What comes to mind when I say: ‘Think about a professional farm operation?’ What does it look like?

What is involved? Who is there? What is the experience like when you visit? Is this what you want your own operation to be like?

I think more and more of today’s aspiring top farmers are seeing the need to set and maintain professional standards. They know that creating a professional image will help them be successful today and in the future.
This doesn’t mean that the people on the farm don’t get their hands dirty – quite the opposite, even the farm’s leader. Being involved in hands-on ways is essential for the farm’s leadership, especially as the farm grows and becomes more professional. It helps the leaders regularly take the pulse of the operation so they always have a clear sense of how things are going.

Business builders

If you farm with family members, it may be even more important to consider how you can create a professional operation. I’m not talking about setting up legal entities, but about how you mix business with family.

There are ways to do this that help you operate first and foremost as a business. It starts with the farm’s leaders – with the processes and procedures they put in place for how the farm will operate in a business-first way.

Doing that almost automatically brings a higher level of professionalism to the operation. And knowing how major decisions will be made by leadership – because there is a process in place – can add up to a more professional farm.

Create culture

Another important key is in creating a culture of being professional – for all employees and everyone involved in the operation. This means everyone knows how to treat anyone who steps foot on the farm in a professional way. Think everyone from landlords and lenders stopping by for a visit to vendors and suppliers.

How are you navigating this market?

Farmers have found that getting some third-party perspective from market advisors helped ease their minds. The advisors help farmer clients with planning and execution around marketing decisions and help keep them up to speed on the current rapidly-changing grain market situation – and how it impacts their operation.

Get a free two-week trial of our marketing information service (MarketView Basic). Your free trial includes regular audio and video updates, technical analysis, recommendations and more. Learn more about our market advisor programs and offerings at www.waterstreetag.com.