Accounts Receivable Risk Management in Food & Ag: How to Protect Your Most Overlooked Asset

How much risk is hiding inside your accounts receivable?In the inaugural episode of Built to Grow, Mason Brady launches a new podcast focused on the food and agriculture industry, starting with one of the most overlooked and misunderstood assets on the balance sheet: Accounts Receivable.In this episode, Mason sits down with Brett Bronstein, Vice President at One Source Risk Management, to unpack why AR risk has intensified across food and ag companies, how recent economic pressure has changed the credit landscape, and what operators can do to protect cash flow while still growing sales.Topics We Cover0:00 – Why AR is one of the riskiest assets on the balance sheet2:07 – The current state of the food and ag industry and rising credit risk3:22 – Inflation, tariffs, weather events, and their impact on food companies5:59 – Why many food businesses are operating on a thin margin for error8:25 – Opportunities and challenges heading into 202614:42 – Practical AR management strategies beyond insurance17:17 – PACA, credit limits, and protecting suppliers in fresh produce22:30 – Making AR accountability part of company culture26:18 – What trade credit insurance is and how it works31:51 – How insured receivables can improve bank financing terms35:40 – Using credit insurance to expand into new markets safely41:06 – Warning signs customers may not pay and when to take action🤝 Connect with Brett: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brett-bronstein/ 🎙️ Connect with Mason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/masonbrady/If you enjoyed this episode of Built to Grow, be sure to follow, rate, review, and share the podcast. New episodes drop every other week, bringing practical conversations to help food and ag businesses manage risk, protect cash flow, and grow with confidence.