Bankruptcy is a federal court procedure intended to benefit both debtors and creditors if a debtor is unable to pay all obligations. Filing bankruptcy' stops, or stays, all creditor's debt-collection procedures. The stay is to prevent some creditors from receiving more than their fair share from...

Off-farm financial investments, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and certificates of deposit, can offer farmers significant opportunities for diversification. Moreover, deregulation of financial markets in the 1980s enhanced the ability of farmers to invest in these financial assets. This...