As farmers, we face daily struggles. Family farms looking to transition from one generation to the next, face even greater challenges. When the children of the family are young, it’s easy to put off future planning. When they enter the teenage years, their contribution is great and this is, quite possibly, the most productive time for […]
Since every farmer, and every farm, is unique, estate planning should fit the uniqueness of a situation. This is especially true when transitioning a farm to a new owner. One of the key elements of any transition is fairness – to the owner and the new owner. When the transition involves a direct family member, a common approach is to […]
Whether you have a long, multi-generational background in farming or are a newcomer to the business, successful farming consists of a multitude of components. Every farm and each farm family is different in their approach, focus, and goals. In spite of this, there are some new ideas as well as old principles that can help secure […]
As farm acreage becomes more costly pushed higher by institutional investors, managing an affordable transfer of farm assets complicates Succession Planning. For many farmers close to retirement age, decisions concerning farm transfer must try to accommodate disparate goals. For example, farm succession planning may involve accommodating career-minded heirs who want to preserve the family farm […]
When previous generations thought of a farm crisis, they were generally concerned with crop damage or major repairs to equipment and structures. These days, a crisis can also involve public relations. Even if your farm is not open to the public, you should nonetheless have a media strategy in place-here are some tips that will […]
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Hired Help on the Family Farm
A family farm often involves the whole family working together – one family member might be best suited to handling tractors and machinery, another to building farm infrastructure, and others might prefer making sales or managing the farm office. Even the kids probably pitch in to make hay or feed animals. At a certain scale, […]
While we may not mean to, many modern parents tend to put gender restrictions on the household chores and tasks. It might be due to the fact that our parents raised us in this manner, or it may simply be because we expect different things from our sons and daughters. Whatever the reason, people have […]
A natural hazard, like a drought, flood, tornado or a hurricane, becomes a natural disaster when it negatively impacts society and infrastructure. Although we can’t prevent natural hazards, we can take actions that lessen their impact. The government contributes with better forecasts and warnings, and with large-scale mitigation projects aimed at community safety and resilience. […]
For a farm to run smoothly, everyone must pull his or her weight. However, the concept of doing one’s fair share is something not everyone grasps. Unfortunately, you will probably deal with one or more of these types of freeloaders on the family farm at one point or another. #1. Boomerang children Whether it’s college students returning for the […]
