Our Story
Why does Range & Livestock Insurance Exist?
Thousands of Ranches and Livestock operations are going out of business every year, some of them being multi-generational.
Families are going deeper and deeper in debt every single year.
The stress of the business is having a massive negative impact on families.
Men and women are spinning their wheels year after year working 70+ hours per week while putting no money in their bank account and sacrificing valuable time with their family at home.
Ranchers and Livestock owners are burning out and Generational Ranches are disappearing daily.
Who is Shawn "Tater" Erickson?
I’m a married man. The image below is of my wife, Erlonna, and I.
We’ve been married since 2001 and have three awesome kids we are blessed to raise.
I'm a Family Man
Just like you, there isn’t anything I would not do to bring my children a happy life filled with experiences.
I care about my family deeply and everything I do in my life is for them at the end of the day.
My Story: I climbed the corporate ladder and chased the brass ring but at what cost?
I grew up the son of a successful ag entrepreneur it had a cost though which pushed me to corporate world.
My dad started one of the first consignment only ag machinery lots in the Northern Plains. He started from a position of necessity and need in the ag community. He developed a solid business and filled a niche market.
My dad was my hero and spiritual leader. He overcame many detrimental issues in life to rise to his success.
Despite his success and his determination to be a better man, the stories that he told himself cost him his life.
I wasn't going to live the illusion of being my own boss. I was going to be the family man God intended me to be. It all came crashing down in 2018. I was downsized in a big corporate merger. It allowed me the chance to evaluate how much I was chasing the corporations vision. I was not being here for my family and my community.
My Experience in Range Chemicals, Seed, and Nutrition
In 2000, I started my career in Agronomy sales and continued to move to the Range and Livestock side of the input bussiness.
My career has taken me to Russia to help set up the first purebred angus ranch. I have been to India to learn about leadership, agriculture, and myself. I was blessed to a part on National Ag Aviation Association.
I have had so many great opportunities in my career but none have been as powerful as coming home. I live for my family and community.
Risk and very nature of the livestock industry has always pulled on me. The cowboy way is to be scared to death but saddle up anyway. I have seen so many people who seek the assurance of future to carry on in the livestock industry. The ranching and livestock raising industry has been under attack for such a long time.
The Difference Between Risk and Exposure Management
You see, there is a massive difference in this world between Risk and Exposure Management. When it comes to building a successful risk management in today’s world, exposure is the tool most use to manage.
This was the most clear to me as I dabbled in the cattle feeding market. I had two sets of cattle one was hedged and one was protected with a put option. I didn't fully understand either very well. The margin call on the hedged cattle came as real surprise. The put option proved to be more my pace.
Risk Management Defined: (in business) the forecasting and evaluation of financial risks together with the identification of procedures to avoid or minimize their impact.
Exposure Management Defined: the state of being subject to loss because of some hazard or contingency
What we do inside of Range & Livestock Insurance is help protect the market downside risks, rainfall deficits, or real property exposures. We offer insurance tools from many of major Agriculture Insurance Providers and Property/Casualty Providers.
We are standing by your side giving you the education and tools needed to make informed risk management decisions. We live this lifestyle and watch daily to help bring peace of mind to your business longevity.
“Sometimes progress isn’t measured in ground gained, but in losses avoided.”
The Truth behind Range & Livestock Insurance
For years the crop side of agriculture has had risk mitigation tools that aided in the assurances of cropping season next year. The livestock rancher has only had the complex and unsubsidised tools of futures market. The futures market is a popular destination of hedge funds and big money. The rancher trading real livestock contracts against big paper positonions is a small fish in a big pond.
I want to be clear, we do not believe insurance is the answer to your future financial success.
Risk management and exposure management are tools to help keep your operation going for years to come.
Insurance is one of the biggest expenses on your operation! Peace of mind in your coverage is priceless!
Everyone goes into strict training for the games so go for a crown of glory, while I go for a Crown of Everlansting Life.
1 Corinthians 9:25