Agriculture is undergoing fundamental changes that will have a profound impact on agricultural finance. A mature agricultural debt market, in combination with tighter profit margins, changes in the structure of banking, the growing involvement of non-traditional lenders, and the increasing use of sophisticated pricing procedures have resulted in a highly competitive lending market. The results of a survey of agricultural bankers in the Midwest on strategic issues such as future competitiveness, factors important for maintaining customer loyalty, and the role of new products and services in building customer relationships are presented.
