Despite the difficulty experienced in financial markets in the last few years, agriculture has served as an economic bright spot. Not to say serious volatility hasn't posed challenges, but the sector overall remains an attractive prospect for banks. "It's an interesting time for agriculture. Financial resources have to be managed relatively well and there are many opportunities out there," says David Oppedahl, business economist with the Federal* Reserve Bank of Chicago, noting that repayment rates are rising and banks have been seeing fewer renewals or extensions. "Overall, it's a better financial climate than it was a year ago."
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