The development of a meaningful vision is not easy or instantaneous. It takes time, thought, effort, and teamwork. Once you have thought through the following steps, share your vision with the members involved in your farm business. The farm vision will need their input as well, if they are to be involved in the future of the business.
As agricultural and rural community professionals, it is important to understand how to effectively communicate with farmers and family members who face highly stressful situations. Based on cited research and interactions with thousands of farmers and ranchers throughout the US, ten key suggestions have been developed. Understand the basic physical, chemical and physiological workings of […]
For the past several years, Wisconsin farmers have faced a growing number of challenges that translate to high stress levels. As John Shutske, Extension agricultural safety specialist at UW-Madison, puts it, “We’ve had a long-term downturn in crop and milk prices which has hit our dairy sector particularly hard.” The low prices that have continued […]
Regular family money meetings can help divide the stress of the financial burden into more manageable challenges.
Business succession planning doesn’t happen on its own. Producers must intentionally focus on the planning and work with a team of professionals such as a tax specialist, attorney, financial planner, and lender. Family businesses in particular, should first recognize that family and business systems focus on different goals. A family farm inherently mixes family and […]
Regardless of the time of year, it is important for farm operators to spend some time in their office completing their least favorite activity – paperwork. Most farmers enjoy getting their hands dirty, from digging in the soil, repairing machinery, or working with livestock. They will reluctantly compile the necessary information for income tax preparation, credit borrowing, and crop reporting.
With economists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture predicting farm debt will reach a record high this year, Wisconsin agricultural leaders are warning farmers against the dangers of unregulated lenders.
People who practice good time management techniques often find that they are more productive, have more energy for things they need to accomplish, feel less stressed and get more things done.
Explore how to listen for and respond to each other’s different perspectives to deepen the understanding of the issues at hand and help guide decision-making.
What are bids for connection and why do they matter in building and maintaining a healthy relationship?
Explore ideas to finding your own path to financial well-being.
Tips and ideas to restore harmony and reduce stress in your life.
Farming ranks as one of the most dangerous industries in the U.S. Stress, long hours and fatigue contribute to injury risk. When we confront several stressors at once, we may become distracted, and this distraction can cause errors that lead to serious or fatal incidents, such as tractor rollovers or entanglement in a fast-moving machine. Thus, proper safety precautions are essential for preventing such incidents.
Consider your own self-assessment, and that of your farming business by conducting a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). You may want to consider areas of farm business management, production topics, communication skills, financial management, own farming experience, etc.) What is a SWOT Analysis? Strengths – internal competencies and capabilities that enable a farm to […]
