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Managing profit: Avoid tension with this farm policy

Here’s a helpful guide on how to invest higher-than-average farm profits.

Davon Cook, Family business consultant

April 6, 2022

2 Min Read
money bag field
Getty/iStockphoto

2021 was a profitable year for many farms. Seeing a higher-than-normal number on the bottom line has prompted some family discussions on how to use the money.

Your answer likely depends on the financial situation of your farm. If you’re at higher-than-desired debt levels, the decision to pay down debt may be the most obvious answer. You’re likely budgeting for more working capital, planning around the current volatility (and possibly more to come, beyond high input costs). 

So what are some other ways to manage money after a profitable year like 2021?

Some owners may desire increased distributions. I’ve seen differing philosophies on whether we should enjoy the good years, conservatively stockpile for the worst case, or reinvest in more land or equipment.

All those decisions around “extra” profit in good years could lead to some tension. As a solution, I suggest you define a standing policy about how distributions are prioritized every year. Having that in place helps remove the debate in the future and contributes to a healthy partnership.  

Your policy might have tiers or tranches of net income allocation (after debt is covered). These could be a combination of dollar amounts or percentages of net profit. For example, 

  1. Living expenses (salary) distributions are taken as agreed throughout the year. 

  1. We pay down debt to predetermined debt/equity goals. 

  1. X is retained for working capital ($/acre). 

  1. The next X of profit goes to “extra” distributions. In good times, we all benefit some more. 

  1. The next X of profit is retained for growth or further debt reduction, specifics to be decided by the partners. 

A variation of this is that a minimum X% of net profit will be paid out as distributions after working capital needs are reserved. Your financial advisor, accountant, or banker can help you design a rule of thumb that works for your situation. The partners can agree to deviate from this plan with a unanimous vote (or requirement from lenders in some unusual situation), but pending agreement, this is the default. 

Up next: Managing profit: Have a talk before you add new business ventures

Davon Cook is a family business consultant at K Coe Isom. Reach Davon at [email protected]. The opinions of the author are not necessarily those of Farm Futures or Farm Progress.  

About the Author

Davon Cook

Family business consultant, Pinion

Davon Cook is a family business consultant at Pinion (formerly K Coe Isom). She helps families work well together in the business and navigate transitions in leadership and ownership. She works with farmers and ranchers all day every day and is passionate about production ag. Davon has been specializing in this area since 2012, partnering with Lance Woodbury at Ag Progress and K Coe Isom. She facilitates peer groups covering a range of strategic and technical topics, so she understands the issues producers are managing every day. Her perspective is shaped by spending ten years working in her own family’s cotton business near Lubbock, Texas, and a career spanning the ag value chain from McKinsey to ConAgra to consulting with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation throughout Africa. She welcomes comments, questions, and conversation!

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