With harvest done, or nearly done, across the prairies, this is the time to engage in a little retrospect. Recognizing the window is small (and shrinking) to get all the fall work done before freeze-up, this task may end up a notch or two down the priority list. But nonetheless, it is important to go […]
I recently spoke with a farm ownership team that needs help. They need help in labor and marketing, but especially in management. They readily describe all that has gone against them, and quickly list off all the reasons why they don’t have time to work on the tasks that I propose they tackle. They know […]
It’s soil sampling season. Hundreds of thousands of fields are yielding to the soil probe as farmers, agrologists, and retailers are pulling cores as fast as they can before freeze up. The soil test is a crucial decision making tool in planning the next year’s crop. Understanding each field’s organic matter, residual nutrient levels, and […]
While there could be many more “parts” to the list of topics that would fall under “Managed Risk,” I’ll end it this week with one that I believe many people, maybe all people, face each day. The list of reasons (excuses) we provide to support our decision not to act is virtually endless. They can […]
We’ve all heard the saying “Cash is King.” In my opinion, “cash isn’t king, it’s the ACE!” Whatever metaphor you prefer, the point is that cash levels and cash flow are both critically important to your business. So, let’s get right to four points that affect your liquidity: 1. Your view of cash. When I […]
You’ve read how I am a fan of Seth Godin’s daily blog. His entry on Thursday September 17 was titled Serving Size. He writes about how it is “our instinct to fill the bowl” with “bowl” being a metaphor that could apply to anything and everything from our homes to our egos. For now, let’s […]
In a conversation recently with a young farmer, who I feel is a poster boy for excellent business management, he disclosed that he’s far more concerned with rising interest rates than low commodity prices. During our brief exchange on this topic, I stuck with my position that interest rates, if they move up at all, […]
In an email last week, a farmer friend and former colleague of mine admitted to having 100% of his 2015 crop sold before harvest. It is the first time this has ever happened on his farm. From my years working in ag finance and farm management consulting, I can confidently say that virtually all farms […]
As a proud member of the Rider Nation, and loyal fan of the entire CFL (despite the goofy new rules for 2015,) I witnessed something happen on the weekend that blew up social media and has fans of the Green & White frothing. The struggling winless Riders have been devastated by injury and lack-luster performances […]
Last week, this article weighed in on the trend of increasing costs in certain areas of the farm, namely Operations (equipment, fuel, people,) and Facilities (buildings, land, financing.) These are the two most controllable expense areas in farm management. These are the two cost areas that have seen the biggest increases. Over the winter, an […]