Farm Business - General
Many producers across the county have their eyes open to the future and are eagerly embracing opportunities to grow any way they can.
When the four Hansen brothers came back to the small family dairy farm in Hudson, Iowa, which had operated since 1864, things needed to expand. Hansen’s Dairy has since taken ‘side hustle’ to a whole new level.
Here are a few thoughts on what being prepared might involve from a farm or industry perspective.
The downturn dairy economy makes it difficult to plan for growth. We have to remind ourselves that future plans don’t have to be yes or no, sometimes the answer is simply not yet.
When a pair of sisters set out to help the family farm, they didn’t think they’d end up on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. On the debut of Grow Getters, a podcast about ag’s most creative side hustles, they tell their story.
So, you’ve had the family meeting regarding transition planning and agree that you need to start the process. Now what?
Leland Kootstra shares his quick list of the three areas that he sees the most successful dairy farm business owners mastering as they set themselves and their dairies apart and ahead for the future.
Unrelenting inflation continues to weigh down the U.S. economy and agriculture. Still, CoBank says it believes the Fed will stick with its decision to cut interest rates three times in 2024.
Kyle Scheele shares six ways constraints can be a good thing to your operation.
In the world of dairy farming, maximizing profits and ensuring financial viability is a constant challenge.
The key to maximizing the return on investment of a dairy’s workforce lies in the management’s ability to humanize operations, understand employee needs, and deploy individual skills appropriately.
While dairy operations with less than 500 cows make up 80% of the nation’s dairy farms, the majority of cows within the nation’s herd reside on farms with 1,000 animals or more.
USDA has announced that the 2024 Dairy Margin Coverage sign-up will open Feb. 28 and run through April 29.
Sometimes a family business’s perks can be abused or expanded over time until it creates conflict.
Jim Rothermich of Iowa Appraisals shares what he expects from land values in the year ahead.
Ag economists’ views on the ag economy took a dive in the first Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor of 2024; however, relatively strong balance sheets and working capital could provide a cushion for 2024.
Consultant Bruce Vande Steeg has found creating a vibrant farm business starts with the leadership.
“When I arrived at the dairy that day and assessed the situation, three main objectives were clear: Increase cash flow, reduce expenses, rebuild relationships.”
The national average for a gallon of gas is now $3.07, the lowest since 2021.
Farmers routinely handle high-dollar transactions — and the nature of the payments, often through unsecure methods, leaves them susceptible to foul play.
As the year comes to a close, Paul Neiffer shares five ways to minimize the impact of income taxes.
Beef cross calves are currently generating healthy profits for dairies. They also are a welcome addition to the beef supply chain, according to Dr. Zeb Gray, Beef Technical Feedlot Specialist with Diamond V.
Heifer availability has tightened, and prices have increased substantially. One reason is the interest that has developed in beef-on-dairy calves.
Farming has run deep in the Moes family roots for the past 130 years. Today, the fourth and fifth generations continue to keep their ancestors’ dreams of farming alive.
Though inflation is currently high, Indiana ag lender Joe Kessie doesn’t expect a repeat of what he experienced in his early career for three main reasons.
For the latest list—based on 2022 data—47 of the 100 cooperatives are in agriculture. In all, 59% of the $319 billion in generated revenues of co-operatives are from those ag-focused co-ops: $187.6 billion.
Farmers are opting to tap into their savings from recent prosperous years instead of taking out loans at the highest interest rates since 2007, according to surveys conducted by regional Federal Reserve banks.
Work by the House or Senate Agriculture Committee on a new farm bill is essentially stalled, Randy Russell tells AgriTalk’s Chip Flory. Russell says that could be the case until government funding issues are resolved.
Working with family can be both challenging and rewarding. However, tensions can build if clearly defined roles and responsibilities are not established for each person. The good news is there are ways to navigate.
Here are some pro tips for managing the busy-ness of fall and making your time work for you.