The spring of 2022 is shaping up to be very eventful for farmers. In many parts of the U.S., planting has been slow going due to wet and cooler weather. There’s not only that weighing on farmers’ minds right now – there’s so much going on in terms of the global economic picture and supply chain that’s impacting both the grain markets and input prices.

With a lot at stake, it can start to feel like things are completely out of control and out of our hands. The most important question farm leaders can ask if they start to feel uncertain or anxious is this: What is in my control? And then: what can I focus on in that arena to make a difference?

Winning the prize

The key this spring for farm leaders will be to keep their “eyes on the prize.” What is that prize? It’s the operation’s financial success – the farm’s bottom line. Keeping that at the forefront of your decision-making is what will make the biggest difference to your farm’s success this year.

This means keeping in mind that if you’re producing a commodity product, the goal is to be the lowest cost per unit (per bushel) producer. Looking at your farm’s options with this in mind will likely help bring about the best end results.

Letting go

It’s easy to get caught up in thoughts or feelings of anxiety during a season that has a great deal of uncertainty involved, like the spring. But don’t stay stuck in those feelings of anxiety. Instead, use them to propel you into focusing on what you can control, and letting go of the factors you can’t control.

This brings your full energy to work on problem-solving and good decision-making directed toward the ultimate goal of your operation and the reason it exists: to reach your future goals and to achieve your definition of financial success.

Letting go of distractions and focusing on “the prize” and the purpose of planting season is the right thing to do this spring. Plan to run decisions by the numbers and focus on spending your time as a leader where it will matter most to your overall operation and its success.

Market-minded

Do you find your energy as a farm leader gets sapped when you have to spend time on marketing plans? Do you spend a lot of time gathering information from different sources, only to find that afterward, you feel more uncertain about what to do than ever?

It’s important to be able to confidently make decisions around grain marketing plans and execution. You might choose to work with one of our market advisors. They 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.

Or get a free week-long 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.waterstreetconsulting.com.

The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Farm Progress.