Courtesy Dave Thompson, Prairie Public Radio

EDGELEY, N.D. (Prairie Public Radio) – A banker from rural southeast North Dakota says farmers in his area are doing very well this year compared with the last few years.

Darwin Bitz is with Heartland State Bank in Edgeley and Kulm. He says farmers are in a very good financial position.

Bitz says with the amount of money farmers received from disaster payments, crop insurance and COVID relief, he’s seen a lot of paydown on existing loans.

The Independent Community Bankers Association of North Dakota is holding its annual meeting in Bismarck.