The ABA Blanchfield Award, named in honor of former senior vice president of ABA’s Center for Agricultural and Rural Banking John Blanchfield, recognizes the contributions of a non-banker who has made significant additions to the advancement of agricultural lending.
This year’s recipient, Robert Craven, is an experienced ag economist with the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota.
“I’m surprised, honored and humbled to receive this award,” said Craven. “Educators that have won this in the past have all been folks I’ve looked up to during my career.”
Craven’s career first kickstarted when ABA, the University of Minnesota and community banks in the state provided funds and hired him to test computerized credit analysis systems which eventually became FINPACK. His connection to ABA continued to grow, and he has now presented at ABA’s National Agricultural Bankers Conference for more than 20 years.
Craven, who has been employed at University of Minnesota for 41 years, has been part of the Center for Farm Financial Management since its start and served 22 years as its director. In 2000, he co-founded the national schools for beginning and experienced agriculture bankers that he currently co-leads with the South Dakota Bankers Association. He was also an instructor for over 15 years at the Midwest Banking Institute.
With a background in economics and agriculture, Craven predicts a bumpy road ahead, but believes the industry is in a good position to handle it.
“Since we're coming out of a high profitability period for agriculture, the next few years are going to be a little more difficult in terms of profitability, especially within livestock,” said Craven. “I think the industry has good liquidity and it should be able to get through it okay.”
Raised on a Southwestern Minnesota farm, Craven has always had a natural affinity for agriculture. Passed down from his grandparents to his father to him, Craven runs a soybean and corn farm. He drives nearly three hours from his home in St. Paul, to Jackson, Minn. to tend to the land during planting and harvest seasons every year. But he doesn’t do it alone. Craven, a father of one son, also has two sisters, a nephew and an 86-year-old mother who get involved during harvest.
“I’m most proud of having a really satisfying career serving agriculture and the people in that industry,” said Craven.
Outside of the farm, Craven enjoys traveling and hiking. He began working half time with his role at the University of Minnesota beginning this past summer, and plans to use the free time to focus on traveling with his spouse. It will also mean a little more time at the farm where he plans to farm for a number of more years.