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The Rancher’s Guide to FSA Programs: Cash, Rules & Real Advantages [episode 78]


header graphic The Rancher’s Guide to FSA Programs: Cash, Rules & Real Advantages [episode 78]

Listen to The Rancher’s Guide to FSA Programs: Cash, Rules & Real Advantages on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Your platform of choice  



Most ranchers know the Farm Service Agency exists, but few fully understand the programs, payments, and opportunities available to them. In this episode, John sits down with two former FSA employees, Kailee Butterfield and Micayla Giffin, to break down how these programs really work and how ranchers can use them as practical management tools rather than confusing government paperwork.


Kailee and Micayla explain why participating in FSA programs can create a real competitive advantage, how deadlines and rules actually function at the county level, and what ranchers need to know before signing up for contracts or disaster programs. They walk through common challenges, what producers can realistically expect, and how to build a productive relationship with your local office. 


This conversation is a grounded, honest guide to how FSA programs fit into a profitable operation and how to use them wisely without relying on them to save the ranch.


In this episode, The Rancher’s Guide to FSA Programs: Cash, Rules & Real Advantages, we cover: 

  • Why participating in FSA programs can create a real competitive advantage

  • The major categories of programs ranchers should know about

  • How FSA loans work and when they make sense for new or growing operations

  • Common challenges producers face and how to navigate confusing rules

  • How deadlines, paperwork, and county office differences really work

  • Practical tips for staying informed and building strong relationships with staff


Meet Kailee Butterfield:

Kailee grew up in eastern Nebraska in an agricultural community ruled by corn and soybeans. She spent summers on her grandparents' ranch in the Sandhills and fell in love with ranching. Kailee and her husband, Buck, live on a ranch south of Chadron, Nebraska, where he works, and they have a few cows of their own. Kailee graduated from Chadron State College with a bachelor's in Rangeland Management with a Livestock option, and a minor in Agribusiness. In her spare time, Kailee loves riding and showing her horses. She also loves all things western art, helping with work on the ranch, her flock of chickens, and is enjoying the building phase of her and her husband's ranching enterprise dreams.


Meet Micayla Giffin:

Micayla grew up on a small farm in Southeast Missouri before moving to Northwest Tennessee to earn a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the University of Tennessee at Martin. Following her graduation in 2016, Micayla worked for nine years with the USDA Farm Service Agency as a Loan Officer, Loan Analyst, and Support Specialist. She worked with farms and ranches of all types and sizes, witnessing some fail, many just get by, and a few create thriving businesses. This experience emphasized the importance of financial literacy and fueled her desire to explore the principles behind building great businesses. Today, Micayla and her husband, Derek, along with their two sons, live and farm in Union City, Tennessee. They grow corn, soybeans, and cover crops, and graze cattle on perennial pasture and covers. They have enjoyed learning how row crops, cover crops, and cattle can work together, and they hope to find new ways to improve the land and their business going forward.​

  

Resources & Links: 


Connect with Kailee:


Connect with Micayla:


Connect with Ranch Right, LLC: 


Related Episodes:

 

More about the Ranchonomics podcast:  

Welcome to Ranchonomics, where we empower you to build a better ranch and transform your operation into a thriving business. This podcast is brought to you by Ranch Right LLC, and together we will look at essential strategies, mindsets, and processes needed to take command of your financials and master the business metrics that make all the difference. If you are ready to start winning at ranching, then you are in the right spot. 


With each episode of Ranchonomics, you will hear inspiring success stories, gain simple yet powerful financial literacy tips, and listen to insightful interviews with industry experts and real-life practitioners. 


Whether you are a seasoned rancher or just starting out, we believe that managing a ranch shouldn't mean drowning in paperwork or missing out on valuable opportunities. Our mission is to help you see the link between your daily ranching operations and your financials that allow you to go from chaos to clarity and achieve your goals. 


Join us as we explore the intersection of ranching and finance, helping you understand your numbers and make informed decisions that propel your business forward. 

Subscribe now and start your path to a more profitable, less stressful ranching experience with Ranchonomics. It's time to harness the full potential of your operation. 

 

Make sure to hit subscribe/follow so you never miss an episode! 

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