Planning to Plan: How to start holding consistent, productive farm meetings with a purpose 

Introduction

The draw to farming is usually not having business meetings. You never hear someone say they love farming because they are sitting in a meeting room talking about business. They will probably say they’d rather be doing something… with animals, crops, machinery, you name it…anything but meetings. But how do we know if we are doing the right things with animals, crops, machinery if we don’t have a plan? Taking time to plan with trusted advisors whether you’re farming on your own or with farming partners is a key to success. However, building that meeting habit takes time and some effort.  

Start out by considering the positive things that can happen with consistent meetings: 

• Improved communications with partners and employees 
• A clear direction for the week or month 
• A chance to set priorities and shift labor where needed 
• Review production and financial records and set strategies for improvement on a timely basis based on the data 

And while we’re making lists, what are some barriers to having consistent meetings? 

• Not seen as productive use of time 
• No good time for everyone to meet 
• It will end up as a social gathering or a complaining session 
• No one remembers what was decided  

Some strategies to address these barriers are to start out with short operational meetings that have a clear purpose (and agenda). Begin with a 10- or 15-minute meeting and end on time – even if you’re not finished with the agenda. Consider scheduling when you can provide some food as an incentive to gather, maybe coffee and pastries or a quick noon meal. Finally, take notes, even if it is a bulleted list of what everyone said and the follow up tasks (including who was going to do them.) 

In this article by Angela Lovell in Country Guide called “A plan for successful farm meetings,” one farm family says that meetings mean having everyone “on the same page”, which for this farm, translates to everyone knowing what the objectives are for the year and how they will get there.  

Before your farm can start having these productive, consistent meetings you need to plan them – or what I call “planning to plan”.  

While planning to plan and having meetings are important for every farm operation, it is especially important when you have farming partners. Whether your partner is a neighbor, relative, unrelated associate, or your children, you need to find a way to bring them into the planning and decision-making. In a multi-generation farm, the owner generation has been making decisions on their own or with a spouse or partner for years, probably decades. These discussions take place informally, as people are working together, driving together, or even just before bed. While these discussions worked with one or two decision makers, they probably will not work as you bring others into the business. 

Operational and Strategic Meetings

Operational meetings should happen often, be relatively short in duration, and involve those engaged in the day-to-day operation of the farm. Meetings should happen once a week for 30 minutes to an hour to discuss the tasks for the week. Set a time that works for everyone, be consistent in meeting at that time, and, if there isn’t a lot to cover, adjourn the meeting early rather than cancel it. Consistency is key.  

Strategic planning meetings should involve key stakeholders, including spouses or partners who may not be involved daily but are affected by the big decisions that are made. These will be less frequent but longer meetings. Again, setting a time that works for everyone is important. Provide an agenda beforehand so people know what to expect. 

Meeting agreements, sometimes called meeting ground rules, can keep your meetings grounded in the tasks at hand and help everyone learn how to interact in new roles as business partners rather than as family members. Example meeting agreements can be found in the Planning to Plan worksheet from the Cultivating Your Farm’s Future farm succession planning workbook. Some example meeting agreements are: 

• Start and end on time 
• No cell phones 
• No side conversations or comments 
• Everyone is encouraged to participate 
• Listen without judging; hear each other out 
• Determine what stays within the group, what can be shared, and who it can be shared with 
• Stick to the agenda 
• Honor the commitments and decisions made by the group 

Start planning your consistent farm meetings by answering the following questions

For operational meetings: 

1. How often do we want to meet for operational discussions? 
2. What is the best day and time?
3. How long should these meetings be? (Hint: if a meeting like this is new to your farm, even a 10–15-minute meeting that is consistent can help with communication) 
4. Who should be involved in these meetings? 
5. What are the topics we will cover? (Examples: weekly workflow, tasks that need to be completed, scheduling shifts, time off) 

For strategic planning meetings: 

1. How often do we want to meet for strategic discussions? 
2. What is the best day and time?
3. How long should these meetings be?
4. Who are the key stakeholders who should be included?

Other meeting tips: 

• Each meeting should have a chair or leader. Consider rotating meeting leadership so others get a chance to experience this leadership role. 
• Have an agenda and share it out at least 24 hours prior to the operational meetings and three days prior to a strategic meeting.  
• Choose or assign someone to take notes. This can be a rotating or assigned role. 
• Record and share meeting notes, action plans, task lists that come from the meetings 
• Begin each meeting with everyone sharing something that has recently gone well on the farm. 
• Give compliments for jobs well done.  
• Establish a way for staff or partners to share feedback (positive or negative) in a way that doesn’t disrupt the meeting. 
• Food always helps! 

Cultivating Your Farm’s Future has a Planning to Plan worksheet that provides these questions and meeting tips and an example agenda.  

Additional Resources

Read or listen to this article by Angela Lovell in Country Guide called A plan for successful farm meetings