Agronomic Insights, Seed
How SECURE Financing Puts Agronomic Decisions First
When disease pressure hits mid-season or an unexpected pest moves in, the window to respond is narrow. The growers who can act quickly, based on what the crop needs rather than what the budget allows, are the ones who protect their yield. That’s the principle behind SECURE™ financing from WinField United. It’s not just a loan service. It’s a strategic agronomic tool designed to make sure capital is available when and where it matters most.
At the same time, many growers are understandably protective of their liquidity. Cash on hand matters when equipment breaks down unexpectedly or when an unplanned expense surfaces mid-season. Protecting liquidity means making decisions that benefit the current financial situation but may not be what's best for the operation long-term. You should be able to sell when market conditions are right and make purchasing decisions based on agronomic factors without forcing one to drive the other.
1. Market volatility
Markets have been unpredictable, and market timing is harder to plan around than it used to be. If your input purchases are tied to your sales, you’re essentially letting the grain market drive your agronomic calendar. Purchasing and agronomic decisions should operate independently.
2. Interest rates
Rates have come down some, but even a small difference in rate matters when you’re talking about the scale of input costs today. Interest expense has a real impact on the bottom line, so if there are opportunities to capture lower interest rates through early-order programs or prepay windows, that’s worth paying attention to.
3. Cash flow
When you can repay your loan after harvest and even have flexibility around which side of the calendar year that falls on, it opens up options that a more rigid repayment structure doesn’t give you.
4. Agronomic risk management
When a field problem surfaces in season, the financing should make it easier to respond, not harder. Capital needs to be available when and where the crop needs it, not based on a particular month’s cash flow.
One thing growers appreciate most is that SECURE financing lets them participate in early-order and prepay programs without sacrificing their liquidity to do it. You can lock in pricing to capture those early cash discounts and still finance the purchase.
Repayment is structured after harvest, typically due in February following the crop year. That gives you time to align repayment with your grain marketing and your tax planning, rather than being forced into a timeline that doesn’t work for your operation.
A grower who has SECURE financing already established can make that call based on what the scouting data says and what the crop needs. A grower who still needs to arrange financing or wait on a bank appointment may miss the window entirely.
Having financing in place removes the friction from in-season decision-making. It means the agronomic call gets made on agronomic terms, not financial ones.
Terry Aukes of Aukes Family Farms in Larchwood, Iowa, made an important agronomic decision last year with the help of SECURE financing. In a challenging economic year, cutting crop protection might have seemed appealing on paper. But Southern rust hit their crop hard and, by opting to keep their crop inputs due to SECURE financing’s competitive interest rates, they were able to make the investment and protect their corn yields from disease.
If you’re interested in enrolling in SECURE financing next year, contact your local WinField United retailer to get started.
All photos are either the property of WinField United or used with permission.
© 2026 WinField United. Important: Before use always read and follow label instructions. Crop performance is dependent on several factors many of which are beyond the control of WinField United, including without limitation, soil type, pest pressures, agronomic practices and weather conditions. Growers are encouraged to consider data from multiple locations, over multiple years and to be mindful of how such agronomic conditions could impact results. SECURE and WinField are trademarks of WinField United. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
This Season Looks Different
The financial landscape for agriculture has had a major shift in recent years, and this season is no exception. Traditional lenders have grown more cautious, and many operations are having to navigate a more restrictive lending environment than they've experienced in the past.At the same time, many growers are understandably protective of their liquidity. Cash on hand matters when equipment breaks down unexpectedly or when an unplanned expense surfaces mid-season. Protecting liquidity means making decisions that benefit the current financial situation but may not be what's best for the operation long-term. You should be able to sell when market conditions are right and make purchasing decisions based on agronomic factors without forcing one to drive the other.
Four Factors to Think About When Choosing a Financing Plan
In today’s environment, a financing plan should do more than cover a purchase. It should be built around how a farm actually operates. There are four key factors worth evaluating when selecting a financing approach.1. Market volatility
Markets have been unpredictable, and market timing is harder to plan around than it used to be. If your input purchases are tied to your sales, you’re essentially letting the grain market drive your agronomic calendar. Purchasing and agronomic decisions should operate independently.
2. Interest rates
Rates have come down some, but even a small difference in rate matters when you’re talking about the scale of input costs today. Interest expense has a real impact on the bottom line, so if there are opportunities to capture lower interest rates through early-order programs or prepay windows, that’s worth paying attention to.
3. Cash flow
When you can repay your loan after harvest and even have flexibility around which side of the calendar year that falls on, it opens up options that a more rigid repayment structure doesn’t give you.
4. Agronomic risk management
When a field problem surfaces in season, the financing should make it easier to respond, not harder. Capital needs to be available when and where the crop needs it, not based on a particular month’s cash flow.
What SECURE Financing Offers
SECURE offers competitive fixed-rate financing, and depending on the product, timing and program, there may be special low-interest and even zero-percent options. Talk to your local retailer to see what programs are available in your area.One thing growers appreciate most is that SECURE financing lets them participate in early-order and prepay programs without sacrificing their liquidity to do it. You can lock in pricing to capture those early cash discounts and still finance the purchase.
Repayment is structured after harvest, typically due in February following the crop year. That gives you time to align repayment with your grain marketing and your tax planning, rather than being forced into a timeline that doesn’t work for your operation.
Let Agronomics Make the Call, Not Cash Flow
Disease pressure, insect pressure, weed escapes and weather challenges don’t follow a predictable schedule. When they show up, the response window is narrow. Fungicide applications, which happen later in the season, are often among the more significant per-acre input costs. And the timing of application is critical — missing the optimal application window by even a week or two can translate directly into yield loss and missed return on investment.A grower who has SECURE financing already established can make that call based on what the scouting data says and what the crop needs. A grower who still needs to arrange financing or wait on a bank appointment may miss the window entirely.
Having financing in place removes the friction from in-season decision-making. It means the agronomic call gets made on agronomic terms, not financial ones.
Terry Aukes of Aukes Family Farms in Larchwood, Iowa, made an important agronomic decision last year with the help of SECURE financing. In a challenging economic year, cutting crop protection might have seemed appealing on paper. But Southern rust hit their crop hard and, by opting to keep their crop inputs due to SECURE financing’s competitive interest rates, they were able to make the investment and protect their corn yields from disease.
The Bottom Line
SECURE financing from WinField United is built around a straightforward premise: Growers should be able to make the right agronomic decision at the right time, without cash flow getting in the way. When financing is structured around how agriculture actually operates, it greatly changes what growers are able to do in season.If you’re interested in enrolling in SECURE financing next year, contact your local WinField United retailer to get started.
All photos are either the property of WinField United or used with permission.
© 2026 WinField United. Important: Before use always read and follow label instructions. Crop performance is dependent on several factors many of which are beyond the control of WinField United, including without limitation, soil type, pest pressures, agronomic practices and weather conditions. Growers are encouraged to consider data from multiple locations, over multiple years and to be mindful of how such agronomic conditions could impact results. SECURE and WinField are trademarks of WinField United. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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