road ahead, the good doctor will draw upon his decades of experience as an educator and business person to present common financial and business practices that will proactively position your business or customer regardless of the economic cycle.  This session is very versatile for a wide range of groups including lenders, producers, agribusiness owners and even students, with nuggets for each regardless of age, size of business, background or experience.     

The economic reset in agriculture is placing a premium on those that are taking care of business.  This session is designed to contrast the best management characteristics of the top 40% of profitability compared to the bottom 30% of producers.  Through Dr. Kohl’s lifelong experiences from academics to interaction with lenders, producers, agribusiness owners and policymakers, this straightforward session identifies the financial management and risk management factors that place the business in the upper echelon of profits and sustainability.  Business owners and lenders will often use the financial benchmarks and best management practices as a guide in business and lending decisions whether is a startup business or one in growth or transition.  Come energize your business thinking with some practical tips and techniques that stand the test of time.

Now into the seventh year of the agricultural economic reset, varying degrees of financial stress are emerging in many agricultural sectors.  What is around the corner and down the road concerning the global and domestic economy, land values, cash rents, and the overall bottom line?  This session will examine both the short run and long-run economic and financial picture.  What are the adjustments producers and lenders must make to position for success?  A new look at burn rate, not only on working capital, but also on core land equity, will be provided along with trends that will impact the industry now and by 2030.  Come with your questions to this high energy session that will get you prepared for one of the most critical periods in agriculture.      

The mega trends/global economics presentations above are continuously updated and will be customized for your group.  

THE STATE OF AGRICULTURE & AG LENDING

Now into the seventh year of the agricultural economic reset, varying degrees of financial stress are emerging in many agricultural sectors.  The topics of discussion for lenders, loan review committees and board members focus on which customers to refinance or restructure as well as how to help those customers that need to grow and capitalize on the economic environment.

This session will provide a view of the state of agriculture and new emerging trends that will impact your customers’ balance sheets and income statements, and the overall portfolio. 

A special emphasis will be placed on offensive and defensive strategies on working capital burn rates and core equity burn rates which can influence the resilience and agility of the customer.  Discussion of a customer’s one-page recovery plan along with key financial and non-financial metrics of customer quadrants will be presented. Dr. Kohl will end the session with a question and answer period of some of the most commonly asked questions to engage the audience.   

Connecting the Dots 

The agricultural reset appears to be elongated with uncertainty around every corner and concern of when it will end.  A domestic and global overview will provide perspective concerning the factors and transformative trends influencing customers’ financials and lenders’ portfolios.  There will be discussion on credit risk and what is an acceptable burn rate on working capital and core equity.  Dr. Kohl will connect these dots to make sense of the many factors affecting ag lending today. Get ready for an engaging session with questions and answers to conclude the session.  

Credit Risk 2019 and Beyond: Answers to Critical Questions 

Managing agricultural credit risk and opportunities requires practices that stand the test of time regardless of the economic cycle. What are the top credit risks lenders are seeing around the corner given today’s lending environment?  How can lenders determine which agricultural borrowers will be sound credits and those that offer opportunity for growth, versus those that will add risk to the portfolio?  Find out the characteristics of successful agricultural lenders as well. You won’t want to miss this informative session.

Credit Training- 1-2 Day School:  The Latest and Greatest Financial and Credit Analysis Topics

This is specifically designed for ag lenders who want to sharpen their skill base concerning ag lending and can be customized for beginner to experienced lenders.  This session has been developed by one of the leading experts in the area of agricultural credit.  It is specifically designed for current times and the challenges facing agriculture and ag lending.  Dr. Dave Kohl, Professor Emeritus at Virginia Tech, has been conducting training for over thirty years in the area of agricultural finance.  As a facilitator of the United States Farm Financial Standards Taskforce, he was instrumental in the development of key financial standards and methods in analyzing agricultural financial statements. 

The principles and techniques of credit analysis are evolving as economic cycles and the structure of agriculture creates different areas for success.  The macro economic factors will kick-off the presentation followed by thoughts and perspectives on financial and credit analysis as well as the risks in agricultural lending. 

Next, there will be discussion on critical data points in financial benchmarking along the economic cycle spectrum, including the characteristics of the 40% of proactive producers who thrive versus the bottom 30% of producers who struggle. 

The latest and greatest concerning the importance of a balanced approach to agricultural lending including burn rate perspectives on working capital, core equity and factors that can impact these important variables will be presented. 

There will be a side-by-side financial dashboard included that lenders can utilize while working with customers along with a ”Sixth C” scorecard that can assist in objectivity while analyzing the customer’s management habits.  In seeking balance in the lending equation, the ten commandments of the good, bad, and ugly character traits, or the soft side of lending, will be illustrated. 

Of course, the one-page customer driven recovery or financial plan will be discussed along with tips and techniques for identifying and working with stressed credits.  As well as the Six C’s of Lending that can effectively position your institution for the next decade of ag lending.  

Dr. Kohl will use case studies to help illustrate these points and bring these concepts to life.