By Carolina Vargas, Ph.D., Agricultural Economist and Farm Business Management Advisor for Pinion Farmers are no strangers to change, but 2025 is shaping up to
For the food and ag sector, long-term success is often managed, in part, by building a robust sustainability strategy. And with new regional and international
Congress recently passed a $3.4 trillion fiscal package that delivers a mix of tax cuts, farm support, and biofuel incentives. Signed into law by President
In a pivotal step toward advancing their sweeping economic agenda, Senate Republicans on Monday unveiled their version of a multitrillion-dollar tax and spending package, aiming
Is your business ready for a management or leadership transition? If your operations manager resigned tomorrow, would you have a plan – or would you
After months of speculation, the U.S. House of Representatives has released a sweeping ‘proposed’ tax and spending package. The bill aims to extend and enhance
Trade disputes, funding cuts, worker shortages, and delays in tax reform and the farm bill are impacting U.S. agriculture. Each of these policies and legislative
“After more than a decade of working with farms, livestock operations and other agribusinesses, I’ve found that the most successful entities aren’t determined by geography,
Trade disputes, funding cuts, and delays in tax reform and the farm bill are negatively impacting U.S. agriculture. Each area will have both short- and
The official announcement made by President Trump on April 2 was met with a wide level of concern across many industries. Pinion advisors present a
Anyone operating a business in today’s environment is facing a horizon with a lot of uncertainty – economically and geopolitically. Manufacturing in particular has been
Please note: The following information is current as of March 13, 2025, at 10:45 a.m. CT. Pinion will continue to monitor changes and create updates.
Today’s business uncertainty, coupled with a tightening credit environment, is making it more critical than ever for businesses to approach loan renewals more strategically —
When your critical business decisions and strategies hinge upon governance from a board of directors, it becomes paramount to ensure your board is positioned to
Are you feeling it? The shift in purchasing power. The drive for transparency. The growing passion for food’s journey. While it’s true that climate change
On his first day in office, President Trump sought to make a significant display of his priorities by issuing dozens of executive actions. Executive orders
Today, there is a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for virtually everything– from revenue and yield to scrap rate and cycle time. KPIs are powerful tools
As the new year moves into full swing and we transition to a new administration, employers should prepare for increased immigration enforcement and significant changes
The IRS issued an increase in the standard mileage rates for business travel, effective January 1, 2025. While the IRS states that standard mileage rates
On December 12, 2024, President Biden signed the Federal Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2023. The law exempts from income tax qualified wildfire relief payments
As a business owner, you likely spend most of your days – and many of your nights – thinking about the daily operations of your
Whether your leadership transition is months or years away, there are crucial steps you can take now to prepare for a successful outcome. But successful
The 2024 election has brought about considerable potential for policy shifts in the food & beverage industry… with many businesses left asking, “What’s changing, and
The 2024 federal elections will have significant impacts on policies that affect U.S. food and agriculture. With election day in the rear-view mirror, it is
Cash flow management and forecasting are, and will always be, integral elements to business success. But the way manufacturers approach this is changing. Consumer buying
If you’ve previously brushed off the notion of cyber threats, it’s time to reconsider. The food and agriculture industry has just become the seventh most
There’s a critical aspect of commerce that food and beverage owners and operators cannot afford to overlook: state tax nexus. Understanding tax nexus is essential
Is your accounting system holding your business back? Maybe you’re so busy running the business that sorting through scattered financials seems more of a headache
The estate tax exemption doesn’t sunset until the end of 2025. So why worry about it now? Unfortunately, this historically high estate and gift tax
After nearly two years of rising interest rates, many farmers are tapping into their cash reserves from prosperous years to avoid taking out new loans.
Farmers need three key things for their business: the best price, the best quality, and the best service. All of these come at a cost
Congress has drafted new tax legislation that is shaping up well amongst both the House and Senate Committee leaders. The $78 billion tax agreement, introduced
The global food system is getting a green makeover. Domestically, grocery retail giants like Target and Kroger have set goals to reduce their greenhouse gas
The food industry is a highly competitive and dynamic sector that requires a deep understanding of consumer needs, market trends, and retail operations. Despite the
The beginning of the year is a great time to perform an overall financial check for your business. “We recommend that farm operations do this
The direction of future tax policies is intrinsically linked to the shifting dynamics of political power in the White House and Congress. With an election
This past July, the oldest craft brewery in the U.S. announced it will be closing its doors as a result of continually declining sales. This
As the calendar year draws to a close, many farm co-ops are also approaching their fiscal year-ends. As a co-op CEO, now is a good
Beginning January 1, 2024, the Corporate Transparency Act requires all U.S.-based entities to report to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) detailed information about the
6 in 10 Americans have a retirement account, while only 1 in 3 have an estate plan. While the majority of Americans see the importance
As a farm manager, you’ve invested in high-tech field equipment like GPS tractor systems, efficient irrigation systems and automated milking parlors to make your life
Across the U.S., farmers are feeling the pinch of a shrinking workforce. Between competition from other industries, an aging workforce population, and other factors, farmers
Ask any successful family business leader “What is your most important accomplishment?” The overwhelming response is: ‘my legacy’. And yet, only one in six have
In light of the recent cyberattack that shut down Dole’s North American production, businesses are reminded once again of the importance of cybersecurity and keeping
The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) is the leading international standard setting body for GHG accounting and reporting. In September of 2022, the GHG Protocol
In December 2022, the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity was held in Montréal with a focus
As a reminder, the 2022 tax season represents a drastic change for manufacturers who typically take research and development (R&D) tax credits. Previously, in respect
As the world strives towards a zero-carbon economy, more than 4,000 businesses worldwide have committed to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through the Science-Based Target
While most companies think of audits as an annual necessity, the vast majority typically keep to the same old standards and don’t know to ask
With the announcement by the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) of sustainability goals for the entire U.S. beef supply chain, cow-calf and feedyard operations
There are four primary cyber security measures that every business should implement to secure its network. The cycle to follow includes: identification, protection, detection, and
From Ag trade and government agencies to the farmers prepping fields for Spring planting, there is one certainty stemming from the Russian invasion of Ukraine:
Food and fiber aren’t the only commodities U.S. farmers and ranchers will bring to market in the next decade. Look for solar and wind ventures
Over the past few years, U.S. agriculture has seen more women coming back to join their family farms. “Women have realized it takes brains, not
There are some important lessons garnered from 2021’s exploratory year for growers considering carbon sequestration. Pinion’s Advisory team recommends three things you can do now
What a year it’s been for carbon markets. The subject has really taken the food and agriculture industry by storm. After many months of discussion,
No matter what the presidential outcome, there was never any question that the outlook for estate tax planning would be different in 2021. How much
After a 38-year absence, Form 1099 Nonemployee Compensation Tax has made its return in the 2020 tax year, and its January 31 deadlines are right
National food and agriculture business consulting firm K·Coe Isom, together with Mann Deshi Foundation of India, have announced a webinar series aimed to help farmers
In an effort to provide additional stimulus funding, The Consolidated Appropriations Act was signed by the President on December 27, 2020. Included in the guidance
KCoe Isom is excited to announce that sustainability advisor Lisa Becker has completed the training and testing required to become credentialed as a The Sustainability
Working on behalf of American Food & Agriculture businesses, K·Coe Isom submitted an open letter to USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue on October 28, 2020 regarding
With major disruptions accelerating the “reshoring” of manufacturing back to the U.S. – the trade war and import tariffs, and now the pandemic – the
Managing cash flow forecasting is, and will always be, integral elements to business success. But 2020 has changed the course of ‘business as usual’ for
In recent weeks, we have learned of an uptick in fraud cases for businesses who have applied for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds for coronavirus
The effects of the Coronavirus pandemic are far from over. Though most Manufacturing Companies are in the midst of a gradual return to the workplace,
Following its release of the Main Street Lending (MSL) program three weeks ago, the Federal Reserve has issued more detail on guidance, answered Frequently Asked
USDA Secretary Perdue called the January 15, 2020 China Trade Agreement a “bonanza” for U.S. ag, but it could be a while before farmers reap
With the intent to deliver practical actions to address global greenhouse gas emissions, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General’s Climate Action Summit is underway in New
While much of the “buzz” on blockchain today has focused on its uses in the cryptocurrency world, it has become a technological game-changer for the
‘Small Business Week’ prompted the IRS to publish reminders for entrepreneurs and businesses on how they can better estimate their tax situation and plan ahead.
If you’ve ever sent or received a text or an email, then you understand the effects that the perceived tone can have on how the
It’s inevitable. One day, you will step down from running your business. The timing and transition for when and to whom you relinquish control are
As a business owner or high-level manager, you have the enormous power to effect change in behavior patterns – for both the individuals and groups
Established within the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the new Opportunity Zone legislation was created to develop economically-distressed communities across the United States
The IRS issued an increase in the standard mileage rates for business travel, effective January 1, 2019, under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of
While there tends to be focus on the larger line items resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, there are some lesser-known
Opportunities Available to Reduce Income Tax Liabilities for Craft Brewers Tax reform has created ample changes for businesses, as well as confusion in the craft
Earlier this summer, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its opinion in South Dakota v. Wayfair, stating that a physical presence is no longer required to
The most current information for 2021 meal and entertainment deduction for tax returns is available here. On October 3, the IRS issued a new guidance
Recent national cybercrime headlines: “Cybercriminals Obtain Employee Credentials to Conduct Payroll Diversion” “Business Email Compromises Business Data” “Increase in W-2 Phishing Campaigns” Imagine if you
In an age of skilled labor shortages and tight profit margins, the expenditure on HR Outsourcing might not be top of mind for many companies.
The United States has instigated an aggressive global trade war that is escalating and directly harming many U.S. agricultural producers by driving up the costs
The new provisions for 2018 have changed a multitude of tax deductions, exemptions, rates and brackets. Now that the fanfare around the ‘first tax reform
Here’s an update to the following blog that you may be interested in: Tax Update: Entertainment Clarified Businesses of all sizes and across all industries
Following a visit in May to China, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney is currently finishing
The Senate Agriculture Committee is moving forward with the 2018 Farm Bill Revival in a reportedly ‘bipartisan’ fashion and has released its draft of the
Traditionally thought to be grown primarily in the Pacific Northwest (Oregon, Washington, and Idaho), U.S. hops production has taken on a strong presence in California
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is exploring new business connections in southern China. Through a trade mission scheduled for May 21-25, 2018, Secretary for Trade
Will the Farm Bill Pass in the House? In a continued effort to secure support for the farm bill, set to expire in September, House
