Has your farm grown in the past few years? Maybe it's grown to the point where you now have employees, and some of them might be non-family members. If it has, you know that leading and managing employees can bring some new stress into your role as the farm leader. Have you ever asked an employee to do a task that you always used to do? You tell them how to do it. You answer any questions they have. You feel like they have a good handle on what to do – so you leave them to do…

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Do you know what sets the most financially successful farmers apart from the rest? I got in this conversation with one of the Ag bankers I know and his answer offers good food for thought. The banker, Bob Boesdorfer from First Midwest, says he's seen a particular way of thinking help make some farmers more successful. He says they don't 'fall in love' with any certain asset on their farm – whether that's their land, equipment or livestock. They leverage this way…

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This spring has already thrown some challenges at farmers with cold, wet weather where we should be planting. As a farmer, you deal with wacky weather forecasts and volatile commodity markets much of the time. A lot has been changing in the big picture of farming, too. Think about land prices and break evens and the things you have to know about technology to stay on top. These changes might not be as evident as fluctuations in the weekly weather forecast or in the price of corn, but…

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This spring has already created some challenges for farmers in many areas who are dealing with planting delays due to cold and wet weather. It's important that you understand how your multi-peril crop insurance deals with prevented planting and replanting issues. That will help you make the best decisions during this planting season – and avoid any confusion or pitfalls that could cost you your coverage. Here are a few points of special importance about your crop insurance…

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We would all agree that there is a constant battle between the important and the urgent. Our time and actions are expended based on our thought process and the decision of what is important today. Oftentimes the urgent wins out over the important. There is a way to combat this tendency. Start by deliberately controlling your thoughts in order to evaluate what should be your priority. It's not uncommon to spend ten hours in a tractor per day in this time of the year. That can add up…

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As we work with our clients on legacy plans for their farms, I hear stories about some farmers who have hesitated to get started. I recently heard about one farmer who hasn't done any legacy planning yet. The topic of legacy planning had come up during a conversation between him and his wife. She was very concerned about the current lack of planning – and told him about her worries. He later told us, "It's very scary when your wife looks at you that way." …

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You're facing a labor-intensive time of the year with spring planting. There's a lot for you to do – or to make sure that your employees are doing correctly. It can be stressful accomplishing this with the uncertainty of weather looming over you. On fieldwork days, it's very easy to put aside other parts of your business. You may not watch the markets as much. It might be tougher to keep connected with your employees if you're out running the tractor. And you may…

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At the Commodity Classic this year, we hosted a panel discussion to talk about succession planning. The room was packed. I guess that means a lot of farmers are looking for ideas and help in making a successful farm transition. Farm Futures Senior Editor Bryce Knorr started things off by presenting the survey research he's done with farmers about succession planning (see p. 28 April 2013 issue). Bryce found that only 30% of farm families have a written succession plan. In most of…

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Many farmers feel it is challenging to figure out how to share their knowledge of farming with the next generation. There's so much to pass on. It can be hard to get started. Planting season gives us one opportunity to train our future leaders. Some farmers use it as a "training ground" for the next generation – teaching them the processes, getting them to the point where they can handle it themselves. You know which springtime tasks need to be learned on your…

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Sometimes our communication gaps are funny, but usually we have to wait a while for the crisis to pass before they become funny. When we try to relate something and it's misunderstood, it can lead to big mistakes, hard feelings and even a break in the relationship. This happens particularly in times of stress, like the upcoming planting season. You need all hands on deck with their heads in the game, operating at full capacity…and headed in the right direction. This gets…

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