Allowance for Loan Losses

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

ALLOWANCE FOR LOAN LOSSES

Changes in the allowance for loan losses for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 were as follows, in thousands:


	2019		2018		2017
Balance at beginning of year	$	61,963	$	55,686	$	54,324
Provision for loan losses	16,657		24,013		15,563
Recoveries on loans previously charged-off	5,365		3,549		3,670
Loans charged-off	(13,590)		(21,285)		(17,871)
Balance at end of year	$	70,395	$	61,963	$	55,686

Changes in the allowance for loan losses by loan category for the years ended December 31, 2019, and December 31, 2018, were as follows, in thousands:


	Commercial		Commercial Real Estate		Agricultural		Residential Real Estate		Consumer		Total
Balance at December 31, 2018	$	24,505	$	25,538	$	4,953	$	1,785	$	5,182	$	61,963
Charge-offs	(7,294)		(272)		(2,656)		(407)		(2,961)		(13,590)
Recoveries	1,743		1,391		536		73		1,622		5,365
Provision	8,790		4,086		2,784		(13)		1,010		16,657
Balance at December 31, 2019	$	27,744	$	30,743	$	5,617	$	1,438	$	4,853	$	70,395


	Commercial		Commercial Real Estate		Agricultural		Residential Real Estate		Consumer		Total
Balance at December 31, 2017	$	18,098	$	21,950	$	4,258	$	2,224	$	9,156	$	55,686
Charge-offs	(7,916)		(1,977)		(1,437)		(372)		(9,583)		(21,285)
Recoveries	978		1,047		13		96		1,415		3,549
Provision	13,345		4,518		2,119		(163)		4,194		24,013
Balance at December 31, 2018	$	24,505	$	25,538	$	4,953	$	1,785	$	5,182	$	61,963

Management allocates the allowance for loan losses by pools of risk within each loan portfolio. The allocation of the allowance for loan losses by loan portfolio is made for analytical purposes and is not necessarily indicative of the trend of future loan losses in any particular category. The total allowance for loan losses is available to absorb losses from any segment of the loan portfolio.