Pub. 6 2017 Issue 3

l e a d i n g a d v o c a t e f o r t h e b a n k i n g i n d u s t r y i n k a n s a s 6 2017 KBA KANSAS AG BANKERS CONFERENCE T HE KANSAS AG BANK DIVISION moved their 2017 conference from the Kansas State University Alumni Center to the Hilton Garden Inn to accommodate over 320 registered attendees plus a small tradeshow. The conference took place just two days after the devastating wildfires that swept through 21 counties and burned over 700,000 acres in southwestern and south-central part of the state. Several Kansas bankers were unable to attend the conference because they stayed back to assist with the monumental losses in their communities. The KAB Division Board of Directors pledged $10,000 for the relief effort and the KBA participated in a campaign to encourage member banks to participate in the relief effort as well. As the ag industry faces its toughest times since the 1980s, bankers are looking for information that will help everyone through the current cycle. For many years now, Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus from Virginia Tech University, has provided reliable training that the ag industry has come to rely on. Dr. Kohl explained that when the bottom third of producers make money the result is oversupply, which drives prices down even though costs remain high. He covered the impact of NAFTA and TPP trade deals and discussed global economics that contribute to the current trends. Professor Kohl spent considerable time discussing the value of using monthly /quarterly variance analysis and other budgeting tools that help to lower costs. He also advised that producers need to get better before they get bigger if they want to survive. An ag producers panel was moderated by Darrell Holaday, Advanced Market Concepts. The panel was made up of Kansas producers and included: Dave Sprigg, D & C Cattle in Norton; David Clawson, The Clawson Ranch Partnership in The Pioneer Award is given to a banker who exemplifies the best in agricultural lending by continually bringing credit to his/her profession and the entire agricultural banking community. The 2017 recipient is Charles I. “Cy” Moyer, Chairman of the Board with First National Bank and Trust in Phillipsburg, Kansas. Pictured left to right are KAB President Marvin Anliker, American State Bank & Trust Co. in Garden City, Cy Moyer, Mrs. Moyer, and KBA Chairman Jim Hoskins, Baxter State Bank, Baxter Springs. Englewood; and Josh Lloyd, Lloyd Farms, Inc. in Oak Hill. They discussed the effects of high- yield and low-priced commodities, the effect of immigration policy on Kansas producers and cow/calf herd management. There was some discussion over trade policy and the unintended consequences on exports. The Kansas Ag Bankers Annual Meeting is conducted during their conference each year. The meeting was led by KAB President Marvin Anliker, American State Bank & Trust Co. in Garden City. The Pioneer Award was presented to Charles I. “Cy” Moyer, Chairman of the Board with First National Bank and Trust in Phillipsburg, Kansas. This award was established to highlight the important role of today’s agricultural lender by annually recognizing a banker who exemplifies the best in agricultural lending by continually bringing credit to his/her profession and the entire agricultural banking community. Following the nominating process, Mike Waldman, Community National Bank & Trust in Iola, was inducted as the new KBA Kansas Ag Bankers Division President. A regulator panel was moderated by Shan Hanes, President and CEO of First National Bank of Elkhart. The panel included: Mike Jackson, West Regional Manager, OSBC; Keith Osborne, National Bank Examiner, OCC; and Gary Storck, Senior Examiner, FDIC. Topics discussed included regulator treatment of carryover debt, marketing and risk management practices and other examination topics. A highlighted speaker for the 2017 conference was Kris “Tanto” Paronto, 2012 survivor of the Benghazi attacks on the anniversary of 9/11. Tanto was one of the security contractors depicted in the film “13 Hours” that told the story of the attacks. They resulted in the deaths of four Americans, including U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens. The talk entailed an insider’s account of the attacks and described the events as the day transpired. Tanto indicated that during crisis situations, leadership often comes from the bottom up rather than the top down. Randy Blach, CattleFax, discussed the need for good risk management practices but is more