Reid Weiland is a sixth-generation farmer based in north central Iowa. His family’s approach to farming, however, is a bit untraditional.
“We’re tenant farmers. We tend to invest in infrastructure that facilitates farming–things like input management or grain sites, shops, tools and mechanics,” he explains. “Other farmers are maybe more focused on farmland as an investment, but we tend to be focusing on investing in the operation.”
With this business model, Weiland commonly brings in consultants and employees to fill in the gaps. He joined Farm CPA Paul Neiffer on the Top Producer podcast to share what he’s learned in that process.
“One thing we’ve done right is learning how to hire and manage people,” Weiland says. “Hiring wrong is the No. 1 mistake, but not setting expectations is No. 2.”
As far as setting expectations, he suggests the following:
- Make it clear what the employee will be doing in the role.
- Make a plan for the first 30, 60 and 90 days on the job.
- Explain what needs to be learned.
- Introduce new employees to who they need to know and who they will be working with to get them off on the right foot.
“It’s a two-way street,” Weiland says. “You can hire great people. You can have the best intentions as a manager. But if you don’t get off on the right foot, it’s going to fall apart. And so that’s a really crucial stage.”
To hear more about Weiland’s approach to farming, click here.
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