Agriculture Finance and The Future of Farming

In this episode of Actualizing Success, we delve into the dynamic and often underserved agricultural finance market. Our experts from Actualize Consulting—Partner Matt Seu, Director John Pomeranski, Senior Manager Jon Cooper, and Senior Consultant Caroline Pickering—share their extensive experience and insights into this crucial sector. The conversation looks at the intricacies of the Farm Credit System and its pivotal role in supporting farmers, ranchers, and rural communities through a network of borrower-owned financial institutions. They explore how entities like the USDA and Farmer Mac interconnect within this ecosystem and examine the challenges of market fragmentation and the diverse needs of agricultural financing. With a focus on innovation and the increasing relevance of younger generations in agriculture, this episode highlights opportunities for growth and improvement in ag finance, emphasizing Actualize Consulting’s commitment to making significant strides in the ag finance market.

Listen to learn more about:

• The structure and purpose of the Farm Credit System
• The role of the USDA and Farmer Mac in agricultural finance
• Specific challenges within the ag finance market, including fragmentation and varying lending needs
• Opportunities for innovation in the sector
• The impact of an aging workforce and outreach initiatives for young farmers  

 About Matt Seu 

• Matt is a Partner at Actualize Consulting, managing the Mortgage & Fixed Income practice. With three decades of experience in the mortgage industry, Matt is a wealth of information and a true thought leader committed to moving the industry forward through digital transformation and standardizing how the mortgage industry communicates. Matt is a two-time winner of MISMO's prestigious Outstanding Contribution Award and the 2023 Industry Titans Award.  
• Email: mseu@actualizeconsulting.com  

About John Pomaranski: 

• John is a Director at Actualize Consulting with over 19 years of experience. His expertise includes project management, business requirements, and UAT for accounting system implementations. He specializes in financial system implementations, mortgage loan accounting and communication, and software development life cycle standards. He is a member of MISMO’s Community of Practice. 
• Email: jpomaranski@actualizeconsulting.com  

About Jon Cooper  

• Jon is a Senior Manager at Actualize Consulting with extensive experience in requirements analysis, project management, process modeling/redesign, and systems conversions. He has in-depth knowledge of the mortgage industry from originations through Servicing, Securitization, and REO/default management.  
• Email: jcooper@actualizeconsulting.com  

About Caroline Pickering:

• Caroline is a Senior Consultant at Actualize Consulting with a strong track record in digital transformation, project management, and process optimization. She has experience in rural lending, affordable housing, and loan origination. With experience managing risk logs and defect reporting, Caroline effectively oversees cross-functional teams to resolve issues and ensure project success. 
• Email: cpickering@actualizeconsulting.com 

Get in touch with Actualize at www.actualizeconsulting.com. If you have any questions, comments, or would like to collaborate on a future episode, contact us at podcast@actualizeconsulting.com.