In how you think. Going through the process of sitting down and creating detailed plans for the next crop year might seem daunting, but really, it’s eye-opening. When you work with an advisor for the farm who helps bring together the different aspects that greatly impact your farm business (think financials, logistics, crop insurance, marketing and more), they walk alongside you through the process. They make helpful suggestions because they know your business on a deep level. The planning process can reveal valuable information about your operation and how to make it more successful. It puts your mind on a whole different plane, bringing more creativity and solutions-oriented thinking.

In more flexibility. It might seem like a business plan that’s created before a crop year starts would just end up getting “thrown out the window” at some point. But the best plans are dynamic and build in more flexibility and options for the different scenarios that can arise throughout the year. Thinking about a variety of scenarios and options ahead of time brings more choices in the moment when you’re faced with a decision point – because you’ve already considered many factors. The plan is dynamic even though situations and circumstances shift – changing and evolving right along with your farm’s situation.

In greater business-savvy. As the farm’s leader and CEO, you’re the one communicating with lenders and landlords, and other suppliers and partners who need to know where the operation is going. Creating detailed financial and marketing plans for your farm business can make you a smarter, more business-savvy farm leader. You’ll be more comfortable conversing with lenders and presenting them with detailed plans. In turn, that increases their confidence and belief in you as a business leader. And when you know your farm business inside and out – and where you want it to be in the future – you’ll also be more confident both as you lead others within your operation and partner with others outside of it.