Dennis Gardiner, Gardiner + Company, CPAs Managing Partner Partners Mark Gardiner, Greg Cargin and myself attended the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives Annual Meeting / Legal, Tax and Accounting Conference last week in Orlando.  We learned about key issues facing co-ops and their members.  USDA Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack was the keynote speaker to...

Dennis Gardiner, CPA, Managing Partner In reviewing the patronage allocations for a number of our clients, I noted plenty of non-member business in certain divisions of the cooperative. Grain and agronomy have higher member business percentages, while feed and energy are typically the lower member business percentages. Feed is usually a function of business done...

Since DPAD/Section 199, now Section 199A(g), began in 2007, cooperatives have been building up significant increases in retained earnings and permanent capital. Additionally, bonus depreciation has been an available tax deduction for use for many years recently. As these deductions were being used, members have received a lesser percentage of the patronage-sourced (allocable) earnings. Percentages...

By Mark A. Rodruck, CPA, Partner What does 2023 have in store for the industry and our clients? The following is a short list of potential circumstances that all will be facing when making decisions for your company. Inflation, recession, supply chain disruption, high labor costs, increased interest rates and transportation bottlenecks all pose threats...

Jim English, CPA, Partner WOW – 2022 was a wild ride! It all started in the fall of 2021 as grain prices continued to rise along with record increases in dry fertilizer and nitrogen prices. Those that could stay ahead of the rising prices saw unprecedented agronomy margins in 2022, or as one manager called...

As the world strives toward carbon neutrality, equity and inclusion, and responsible governance through the  pursuit of Environment, Social, & Governance (ESG) initiatives, it’s not just global corporations who will be taking on these challenges. A significant effort will come from small and mid-size organizations embracing this process, including the up- and down-stream supply lines...