Peer to peer learning is incredibly useful in any business, and agriculture is no different. Put simply, peer groups allow for the collective sharing of great ideas. Perhaps just as valuable, they also allow for the collective learning of hard lessons, so that peers within a group don’t have to make the same mistakes. Evan… Read More
The work culture of a farm is much like its reputation — whether it’s intentional or not, it still exists. What makes a work culture? It’s not just people, it’s the behaviour of the people and how well they live out a business’s core values that create a work culture. People’s behaviour is shaped by… Read More
You can’t manage what you don’t measure, so the saying goes, but what you measure is just as important. If you aren’t familiar with KPIs — key performance indicators — this episode of Mind Your Farm Business is for you. Measuring the right things is just as important as the initial step to begin measuring… Read More
When you are managing a farm or agriculture business of any size, some areas may feel more daunting than others, or you quickly realize where strengths are and which avenues could benefit from outside help. That’s when it’s time to hire consultants. There is no shortage of consultants specializing in a variety of topics including… Read More
We’ve talked about the “why” of creating an advisory board for the farm or agriculture business, but the “how” of setting one up requires some discussion, as well. Terry Betker, founder of Backswath Management, says that putting together an advisory board is perhaps a little different than you might think at first. Maybe people’s minds… Read More
There is a difference between good work ethic and commitment and pushing too hard, to the point of burnout. What does burnout look like? And how do you balance racing against the weather, but stopping at “enough”? For those answers, host Shaun Haney goes to Hamza Khan, speaker and author of The Burnout Gamble, for… Read More
If ever you’ve been frustrated by seemingly never getting to those big jobs you’d like to work on, or you feel like all you need to do is work faster and harder to get where you want to be, Chris Croft has six strategies he’d like you to try. Croft is a management trainer and… Read More
Year-end financial statements aren’t just for year-end reviews — especially if they happen months after the year-end. Realistically, if you’re not reviewing the books until months later, the decisions being made in the present aren’t fully informed by the reality of the business situation, says Lisa Miller, partner with MNP Agriculture, based at Edmonton, Alta…. Read More
It would seem that no one has ever told the Jochums that “too many cooks spoil the broth.” Günter, Crystal, and daughter Fiona Jochum farm together just west of Winnipeg, Man. But they don’t just farm as a family, they also farm with Gunter’s brother-in-law. All told, there are a number of managers, and Günter… Read More
Understanding how multi-generation farms approach big-picture topics can help farm management teams (i.e. family members) better navigate difficult conversations on the future of the farm. In this second part of a discussion with Justin Funk, managing partner of AgriStudies, podcast host Shaun Haney explores how differences in how generations set goals, measure progress, use technology, and… Read More
When different generations work together in the farm business, conflict can arise over responsibility, ownership, succession, and day-to-day operations of the farm. Justin Funk, managing partner of AgriStudies, has done extensive research on what makes intergenerational farms unique in how they operate. In this Mind Your Farm Business podcast, Funk shares how differences in doing… Read More
Biologically speaking, some stress is good for the body. Stress responses are necessary at times to act quickly, to run, or to see a project through. That said, too much stress or being under stress for too long can lead to both mental and physical hardship. Farmers, as a group, are 68 per cent more… Read More
What a particular cost or investment adds to the business should be easy to assess and measure, but in reality calculating return on investment (ROI) can be inconsistent and difficult. As David Widmar, of Agriculture Economic Insights explains, ROI should be a simple calculation, but it’s not a perfect measure of performance as there are so… Read More
If your farm is not one that holds regular meetings, this is your encouragement to start small… but start. That’s because research shows that business that hold regular meetings are more profitable than those that do not. We’re not talking about a morning tailgate chat on what’s ahead — that’s an operational meeting to start the… Read More
The rules of order around a boardroom table may seem unimportant to a discussion on farm management, but the more complex a farm becomes, the more important good governance becomes. Brian Hayward, long-time agriculture business leader and now author of The Great Chair: A Window on Effective Board Leadership, says that as soon as a… Read More
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