Succession Planning

The World Needs More McArthurs

Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:26:57 GMT

There’s a new song in country music that’s striking a chord with American farm families.

“McArthur,” sung by Hardy, Eric Church, Morgan Wallen and Tim McGraw, tells the story of a farm passed through four generations of the same family. Each verse introduces a new McArthur, carrying the land forward in his own time, shaped by different circumstances but tied to the same piece of ground.

That’s the same story many farmers are living today. And if you haven’t heard it yet, take a listen.

John McArthur

The song begins with John McArthur, a man working the land with a mule and a plow to provide for his family. As the first generation, John spends his days laying the foundation of the farm. He doesn’t know what the future holds for the operation, but he knows the work is worth it.

Every farm has this first generation: the person who gave the farm its start. Our grandparents or great-grandparents built the farm out of necessity without knowing what was ahead.

They planted the first crops, cleared the first fields and figured things out as they went. The decisions they made might not have seemed big at the time, but they laid the groundwork for the generations that followed. Even without a map, they knew the farm was something worth building and passing on.

Junior McArthur

Next comes Junior McArthur, the son who steps up to take over the farm but is sent off to war and never returns home.

He represents the second generation: the ones who take over a farm that’s already established but face challenges much different from what their parents experienced. Where John built the foundation, Junior inherits it and has to figure out how to keep it going.

Jones McArthur

After Junior comes Jones McArthur, the third generation to farm the same ground. By the time it’s his turn, the farm is running smoother, but the problems he’s dealing with aren’t the same ones his dad faced. He represents the generation trying to respect what was built while figuring out how to make it work in a more modern world.

In the song, Jones is also the one trying to pass along the lessons he learned growing up on the farm. He understands the value of the land and the work that went into building it, and he tries to teach his son the same thing.

But his son comes home from college seeing something different. Where Jones sees a family history, his son sees the dollar signs tied to the land.

Hunter McArthur

Finally, the song introduces Hunter McArthur. He’s the fourth generation, the one now standing in front of the decision many farms eventually face.

In the lyrics, Hunter is presented with a deal that would turn the farm into a neighborhood. It’s a tempting offer. After generations of hard work, the land is suddenly worth a lot of money.

Hunter represents the generation many farms are looking to today. The farm is established and the land has significant value, but the question becomes what to do with it next.

For many young farmers, this generation faces a different set of decisions from the ones before them. They have more opportunities off the farm and often more outside pressure pulling them in different directions. At the same time, they’re inheriting or buying into farms that have decades of work behind them.

A Familiar Tune

At the end of each generation’s part in the song, a line is sung: “When you pass on, what are you going to pass down?”

Farming has always been about passing things along. Each generation takes what the last one started and tries to make it better, but that chain only works if someone is willing to take the next link.

Today, the pressures on the next generation are real. Land values keep climbing, development keeps pushing farther into the countryside, and, for some families, the offer to sell the farm is hard to pass up. But most farms exist because someone in the previous generation chose to keep it going. They made improvements and worked through challenges with the idea that the farm would be there for the next generation to build on.

The world could use more farmers like the McArthurs. So, when it’s time to think about the next generation, ask yourself this: When you pass on, what are you going to pass down?

For more on succession planing, read:

The Illinois Farm Family Who Inspired Lay’s ‘Last Harvest’ Super Bowl Commercial

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 19:51:34 GMT

It was a one-minute spot that captured hearts on Super Bowl Sunday. Lay’s “Last Harvest” commercial told the story of a farm family passing the torch from one generation to the next, rooted in memories, hard work and the bond between parent and child.

While the story in the Super Bowl ad was fictional, it was inspired by the real-life experiences of third-generation potato producer Tom Neumiller and his daughter Katie Floming, the fourth generation working alongside him at Neumiller Farms in Savanna, Ill.

A Story That Hits Home

Floming, operations manager at Neumiller Farms, recalls watching the commercial for the first time.

“I was so touched. It really hit home for me,” she says. “Growing up, if I wanted to see my parents, I had to go to the farm because they were always working. That’s where we spent our family time, quick meals, then back to work. I loved it. There are no complaints there. Being present at the farm was everything.”

The commercial’s depiction of a young girl chasing her parents through potato fields and learning the ropes mirrored Katie’s own childhood experiences. She laughs as she recalls one particular scene.

“When she came outside wearing white tennis shoes to work, that hit home. I remember showing up in sandals, and my dad would just shake his head. I had to go home and change,” Floming says..

For Neumiller, seeing their family’s life portrayed on such a massive stage was humbling.

“Farmers don’t usually end up in Super Bowl commercials, but this is very nice,” he says. “For that one-minute ad, they captured a farm family and our legacy all in one. It was just amazing.”

Floming adds that the story resonated with many viewers beyond their family.

“It’s very relatable. People would come up at the Super Bowl and say, ‘My grandfather was in that situation’ or ‘My family didn’t have the option to pass it on.’ It’s a story that connects with most people,” she says.

Farming in Northern Illinois: Unique Challenges

Neumiller Farms isn’t a typical potato operation. Neumiller explains growing potatoes in northern Illinois requires creativity, considering they are the lone family growing potatoes in northern Illinois.

“We’re the only ones in the area,” Neumiller says. “You need good water and light, sandy soil. Illinois has pockets of sand, so we’ve become a very mobile farm. We have one farm 150 miles away, another 30 miles south and another 15 miles north. It allows us to manage the light soils and adequate water we need.”

Floming now manages daily operations, but Neumiller remains deeply involved.

“I’m old school. I want to be involved in everything,” he says. “I talk to the managers every day. I get here early and stay around, maybe too long, but I stay involved in everything.”

The family works side by side, literally.

Floming says: “Our desks are right next to each other. We’re constantly feeding off each other, and we always know what’s going on.”

Neumiller smiles, adding: “My wife’s on the other side, and we’ve been married 54 years. She’s been involved in the business from way back.”

“He doesn’t get a break,” Floming quips.

Passing the Torch

Though Neumiller hopes for a few more harvests, Floming embraces the responsibility of continuing the family legacy.

“I’m very thankful to still be farming alongside my dad,” she says. “He’s grown the farm, but it’s my responsibility to keep it going, for our family, our employees and our community. I want to do the best I can to preserve our foundation while building for the future.”

A plaque on the wall of Neumiller Farms signifies seven decades of producing potatoes for Frito-Lay, a partnership that made their story perfect for Lay’s Super Bowl spotlight.

Neumiller reflects on the broader significance: “All of us farmers, we’re not usually in the spotlight. But it’s an honor to show the connection between soil, farming and the food we produce. Sustainability, passing on the farm, doing the job right — it all matters. Our story continues, and that’s what I hope to pass on.”

A Last Harvest That Connected Us All

As Lay’s “Last Harvest” reminded viewers on Super Bowl Sunday, the foods we enjoy come from real families working the land, generation after generation. For the Neumillers, that legacy is alive and thriving, one potato at a time, creating a story that connected us all.

If you thought the 60-second commercial was memorable, watch the full three-minute version on Lay’s YouTube page .

A "Disneyesque" Christmas: A Charming Small Town in Rural Arkansas Comes to Life in December

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 15:25:09 GMT

Driving through the Arkansas Delta this time of year, the view feels timeless. Cotton fields that once resembled freshly fallen snow now sit compressed into bright white bales, stacked neatly along quiet two-lane roads. It’s the same harvest scene farmers and families in this region have known for generations — one rooted in the land and shaped by the Mississippi River.

But just 45 miles north of Memphis, the road will take you on an unexpected turn. That’s where you’ll stumble upon Wilson, Ark. Home to about 800 people, its aesthetics look like a European village, and its roots date back to a family who founded the town in 1886.

“It’s a fascinating story of how Wilson was founded,” says Jeff Kmiec, CEO of Wilson. “The Wilson family literally started by timbering the area. Once they drained all the water and cleared the timber, Mr. Wilson decided there may be an opportunity to start farming. The soil is incredibly rich from the Mississippi River, and that’s what launched the city that still survives today.”

That agricultural foundation continues to define Wilson today. Fields of cotton, corn and soybeans stretch beyond the town limits, and farming remains the backbone of the surrounding economy. While the population remains small, the connection to the land remains strong, and it’s now a destination for those around the country, as it’s charm is a draw for many.

An Unexpected Look in the Delta

While Wilson’s roots are firmly planted in agriculture, its appearance often surprises first-time visitors. The town’s architecture feels out of place in the Delta — and that’s entirely by design.

“As it relates to the architecture, we’re blessed in that one of the Wilson children got married and was sent to England for their honeymoon,” Kmiec explains. “They became enamored and fell in love with English Tudor architecture. When they returned, they promptly remade the town in that style. It’s surprising to hear visitors say, ‘How is this here? I feel like I’m in a different country.’ But that’s what happened, and the Wilson family helped create a legacy we still enjoy today.”

The Tudor-style buildings, along with the town square, don’t exist as a novelty. They remain part of everyday life in a rural community that continues to evolve while honoring its past.

A Town Changes Hands — and Holds On

After more than 125 years under the Wilson family, the town entered a new chapter in 2010. That’s when the Wilson family decided to sell not just the buildings they owned in town, but their farmland as well.

“The farmland was the prize,” says Becton Bell, a local farmer and the mayor of Wilson. “It’s about 30,000 acres of fertile farmland that surrounds this town.”

When the town went up for sale, it brought uncertainty for the residents. The land might be valuable, but the unique town held memories, history and identity for those who called Wilson home.

“I think the first thought everybody had was, ‘Well, there goes the town,’” Bell says. “Everybody wanted the farm, but nobody’s going to want to keep the town up like the Wilson family. It actually turned into the opposite.”

Galen Lawrence and his family purchased the surrounding farmland, along with the town itself. A farmer and businessman, he first saw the value in the farmland. But it’s his wife who fell in love with the town.

A Farming Mindset Still Guides Wilson

Rather than fading, Wilson began to take on renewed purpose — guided by an owner who understands agriculture and the long view that comes with it.

“When they first purchased [the town], they decided they had to do something special here. Mr. Lawrence is a world traveler, and he decided to do something hospitality-wise.” Kmiec says.

From reopening the local restaurant and making it farm-to-table experience to creating a museum, it’s the little touches that make a big difference. One of the biggest attractions making Wilson a destination is the unique hotel that boasts hospitality.

The Lawrence family built The Louis, a boutique hotel that allows visitors to escape the hustle of everyday life in a memorable way. The rich history of the Arkansas Delta is sprinkled throughout the hotel and rooms. But what makes it so memorable is the fact this unique hotel offers charm and hospitality that rivals any major resort, with comfortable rooms and complimentary snacks and drinks, which might be why the hotel boasts exceptionally high guest ratings, especially for such a small town.

Lawrence might be a successful businessman and investor today whose vision is what you see within the hotel and many other areas of the town, but he understands the value of a rural area as he remains rooted in farming.

“He’s a farmer first and foremost,” Kmiec says. “He has a lot of other business interests, but he likes to set people up for success. When he’s farming, it’s always about planting seeds in fertile soil. That mindset continues today, where he wants to put people in positions where they can excel and be successful.”

That philosophy shows up today in restored buildings, local jobs and a downtown that feels cared for rather than commercialized, which pairs nicely with the architecture.

Wilson Lights Up Bringing the Magic of Christmas to Life

Those values become especially visible during the holiday season when the town of Wilson transforms into a gathering place for families. That’s when Wilson lights up, truly bringing the magic of Christmas to life.

“It’s important for me to do something that’s a legacy event for families,” Kmiec says. “My favorite time growing up was Christmas, spending it with my parents. With the Lawrence family’s blessing, we invest pretty substantially in a light show that’s almost Disneyesque. It’s choreographed to music, just under a million lights and snow-making machines, and every Friday and Saturday from Thanksgiving to New Year’s, Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive to greet children.”

The lights draw visitors, but the heart of the event remains community. From the beginning, the decision was made to keep the Christmas celebration free and accessible. There aren’t any entrance fees, it’s a display open for all to see.

For families who farm nearby or live in neighboring towns, the event offers something simple but meaningful: time together, shared tradition and memories that last long after the lights fade.

Why Wilson Is Magical Year-Round

For Kmiec, the draw of Wilson is something that can’t be manufactured. It’s unique to this rural Arkansas community, and one that’s only becoming more charming each year.

“If you’ve seen any Hallmark Christmas movie, or if you’re a fan of Americana and what makes this country great, that essence still lives here,” he says. “It’s special for us to be able to showcase that and tell people this is what makes the country great and why Wilson is as special as it is.”

Wilson calls itself “America’s Village.” In this Delta farm town, agriculture, community and tradition continue to define everyday life — shining especially bright during the Christmas season.

Jerry Gulke: Is Your Future Truly Sustainable?

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 20:10:35 GMT

The term sustainability has been around for a long time. It meant something totally different to my parents who struggled to sustain their post-WWII agriculture way of life with the backdrop of the Great Depression still on their minds. Today’s culture associates itself more with the pursuit of achieving global environmental sustainability.

One definition of the term says sustainability refers to the ability to maintain or support a process continuously over time. It is that definition I can relate to best. In fact, my motto when I began writing marketing strategy for Top Producer decades ago was: Agricultural production should be afforded the standard of living commensurate with those professionals in the non-ag world.

It was the opportunity of writing this column that enabled the start of my marketing consulting firm, Gulke Group, Inc., over 30 years ago. Sustainability was a Top Producer mission before it was fashionable.

Sustainable agriculture was vogue back then in the form of contour, minimum and no-till farming to conserve moisture and help prevent erosion. Substantial progress was made in that area over the past three to four decades, making agriculture a pioneer in sustainability. For myself, and others like me, sustainability of the land and environment is nothing new under the sun — our success depended on it.

Preparation for the future and sustaining a way of life that was indeed commensurate with my other professional counterparts meant understanding my children would one day go to college, and preparing early for that expense was paramount to ending the tenure without debt. Mission accomplished.

I knew at about 21 years old that I would eventually get sick, as everyone does. Preparing for an emergency wasn’t a matter of if but when. Mine came in the form of triple bypass surgery over 20 years ago. I sustained that one without a monetary disaster.

Is Your Future Sustainable?
Retirement was in my future 50 years hence, and education (described in last month’s issue) helped me attain independence from others, and most of all from a banking institution. My goal was to start young to ultimately let my life’s work someday become a tool from which to clip coupons, similar to what a non-ag person would do investing in bonds or the stock market. Mine came slowly acquiring land over time that one day would cash flow my direction.

According to a report from the Federal Reserve, only about 35% of non-retirees felt their retirement savings was on track in 2024. Another report by the National Institute on Retirement Security in 2023 found the typical Gen X household had just $40,000 in retirement savings. I feel very fortunate to have picked my parents well and for life’s lessons in agriculture that afforded a sustainable retirement. The non-ag vocation did well using the DJIA as a reference, but I suspect the agriculture investment did as well when it comes to accomplishing my motto as described above.

My analysis of this DJIA chart is that it suggests we are doing a poor job of educating our youth at an early age about the benefits and opportunities awaiting citizens of the U.S..

(NYSE/Gulke Group)

Sustainability for me has been to use, to my best ability, the hand I was dealt. For me, I sustained the quality of life I longed for and will leave a legacy that says opportunities abound regardless of one’s vocational choice The U.S. SIF Foundation reports that U.S. ESG and sustainability-focused investments total $6.5 trillion. Yet we can’t find sufficient funds for health care, retirement security or education that is second to none.

The Declaration of Independence states that among the unalienable rights of all individuals are “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The phrase originally meant the right to pursue a life of virtue, community well-being and personal fulfillment, rather than solely pursuing personal pleasure or material wealth. Sustaining that life is not my right or entitlement, but an opportunity. If not here, then where?

California's Family Farms Are Disappearing, Meet the Farmer Fighting Back With Remarkable Determination

Fri, 28 Nov 2025 19:38:22 GMT

Walking the rows of Thomson Vineyards today, it is nearly impossible to imagine that just one year ago, every grape on this ranch — every single cluster — faced a fate no grower ever wants to consider.

In 2024, fourth-generation wine grower Jennifer Thomson watched as three hundred tons of grapes on her home ranch went unharvested. Not one ton had a buyer. Not one ton had a home.

It could have been the end of the story. Instead, Thomson decided it would be the beginning of a new one.

A Year of Unimaginable Loss

On a quiet hillside in Napa, Thomson still remembers standing among vines heavy with fruit — and feeling her stomach sink.

“This home ranch produces a little over 300 tons of grapes annually, and in 2024, nearly all of those 300 tons were dropped on the ground and went unharvested.”

For most farmers, that kind of loss would take generations to recover from. For Thomson, it became the fire that fueled the next chapter.

“Instead of that being the final chapter,” she says, “I got to work.”

An Unconventional Plan

Thomson’s plan was bold, unconventional and driven by sheer determination. Instead of waiting on a buyer to show up, she would go directly to the buyer she believed was the perfect fit for her fruit.

She had one woman in mind.

“I knew of Paula. I knew she was crafting some wonderful bubbles, and that she is restoring and breathing new life into her father’s project, maybe bringing it back to the forefront of Napa Valley’s sparkling wine. I am bound and determined to find her.”

That woman was Paula Kornell, a fourth-generation sparkling wine producer whose family helped shape Napa’s sparkling heritage.

Kornell launched her own label in 2017, carrying forward her father’s legacy. For Kornell, winemaking is not just a craft — it is part of her identity.

“The wine business is in your blood. My father used to say, ‘You have more sparkling burgundy in the old veins than you do blood.’ And so, you know, it is in your soul. Growing up here, you spend so much time trying to get out of here, and then you realize that the rest of your life you spend your time getting back into Napa Valley.”

Thomson admired Kornell’s work from afar. What she did not realize was that Kornell was closer than she ever imagined — literally down the road, not even 3,000' away.

A Chance Encounter in the Pouring Rain

Thomson finally found Kornell at a tasting event on a stormy day —an event Kornell recalls with a laugh.

“Pouring down rain and I am by myself. No one is showing up for this event and in comes this one,” she says.

That “one” was Thomson, arriving with purpose and a direct question.

“Paula, where are you sourcing these grapes from? It says Carneros, but like which vineyard?” Thomson asked.

When Kornell revealed the vineyard, Thomson immediately saw the opportunity.

“Paula, we have to find a way to work together. I would love to sell you grape. It is about the quality, it is about the terroir, but if you do not enjoy doing business with someone, you probably should not be in business with them,” Thomson said.

For Thomson, something was missing in Kornell’s previous sourcing arrangement.

“There was a story about the particular vineyard, but it was not from the ground up,” she says. “It was not from the dirt up, and it was not a person behind it. So this is entirely different.”

A partnership rooted in soil, legacy, and shared values — this was exactly what both women had been looking for.

The Power Duo: Two Women Preserving the Future

Thomson is one of the last remaining family farmers in Napa Valley who still grows grapes on land her family has tended for generations. That responsibility fuels her mission: uplifting other family farmers in the region — especially women.

“I think the story is being diluted,” she says. “And I think it is so important that news organizations like your own share with consumers. So they can seek out supporting those family farmers.”

The women she surrounds herself with share the same grit.

“We all drive tractors, we roll with our mud boots, but we truly love what we do and we truly respect the generations that have come before us,” Thomson says. “It is inspiring to be with a group of women who really believe in what they are doing for their family legacy.”

This female-driven partnership, Thomson says, is rare in the valley.

“Paula is a legend… and I too surrounded myself with other women grape growers who began assuming management roles within their own family. To really be able to find a partnership with Paula and recognize that maybe us as women grape growers have been fortunate enough to recreate what Paula started with her generation of women… it is exciting,” Thomson says.

Kornell says she feels the same.

“I am so proud to be working with Jennifer,” she says. “To be able to talk about her family heritage and the fact that we are both two women in this damn wine business in Napa Valley is really… it makes me very happy and excited about the future.”

A Father’s Legacy, A Daughter’s Determination

Thomson’s dad — the third generation — spent most of his life working an off-farm job to allow the vineyard to survive. Today, he gets to watch his daughter secure its future.

“I am thrilled because not only do I get to answer to my mentors who year after year said, ‘Why have you not done a deal with Paula?’ I can now say I have done a really wonderful deal with Paula.”

But for Thomson, the partnership is about more than business. She’s created her own group of close-knit family farmers in the area, other family farmers who just so happen to be women.

“It is about enjoying being in business with someone, and sharing with consumers that there are real people that do their own work. We drive our own tractors, haul our own fruit, write our own contracts,” she says. “We do not have a long payroll of people helping us do that.”

Together, Thomson and Kornell are bringing authentic, family-grown, California wine to consumers who crave stories rooted in the land and the people who care for it.

Writing the Next Chapter

What began as a heartbreaking harvest with no buyers has transformed into a revitalized future for Thomson Vineyards.

It took grit. It took going direct. It took knocking on a buyer’s door in the pouring rain.

And it took two women determined not to let their family stories fade away.

Today, they are writing a new chapter, one worth celebrating, one worth sharing and one that ensures the legacy of Napa’s true family farmers lives on.

These Colorful Corn Sacks Are Preserving a Piece of Rural History

Thu, 27 Nov 2025 17:40:01 GMT

Growing up in the 1940s, Ron Kelsey was a farm kid who eagerly awaited one special trip each year—the Minnesota State Fair. His father showed corn there for more than five decades, racking up over 30 champion titles. For Ron, those trips planted a lifelong fascination with corn and the vivid bags that once carried seed.

“My dad showed corn at the state fair for 54 years,” Kelsey recalls. “He had championed like 30-some times, and I would go with him.”Those early visits sparked his interest not only in corn, but in the artwork that adorned seed sacks of the era. Long before plain paper bags became the standard, seed companies packaged corn in brightly colored cloth sacks boasting ornate logos, scenes and town names—each one a walking advertisement for both the seed and the farmer who grew it.

“The sacks had not only the name of the grain on them, but they often had the name of the town you’re from and your name,” he says.

A Lifetime of Teaching and Collecting

Kelsey went on to become a high school agriculture teacher and FFA advisor in Lamberton, Minnesota. In his spare time, he began collecting these vintage cloth sacks, eventually amassing an astonishing 1,400 of them.

He takes roughly 400 sacks to the Minnesota State Fair each year, offering visitors a glimpse into farming’s visual past.

“I have fourteen hundred of ’em, so I can’t take ’em all,” he laughs. “I take about four hundred of ’em there.”

More Than Fabric: The Art and Science Behind the Sacks

Many of the old sacks survived only because they were reused around the home. But unlike the floral-patterned flour sacks often turned into clothing, grain sacks were printed with dyes that weren’t intended to last.

“The grain sack is what I call a temporary dye,” Kelsey explains. “You can take the color out overnight with boiling water. My mother made her underwear out of them also. It was a little bit scratchy, but we got by.”Because the dyes fade with light exposure, Kelsey can’t keep them on permanent display. Still, he makes special efforts to show visitors—and this collection—what corn meant to rural America.

Some sacks feature college mascots, regional icons or whimsical illustrations.

“These are colleges—the Big Ten,” he says, pointing to one display. “Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska… Husker sacks, rabbit ears made of corn—just all kinds of designs.”

Corn in the Blood

Corn has been woven into nearly every chapter of Kelsey’s life. His children even gifted him a corn-themed item for his 75th birthday—something he accepted with humor and pride.

“I was a corn person and I carry it with me,” he says. “My kids gave me this for my seventy-fifth birthday, and I thought if I get it when I’m 75 years old and I don’t like it, I’m not gonna live that long.”Though corn may be a commodity, the cloth sacks from the 1930s and ’40s are anything but ordinary. They’re bright, bold snapshots of farm life and the communities that grew around it. And through collectors like Kelsey, they continue telling those stories today.

Traveling the countryside, in Lamberton, Minnesota — I’m Andrew McCrea.

Where Hope Takes Root: The Grit That Saved a 90-Year-Old Family Farm

Wed, 26 Nov 2025 22:21:31 GMT

In the rolling hills of Napa Valley’s Los Carneros region, the scene often looks idyllic. Morning fog drapes the vineyards, and the quiet hum of farm life feels timeless. But behind the postcard-perfect setting stands a family that has survived nearly 90 years of grit, risk and reinvention — and a fourth-generation farmer who refused to let 2024 be the end of their story.

“I am the fourth generation carrying on this family legacy,” says grape grower Jennifer Thomson, walking the same ground her great-grandmother once chose with remarkable instinct.

A Legacy Born From the Dust Bowl

Long before Napa Valley became synonymous with world-class wine, the Thomson family put down roots here in 1938. Thomson’s great-grandmother, Jenny Ophelia Barnum Thomson — a descendant of the famed Barnum circus family — had the courage to pursue opportunity when most would have turned back.

“It was the Great Dust Bowl and the Great Depression driving many families west for new opportunity,” Thomson says. “As migration was happening toward the West Coast for better economic opportunities, they moved here and were able to purchase this land.”

What she bought wasn’t just acreage. It was a vibrant Carneros hub complete with orchards, worker housing and a blacksmith shop. Women couldn’t legally own land at the time, but the deed was placed in her name for only a day, a testament to the trailblazer she was. Then, the land deed was moved into her husband’s name. But the vision, Thomson says, was her great-grandmother’s.

“For her to have that foresight to take that risk and purchase land here — you think about that today,” Thomson says. “She was doing what any family does: contributing to the family. There was water in the Carneros Creek, there were prunes, pears and apples already planted, and they had the ingenuity and engineering to successfully farm. Sometimes you just have to lead with your intuition, and I think that’s what she was doing.”

A Daughter Returns Home — and a New Fight Begins

Four generations later, that same intuition runs deep. In 2009, Thomson left her job in San Francisco and came home to take over the ranch from her father, George.

“Did I ever think Jen would be the one to take over?” George says with a small laugh. “No. I am surprised. I am thankful.”

When she arrived, the wine industry was in the middle of the 2008–2009 recession.

“When I took over in 2009, my father says to me, ‘You picked the absolute worst time to get into farming,’” Thomson recalls. “And then 2024 and 2025 happened. Farmers ask one another, ‘Is this as bad as 2008 or 2009? Is it better? Worse? Did we just forget?’ Because I took over so young, I already was prepared more than my peers.”

But today’s pressures, she says, feel heavier.

“There are not as many channels for sales, not as many stable partners to work with. If I’m a betting woman, I do think 2025 and going into 2026 will be more of a struggle than ever before for the California wine industry.”

Read More: Grape Growers Desperately Need You to Drink More Wine as They Grapple With a Glut of Uncontracted Grapes

So, why is it so challenging for grape growers today? It’s complex. Not only has demand dwindled, with a Gallup poll showing alcohol consumption is at a 90-year low, but an abundant supply the past few years has suffocated the grape growing region. As more vineyards take vines out, that will help the supply situation, but it’s coming at a cost. The other issue is the sellers, like Thomson, and buyers, as in wineries, haven’t always come to the table to find a solution. Cheap imports have flooded the market, and it’s at a much cheaper price than what it costs to grow grapes in California.

Thomson’s father agrees with her, saying the California grape and wine industry is facing one of its most challenging chapters yet.

“It is very challenging,” George says. “The market is sort of against us. Tastes are changing. There are more government regulations on what you can do with your property to make a living.”

Still, he keeps believing.

“Do I think we’ll get out of this? I have my fingers crossed. With people like Jennifer, I believe they’ll keep working at it. They won’t give in easily,” George says.

The Year the Grapes Had No Home

But nothing prepared the family for what came in 2024.

“This home ranch produces a little over 300 tons of grapes annually,” Jennifer says. “And in 2024, nearly all of those 300 tons are dropped on the ground and go unharvested.”

All of them?

“All of them,” she says quietly.

Demand had plummeted. Oversupply strangled the region. And for the first time in the ranch’s nine-decade history, not a single cluster had a home.

It was a moment when most growers would consider walking away. But Jennifer didn’t.

Refusal to Quit

But this is where the story gets good, and where you’re reminded you can’t underestimate the determination of a family farmer, especially Thomson. After all, grit is woven into this family’s DNA. And she leaned on every ounce of it.

“In 2025, I make a true farmer with good ingenuity,” she says. “I make sure I shake hands. I talk with previous clients. I source new clients. I put a lot of hustle into exploring new relationships and cultivating the ones we already have. And we are fortunate this year to sell all of our grapes.”

Her father says the same drive is what transformed the ranch the moment she took over 15 years ago.

“We were able to make a living at it, at least pay the taxes,” George says. “But the property really never makes money until Jennifer says, ‘I think I can do that.’ I hand her the keys and the checkbook.”

George says he always had an off-farm job, but for this first time in his memory, Thomson’s keen business sense and intuition turned the family vineyard into one that could finally support itself.

“Jennifer turns it around for the first time in my life that the property actually supports itself,” he says, emotion thick in his voice. “How proud am I? Extremely proud. She has the foresight, the hunger, the passion. The intelligence. She had all the parts. She has them now.”

One of the Last Family Farmers Standing

In a region rapidly shifting toward corporate ownership, Jennifer is part of a shrinking group — farmers who still drive their own tractors, repair their own equipment and deliver their own fruit.

“I feel more of a pull to the land than I ever predicted when I first took over,” she says. “I took over to help my family and retain this ranch for future generations. But working alongside our crew for 15 years, working with winery partners who value our family legacy and this 90-year-old ranch — I certainly feel much more drawn to the land than I ever think I would.”

Some estimates point to less than 25% of the growers left in the region are true family farmers, a dwindling group that is fighting to remain rooted here.

Gratitude Amid the Hardship

Despite the hardships, Thomson carries deep gratitude — especially this Thanksgiving season.

“I’m really grateful my great-grandmother has the foresight in 1938 to buy a wonderful piece of land with wonderful water availability,” she says. “I have a great-grandfather and grandfather who worked with the Federal Soil Conservation Department and built an on-stream reservoir. It allows us to irrigate our crops and keeps our vines healthier.”

She is thankful for her community, too.

“I’m thankful for that core group of family farmers. We band together. We support one another. We share our successes and we share our failures. That camaraderie can’t be duplicated.”

A Story Still Being Written

The Thomsons’ story, once born out of Dust Bowl desperation, endures because each generation chooses resilience over retreat. And in 2024 — after a year when every grape fell to the ground — it was Jennifer’s resolve that carried the legacy forward.

Every grape has a home again in 2025. And because of her, the family’s story isn’t just continuing, it’s growing stronger.

Oikonomia on the Farm: Succession Planning is About More Than Wealth

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 14:57:20 GMT

Succession planning is often treated as a legal or financial exercise — a “simple” matter of wills, taxes and transfer dates. Yet for family-owned farms and agribusinesses, it’s something deeper: the deliberate handoff of a way of life.

The ancient Greeks had a word for this kind of management, oikonomia, from which we get the term economy. Understanding what they meant by it can reorient how families think about preparing the next generation.

In classical thought, oikonomia referred to the management of the oikos, the household or estate, but it was never only about efficiency or profit. The oikonomos, or household steward, was responsible for using resources wisely so the entire household could live well and endure long into the future.

Ancient philosophers viewed resources as abundant, not scarce, so economic action was judged not by the accumulation of wealth but by whether it enabled and served a praiseworthy end. Specifically, the flourishing of the family, the land and the community.

Perspective for the Present

That older vision aligns closely with what succession planning should be for agriculture. The task is not just to pass on land and assets, but to ensure the continuity of stewardship, the ethical responsibility to care for what has been entrusted.

From an oikonomia perspective, the senior generation’s goal is to prepare successors capable of managing abundance with restraint, gratitude and wisdom. This calls attention to the education of character. The next generation must learn more than production and finance; they must learn judgment, the ability to distinguish needs from wants and to act for the common good. Mentorship, gradual transfer of responsibility, and open discussion of values all form part of this ethical training.

Perhaps most importantly, oikonomia reminds us that a farm is both a business and a household. Financial plans that ignore family dynamics or the moral vision of the enterprise risk undermining the very legacy they seek to protect.

Succession planning works best when it integrates three elements at once: the technical (who owns and manages what), the relational (how the family communicates and cooperates) and the moral (why the farm exists and whom it serves).

In that light, passing the farm to the next generation becomes not just a transaction but an act of stewardship — a modern form of oikonomia. The question is no longer only how do we divide the assets but how do we preserve the household, the land and the purpose they represent for future generations?

Overcome the No. 1 Challenge in Passing Down Your Family Farm

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 18:28:52 GMT

Between now and 2048, about $124 trillion is expected to exchange hands from older to younger generations in the U.S., according to Cerulli Associates, a Boston-based market research firm.

For perspective, that dollar amount is approximately five times the size of the 2023 U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which totaled $27.72 trillion.

How will farmers fit into what many people are calling the “Great Wealth Exchange” over the next two decades? Much of it is specific to land, according to the American Farmland Trust (AFT). It predicts 300 million acres of U.S. agricultural land will change hands in the next 20 years.

Based on $5,000 an acre for farm ground, Paul Neiffer, the Farm CPA, estimates that would be a transfer of between $1.5 trillion and $2 trillion in land from older farmers to younger generations.

“If you throw in rangeland, that’s another trillion, so $3 to $4 trillion at most is where I think we’re at,” Neiffer says.

The Reason Succession Often Fails

A common issue is that while 69% of farmers plan to transfer their operation to a younger family member, only 23% have a plan , according to AgAmerica Lending LLC.

But the No. 1 issue that trips up people in the succession planning process is most people – farmers included – focus more on the mechanics involved in transferring assets than on keeping their family relationships intact.

That’s according to Amy Castoro, CEO and president of The Williams Group, a family coaching and consulting organization. Her firm does relationship planning to help family members make sure they’re still speaking to each other after the wealth transfers.

Many times, she says, the friction in the transfer of wealth has little to do with money and material goods and a whole lot more to do with whether the family members involved felt loved.

A Formula For Success

The Williams Group did a 20-year field study and from that developed a formula for how people need to focus their time and energy in the succession process.

The company recommends spending:
60% of your time on building family trust and developing good communication practices;

25% preparing your heirs to take over the operation, laying the business and fiscal groundwork for the farm to continue under their leadership;

10% of your time getting on the same page about your family’s values and having a family mission;

5% of your time on the estate planning mechanics, the nuts and bolts of how the assets will transfer.

In addition, The Williams Group advises that you work with your heirs to:

Strike a balance between control and collaboration.
Embrace the next generation’s perspectives.
Bolster intergenerational solidarity.
Embed high-trust behaviors.
Co-design standards for readiness.

Start The Plan Sooner, Not Later

If you want to see your farm succeed with the next generation of family members, make sure you have the right structure in place – and set it up sooner than later. Don’t put it off, Neiffer advises.

Once you have a plan in place, you have a tool you can modify to fit what your family and farm need over time.

“Having a plan in place can help alleviate stress, even if things change down the road,” Neiffer says. “Keep in mind that farming is a dynamic business and your plan needs to be, too.”

Your next read: Big Questions Remain For Next Gen Farmers

Top Producers Share The Best Advice They Would Tell Their Younger Selves

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 20:02:10 GMT

During the 2025 Top Producer Summit, previous Top Producer award winners took a moment to step back and reflect on the past. Looking back, what advice would they give their younger selves? Here’s what they had to say:

“If you’re hesitating, get on the ball. If you’re scrambling and don’t know what you’re doing, get on the ball. If you’re scared, get on the ball. It’s the only way you survive. But don’t focus so much by being on the ball and so focused on building your living that you forget to live your life.” ~Ron Rabou

“Don’t let your farm size or balance sheet determine your value. That’s been tough as a young producer, because we’re always looking for growth, but sometimes we need to reflect and recognize sometimes growth is internal. You should surround yourself with quality people and be genuinely happy for those around you. Try to understand the value of no. If I could look back, I would’ve said no a lot more. I’m still learning how to say no. The other thing my wife also challenges me to do is enjoy the ride. Take the time to celebrate your wins — even though that can sometimes be hard to do as a progressive businessperson.” ~Matt Splitter,

“Don’t let anybody crush your dreams. The first time I headed to Oklahoma with a combine, everyone in my local community said, ‘That will never work.’ I proved them wrong, and we’re still doing it 32 years later. Hang around positive people, and have someone behind you who believes in you. My wife still writes me notes every week that say, ‘I’ll love you unconditionally.’ It makes my job easier because when there’s a bad day, you’ve got somebody behind you.” ~Chad Olsen

“Hold your space. I was an only child of older parents. It was hard to grow up and be seen as grown up. So, it’s important for those of us in a multigenerational business to hold our space.” ~Christine Hamilton

“I think back to when I was in college and had a sign in my dorm that said ‘There’s one world market and everyone has 24 hours in a day. The rest is ability, imagination and ambition.’ I’d tell my younger self thank you for doing all the stuff you did when you were younger, because when you get old you need more sleep and don’t have the energy.” ~Brian Mitchell

How to Grow the Next Generation of Agriculture: Start Small

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 17:46:38 GMT

Growing up in the Mississippi River Delta, Willis Nelson says his family’s 800 acres was the biggest farm he’d ever seen. When he and his brothers took over the operation, he dreamed of growing the operation to 1,000 acres, but he didn’t know how to start.

“I went to a field day hosted by Harper Armstrong and he had 2,500 acres and he was a black guy,” Nelson says. “Then I got involved with the National Black Growers Council and saw all the big growers and I thought 1,000 was not enough. It gave us a role model we hadn’t seen before.”

Today, Nelson, alongside his three brothers, farms 4,000 acres of corn, cotton, soybeans, rice and milo that spans over 100 miles in Louisiana.

(America’s Conservation Ag Movement )

Recently, Nelson and Sons Farm hosted a Model Farm Field Day for the National Black Growers Council that catered to the next generation with in-field experience and customized youth programming.

“We want to make sure these young kids understand where their food comes from,” says PJ Haynie, chairman of the National Black Growers Council and owner of Haynie Farms in Virginia. “When we look over our shoulders, we want these young kids to be coming up the field behind us. We know every one of these young kids might not be a farmer, but we want them to understand the value of agriculture and the opportunities that lie in agriculture.”

(America’s Conservation Ag Movement )

The next generations of Nelson and Sons Farm is filled with “too many cousins to count.” Most days, those kids are on the farm right alongside their family, lending a hand. Wil’Laddyn Nelson, Joel’Quavion Steward and Wil’Zaylan Nelson all like to drive tractors and help out where they can, but when they go to school, their peers don’t understand the lifestyle.

“They don’t know where their food comes from or what we do,” Joel’Quavion says. “They play video games on their phones a lot.”

The boys admit they play video games, too, but only when it rains or is too muddy to work outside. As soon as it is dry, they have to get back to work.

(America’s Conservation Ag Movement )

Nelson and his brothers have settled into their own niches and management roles on the farm. He says he wouldn’t trade his family operation, and he is cultivating that attitude with the next generation.

“I just started Nelson Next-Generation Farm where I am starting all the nieces and nephews farming,” he says. They are beginning with chickens, sheep, a cow and with their own muscadine crop.

Wil’Laddyn is already reaping the benefits: “I clean my eggs and sell them cheaper than the stores and I make money.”

“I want them to see another side of farming other than just big ag,” Nelson says. “I want them to come take over big ag, but first I want them to grow up into farming.”

“I’m glad to be in this family,” Joel’Quavion adds. “It’s a blessing. If it weren’t for my uncles, my aunties and my cousins, I don’t know what I’d be doing right now.”

(America’s Conservation Ag Movement )

Nelson says being part of the National Black Growers Council gave him role models to look up to as well as a sense of community within an industry that can sometimes foster competition and isolation.

Breaking down those walls between farms was precisely how National Black Growers Council cultivates the next generation across the nation, Haynie says.

“We are a non-profit whose mission is to improve the efficiency, productivity and sustainability of black row crop farmers, period,” he explains. “Black row crop farmers are the smallest herd of all black farmers in the country, and we figured if we could protect this small herd and create opportunities, the herd can grow.”

America’s Conservation Ag Movement joined the National Black Growers Council field day to learn how Willis Nelson is working with the organization to grow the next generation of row crop farmers. America’s Conservation Ag Movement is a public/private collaborative that meets growers where they are on their conservation journey and empowers their next step with technical assistance from USDA-NRCS and innovation solutions and resources from agriculture’s leading providers.

Machinery Pete's Advice For 'Young' Farmers

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 18:41:07 GMT

What a life young producers have ahead. You’ve got your own canvas to paint. But if you permit it, there are a few gray-haired words of wisdom the old auction price guy would like to affectionately direct your way.

Keep Your Head on a Swivel
My father, who is now 87, gave me this advice in November 1989 when I set sail trying to help farmers, dealers, bankers and auctioneers better understand what used equipment is worth. Train yourself to seek out information from varied sources, be inquisitive and watch what folks are paying attention to. There are valuable insights waiting.

Stubbornness is an Asset – Sometimes
Believing in yourself, even if others don’t, is your No. 1 job. When I applied for our first home loan 33 years ago, the lender spouted off stats on how many new small businesses fail and said, “Sorry, no can do on that loan.” Rejection was like rocket fuel to me. I pushed harder and took on two part-time jobs. But the trick I’ve learned over the decades is knowing when to harness that stubbornness. Using it all the time isn’t pretty or easy for your loved ones to live with.

Eye Contact
A while back in the “Ag Twitterverse,” someone asked, “What’s one piece of advice you would give to a young person?” My reply: Eye contact. We live in an increasingly impersonal world. Technology is marvelous, but people skills are suffering greatly. The seemingly simple act of establishing and holding good eye contact with the people you are talking to is becoming extinct. There’s a golden opportunity for young folks, whether in ag or not, to stand out and get noticed. Hold good eye contact and listen well. Trust me, it will bring untold opportunities both in business and in your personal life.

It’s About Story
You might have noticed folks want to buy furniture, clothes and food with a story to it. There’s a huge opportunity there. By all means, look for ways to make your operation more efficient. But also think about new and different ways to tell the story of what you are producing. Take it from the data guy, when you tell a little story from your heart and personalize what you are selling, whatever it is becomes worth more money.

This 2001 John Deere 8210 Gold Key Tour certified tractor sold for a record $132,500.

Take this 2001 John Deere 8210 Gold Key Tour certified tractor with 3,059 hours and one owner for example. On March 22 in West Unity, Ohio, we filmed a Machinery Pete auction preview video. The late owner, David Buehrer, took great care of his equipment. His wife, Lynne, told me, “I can’t show you the Gold Key. We put it with David in his casket.”

His son, Nate, said, “Dad taught me to never have the radio on in the tractor, combine or truck because we had to listen to our equipment.”

The machine sold for $132,500 – breaking the record auction price that had been in place for 13 years by $17,500. The story matters.

Your Next Read: 5 Options to Consider During Farmland Transitions

From College to Corn Fields: Second-Generation Ohio Farmer's Journey Starts Now

Fri, 13 Jun 2025 16:24:20 GMT

There are two schools of thought when it comes to onboarding rookies in professional sports: You toss them right into the deep end and see if they can swim, or you ease them in slowly, letting them watch and learn how to be a pro from the veterans in the locker room. Both approaches have their pros and cons, and there’s no firm consensus on which method results in consistent long-term success.

Ohio second-generation farmer Paige Pence will likely be brought along gently as she gains experience and learns the intricacies of the family cropping business. Pence’s parents, Brent and Christine, are in fine shape and still have that burning, fiery passion when it comes to farming the 4,500 acres they have pieced together over the first two decades of their only daughter’s life.

“I don’t think they are planning on retiring or handing this off to me anytime soon,” laughs Pence, 22, having just packed up her college dorm room and trekked home to the New Carlisle, Ohio, farmhouse she grew up in. She graduated this spring from Western Illinois University with a bachelor’s degree in ag science and a minor in animal science.

(2Ps Studios, Shayna Perez)

Meeting with the family, you can tell right from the jump Brent and Christine are thrilled to get their daughter back. They’ve been managing things as a partnership since young Brent secured his initial 123 acres of rented ground back in the early ‘90s. He did not come from a farming background, but Christine grew up on a dairy farm, so agriculture was not a completely foreign concept. Through sheer perseverance and with some help from friends, neighbors and family, they’ve built an impressive operation to one day pass down to their only child.

Up to the Challenge
That’s a fact that surely makes Brent’s handful of farming mentors from over the years as proud as peacocks.

“She’s going to get a whole new learning experience this summer,” Brent says. “We’re going to set her loose. After all the traveling that my wife and I have done for her livestock shows, we’re going to get a little bit back from her.”

The plan moving forward is to have Paige get her feet wet running the farm’s fleet of equipment and pitching in wherever she can leave her mark. She’ll be shouldering a healthy load of farm duties, with her parents guiding her along the way. She’s more than up to the task.

(2Ps Studios, Shayna Perez)

“During my senior year it started to hit me that I was ready to go home, because when you’re not here on the farm, you’re not able to be as present,” she says. “I was ready to come home and start making the changes that were going to help our family.”

The Pences have yet to sit down at the kitchen table and talk about those changes, like profit splits or how many acres Paige will eventually take over and manage on her own. But that doesn’t mean she’ll be tethered to their hips all summer, either. That conversation will come in due time, but for now it’s all about getting her up and running and feeling comfortable as the second generation on the farm.

“I definitely could see them giving me some fields to manage by myself, because I think they know I’m independent, and I’m always looking for ways to improve and learn,” Paige says. “So obviously, with a little bit of help, I could see them giving me more independence, and I’m on the side of doing that, too.”

(Matthew J. Grassi)

Carving Out a Niche
Aside from her day-to-day duties of helping plant, fertilize, spray and harvest the family’s crops, the recent college graduate hopes her parents will lean on her social media skills. She’s built a strong following online and she clearly has a knack for leveraging those connections and eyeballs to grow her custom graphic design side hustle. Now she can use that experience to help develop the farm’s digital presence, which has become crucial during this day and age.

No matter how she is “set loose on the farm,” in her father’s words, this has always been the plan.

“I have always grown up around farming, so I don’t see myself ever leaving,” Paige says. “There are always different things that need to be done, and aside from showing [livestock] over the last decade, I’ve always been around helping out. I don’t see myself moving anywhere else. I feel like everything I need is right here.”

(2Ps Studios, Shayna Perez)

Your Next Read: Farming Builds A Bridge Between Kentucky Family’s Past, Present And Future

Farming Builds A Bridge Between Kentucky Family’s Past, Present And Future

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 13:21:55 GMT

The fertile silt loam soils of LaRue County, Ky., serve as a bridge uniting the nine generations of Caleb Ragland’s farming family. This is a connection he hopes will extend in the years to include his three sons.

“My wife, Leanne, and I grow soybeans, corn, winter wheat and boys; they’re our most important crop,” Ragland says of his family and their 4,000-plus-acre grain operation that is based out of central Kentucky, near Magnolia.

If you have a conversation with the 38-year-old Ragland, you’ll find he doesn’t often stray far from the topics of farming and family, and the lines between the two blur as he looks out a farm office window and talks.

“I can look out across the field here, about a half mile, and see generations of my family buried over here on the hill,” Ragland says. “Our family settled here in 1808. Abraham Lincoln’s dad deeded land in this county the same month that our family did.”

Lincoln’s family left Kentucky for southern Indiana in 1816. Ragland’s family stayed put. “We’ve got deep roots here,” he says.

(American Soybean Association)

Natural Communicator
Ragland is hopeful his boys, ages 15, 13 and 10, will have the opportunity to be the 10th generation to farm the family’s ground. But he is concerned the mounting fallout from trade disruptions, high input costs and low commodity prices could deliver a death blow to that dream.

Those concerns are weighing on Ragland on an April morning as he sits planted in his farm office, juggling a variety of media interviews in his official capacity as president of the American Soybean Association (ASA). Though he would prefer to be on a tractor in the field or working around the farm, Ragland has done dozens of interviews in recent years with the media, most of whom are rooted in agriculture. But the general press has also come calling — from CNN and Fox News to National Public Radio — as they recognize the practical farming knowledge and savvy agricultural policy insights he can provide.

These days, Ragland has been addressing various topics ranging from trade dynamics to how rainfall is affecting the farmers who are located across parts of the Southeast. He reflects with dismay on a recent vote by the U.S. International Trade Commission that went in favor of imposing duties on imports of 2,4-D from China and India.

“That didn’t go our way,” Ragland says. “It’s a disappointing decision. It’s one that will probably double the cost of 2,4-D for farmers, and I’m not just taking a guess at that. Prices here locally have been going up over the past 12 months.”

(Rhonda Brooks)

Signs Of The Times
USDA reports net cash farm income is projected to increase to $193.7 billion in 2025, which would be up 21.7% year-over-year, thanks to federal aid — not because of better prices or increased commodity sales.

“Right now, it’s painful out here, and things don’t look good. That’s just being honest,” Ragland says. “With high input prices, unpredictable weather events and mounting uncertainty in trade markets, our farm is likely dealing with a $150,000 net loss for the 2025 crop.”

Ragland describes his farm’s budgets for the 2025 crops as bloody.

“When I ran budgets, full-season soybeans on my farm are in the red,” he says. “We raise a lot of winter wheat and double-crop soybeans, and that acreage with APH (actual production history) yields to break even shows corn is only slightly profitable.

“Due to the high cost of inputs and land and everything else across the board, we’ve had more risk than we’ve ever had and probably the least amount of potential profit in my farming career,” Ragland continues, noting 2025 marked the 21st crop he has put out on his own.

(American Soybean Association)

Staying The Course
Ragland voted for President Donald Trump in the past three presidential elections. While he doesn’t regret the decision he made, he does hope the president will make some trade decisions soon that will help bring financial opportunity to U.S. farmers.

“We need to be as proactive as possible about getting some trade deals done. We need some wins. We’re still very hopeful and optimistic that we will be able to get a phase-two type deal done,” Ragland says, referring to the Trump administration’s trade negotiations with China that occurred during his first term.

He says the U.S. exports about 50% of its soybeans and that China purchased 52% of U.S. beans exported in 2024. “So if you see a soybean field, every fourth row of soybeans went to China last year,” he says.

Trump’s trade-negotiation efforts have broad support from U.S. farmers, according to results from the Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer survey that was released in early May. The survey indicated farmers are willing to endure short-term pain for long-term gain, according to Jim Mintert, emeritus professor of economics at Purdue.

“Fifty-six percent of farmers surveyed said they believe the ongoing trade disputes will likely hurt them financially in 2025,” Mintert says. “At the same time, 70% said they believe the U.S. and agriculture specifically will benefit in the long term.”

A Farm Bill Would Help
Ragland shares the survey’s sentiment and adds that getting a farm bill approved by Congress in 2025 would be a win for farmers.

“We desperately need it for ag and our rural communities as a whole,” he explains. “We need a stable farm economy so there is an incentive for our brightest and best to want to come back to the farm and not seek to go elsewhere. I want my sons to have an opportunity to farm, and I want other people’s children to be able to have that choice as well, but there’s got to be an economic opportunity to make a living.”

Your Next Read — Death Out of Order: A Remarkable Journey to Carry On a Family Legacy

The Kids Aren’t Coming Back to the Farm – Now What?

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 19:38:03 GMT

“Grandpa and Grandma passed the farm down to my parents, then my parents passed it down to me. We’re hopeful the next generation will take over in the next few years.”

Sound familiar? It’s the story shared on countless family farms across the country — an unspoken hope that the torch will pass naturally. No formal plan, just a quiet assumption: Our kids will come back.

But here’s the tough question no one wants to ask:

What if they don’t?

What if they have other dreams?
What if they’re not cut out for the job?
What if you’ve spent your life building something worth continuing, and no one is waiting to carry it forward?

Who runs the farm then?

It’s a question more farmers are grappling with as rural demographics shift, career choices broaden and fewer children return home after college. While it might not be the path you envisioned for your operation, the absence of a next-generation successor doesn’t mean the end of your farm. But it does mean it’s time to think differently.

Whether it’s transitioning to a trusted employee, partnering with a young beginning farmer, exploring lease-to-own arrangements or even selling to a like-minded producer, there are more options than you might realize. The key is being proactive, not reactive.
Long story short, waiting and hoping isn’t a succession plan.

Know Your Options
When a family successor isn’t in the cards, it doesn’t mean the legacy of your farm has to end. Whether your kids aren’t interested, aren’t able, or just aren’t the right fit, there are still ways to ensure the operation you’ve built continues to thrive.

1. Long-Time Employees
Sometimes your successor is already part of your team. A trusted employee who understands your operation, shares your values and has a strong work ethic might be the ideal candidate.

“It involves identifying the right person, mentoring them over time and gradually transferring responsibility,” says Jessica Groskopf, agricultural economist and extension educator at the University of Nebraska. “When done well, it’s incredibly rewarding for both parties. But it does take time, trust and careful legal planning.”

Don’t wait until retirement to start the conversation. Begin involving them in decision-making, management and financial discussions early. Let them see what it takes to run the business. Not just the day-to-day labor, but the big-picture strategy.

Formalizing their involvement with clear expectations, written agreements and timelines can also protect both parties. Work to create a succession roadmap that includes phased ownership, buy-in options or profit-sharing models to help them build equity over time.

2. Beginning Farmers
There are many young, aspiring farmers ready to work hard, but they lack land or capital. Connecting with young producers through farm incubator programs, state-level beginning farmer initiatives or land-linking platforms can lead to meaningful partnerships.

“These agreements between non-relatives are actually very common,” says Julia Valliant, a research scientist at Indiana University. “According to USDA data, land is most often accessed through a non-relative, either through rental or purchase.”

Programs across the country are designed to help match landowners with beginning farmers and even offer incentives for transitions to socially disadvantaged or beginning producers. Some states also provide tax benefits to landowners who sell or lease to a qualified beginning farmer, helping reduce the financial risk of transition while encouraging generational renewal.

3. Business Partners or Co-Ownership Models
If your kids aren’t coming back, co-ownership might be another way to ensure the farm’s legacy lives on while bringing new energy and ideas into the operation.

“That might mean forming a formal business entity, like an LLC or corporation, where ownership is shared,” says Kelly Wilfert, farm management outreach specialist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

However, these arrangements are not one-size-fits-all.

“Multiple owners may divide ownership of individual assets such as land, equipment or livestock, or simply share ownership of the entity that holds those assets,” Wilfert says. “This flexibility allows outgoing owners to structure transitions in stages, working alongside future owners to gradually shift responsibility.”

It’s Still Your Legacy
A non-family transition doesn’t mean your farm’s story ends; it simply turns a new page. What matters most is that it continues in a way that honors your work, your values and the community it supports.

“Have open and honest conversations with your family about this,” Groskopf says. “Understand each other’s values and goals. That emotional clarity paves the way for good business decisions.”

And don’t go it alone. Extension educators, ag consultants and estate planning attorneys can help you sort through the legal, tax and emotional complexities of transitioning your farm. But you have to take the first step.

In the end, waiting isn’t a plan. And doing nothing is still a decision.

Your Next Read: Growing Pains and Big Gains: A Wisconsin Dairy’s Fast-Paced Journey From 70 Cows to 700

It's Time To Lead: Strong Succession Won't Happen By Accident

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 18:14:42 GMT

Succession planning isn’t just a checklist item — it’s a defining leadership moment. As a farm or ranch owner, it’s time to stop waiting for the “right moment” and start leading with purpose. You’re not just passing on assets; you’re shaping the future of your operation. That means stepping into the role of leader with clarity, courage and commitment.

First, take a hard look at what kind of leader your farm needs. Are you focused on daily operations or vision and growth? Are you modeling strong financial discipline and decision-making? Are you addressing conflicts head-on and keeping your family aligned? Leadership requires more than technical skill; it demands the courage to tackle tough conversations, whether with partners, successors or family members. Great leaders don’t shy away from discomfort; they lean into it with the goal of building stronger relationships and a more resilient operation.

Communication is foundational. If your team doesn’t know what’s happening, how can they help move forward? Hold regular family meetings, define decision-making roles and ensure everyone understands their responsibilities. Avoiding conflict only leads to confusion. Structured, transparent communication builds trust and keeps succession planning on track. Communication is also how you build buy-in from the people who will carry your operation forward.

Leadership Isn’t Handed Over

Next, you must actively develop your future leaders. Don’t wait until you’re ready to retire to begin mentoring. Give your successors meaningful responsibilities now. Let them learn by managing projects, participating in financial discussions and handling day-to-day operations. Leadership isn’t handed over — it’s earned through real-world experience and demonstrated commitment. Every season serves as an opportunity to develop those skills and test readiness.

Set clear standards for advancement. Define what success looks like: required experience, education and financial knowledge. Make sure successors understand what it takes to lead and hold those leaders accountable. If someone isn’t ready or is unwilling to step up, be honest. Your farm’s legacy deserves strong, prepared leadership.

Succession planning is hard. Many families stall out due to fear, conflict or lack of clarity. But real leaders don’t quit when times get tough, they face challenges head on. If your planning has gone off track, reset. Re-engage your family, bring in outside support if necessary and commit to consistent action.

The future of your farm depends on your leadership today. Will you linger in uncertainty, or will you lead with confidence? Strong succession isn’t going to happen by accident. It’s driven by leaders who are willing to plan boldly, act decisively and invest in their next generation. Your family and your operation are counting on you. Be the leader they need.

Your Next Read — Quiet Crisis, Unfolding Rapidly: Big Questions Remain For Next Gen Farmers

Death Out of Order: A Remarkable Journey to Carry On a Family Legacy

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 16:48:26 GMT

This wasn’t part of the plan.

Brittany (Krehbiel) Hukill was born into a farm family that runs five-generations deep. As an only child in the unforgiving geography of west-central Oklahoma, grit wasn’t just something she learned, it was something she witnessed every day.

That grit, however, was tested at a very young age. At just 13 years old, Hukill’s dad, Jeff Krehbiel, received a shocking diagnosis: brain cancer.

“When Jeff was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2009, I went back to farming,” says Karen (Krehbiel) Dodson, Hukill’s mom. “His dad had retired on paper, but most farmers don’t really retire — they’re still there. So, his dad came back and helped while Jeff was sick.”

An accountant by trade, Dodson juggled farming, motherhood and fueling the farm family through meals — something her mother-in-law had done for decades before her. But running the farm wasn’t part of her plan, either.

After a two-year battle with brain cancer, Jeff passed away in 2011. Buried on his 48^th birthday, Dodson lost her husband of more than 20 years and Hukill lost her dad at just 15 years old.

A Defining Moment
A month before he passed away, Hukill and her mom had gone to visit Jeff in a care facility. Jeff could hardly speak due to several strokes. But there’s one late-night visit after a high school game she vividly remembers.

“He looked at me and asked, ‘Are you coming back?’ I knew he didn’t mean coming back to visit him. He meant, ‘Are you going back to the farm?’” Hukill says. “There was this massive elephant in the room for him. We’d worked for four generations to have this farm. I said, ‘Yeah, I plan to come home and farm.’ At that point, I had made my decision of what my plan was.”

Left: Brittany learning from her dad, Jeff Krehbiel. Right: Brittany with her grandpa, Wayne Krehbiel, and mom, Karen Dodson.

(Krehbiel Farms)

Deciding to come back as the fifth-generation to a farm she says only has a 6" layer of topsoil was the moment that defined her future.

“Mom’s only requirement was that I go and learn something and bring it back,” Hukill says. “She wanted me to go see more than just our few sections right here and get off the farm for a time.”

That wisdom set her on a path to Oklahoma State University (OSU). Majoring in agricultural economics, she thought that would be the most valuable degree to use when she ventured back to the farm. Hukill says she had plenty of teachers in high school, and even an adviser at OSU, who encouraged her not to go back to the family farm. She decided to forgo any internships or summer jobs to spend every opportunity helping at home.

But when Hukill was about halfway through college, her plans changed again.

“My father-in-law passed away in December 2016,” Dodson says. “My mother-in-law owned part of the farm, I owned the operating portion and Brittany was heir to all of that.”

(Jessy Frizzell Photography)

Another Generation’s Knowledge Gone
Healthy up until the day he fell on the farm, Dodson lost her father-in-law and business partner, and Hukill lost her grandpa — the only individual left who held the Krehbiel name and had decades of farming experience and knowledge.

“At that point, I was a year and a half from graduating college, but Logan [her now husband] and I said, ‘We’re going to have to get home, so both of us pushed the gas harder and graduated a semester early in December 2017 then got married in April 2018.”

Logan then started an accelerated nursing program, living nearly 40 miles away for about a year.

“As he finished nursing school, we moved into the farmhouse and have been here since,” Hukill says.

Today, Logan still has his off-farm nursing job, and as of last fall, he is an equal partner of the farm.

It’s split three ways, with Dodson managing the financials, Hukill managing the irrigation business and her husband as the farm manager.

(Jessy Frizzell Photography)

You Don’t Know What Questions to Ask When Your Dad Dies at 15
Losing her dad and grandpa all before graduating college wasn’t part of Hukill’s plan.

“There are a lot of questions you would have asked if you would have known you should have asked them, but I was 13,” Hukill says. “When I had my dad around, to me, he was dad. To everybody else, he was the boss man. He was the guy on the Wheat Commission. He knew his stuff. I didn’t realize how much I was going to miss and the knowledge he had in his absence.”

She also expected to have plenty of time to glean knowledge from her grandpa.

“You have this illusion that you have time to ask questions and learn from those previous generations, but once people start dying out of order and once people are gone, there’s no way to get that knowledge back.”

While she wasn’t able to capture that priceless knowledge from her dad and grandpa, she’s learned through trial and error and looks to neighbors who have been a reliable source of knowledge.

Establish a Plan Early
Though death isn’t part of anyone’s ideal plan, it’s a reality. The unexpected farm transition her family experienced sparked Hukill and her husband to create an estate plan before either of them turned 30.

“Before we had kids, we had estate plans set up,” Hukill says. “If we died today, what’s the plan? Because the kids aren’t going to take it over. How do we liquidate everything to take care of the kids we leave behind? We’ve been able to have those conversations about succession planning, even when our kids are little, because we have seen what works and what was a struggle to overcome because of how things were left.”

Hey @shanferrell -
We got it in writing! BEFORE we needed it! Aren’t you proud?! pic.twitter.com/mmgAvQj1ti
— Brittany Hukill (@bvhukill) June 9, 2022

She credits her mom for helping with that vision and the willingness to pass the farm to Hukill and her husband in a strategic manner that will continue the farm’s legacy.

“I think we would all agree it’s all hands on deck to keep it alive — whatever that looks like,” she adds.

(Jessy Frizzell Photography)

Navigating $5 Wheat by Faith
Poor margins paint a grim outlook this year. But instead of focusing on what she can’t change, Hukill is putting her energy into what she can — while not taking for granted the opportunity she has to raise her family on the same land farmed by generations before her.

“It’s not about me. It really isn’t. I truly feel like, yes, this is my family’s farm, but this was a gift given by God, so I’m going to do the best I can to take care of it, and we’re going make the best decisions we can with the information we have,” Hukill says. “If I would not have had the start I did, I don’t know that we would have made it this far. I don’t know how people get started in agriculture right now. But I am very thankful for the foundation set before me by the generations who came before.”’

Your Next Read — Tick Tock: How Long Do You Need For A Successful Transition?

Tick Tock: How Long Do You Need For A Successful Transition?

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 16:00:00 GMT

How do you know when it’s time to start transitioning your operation to the next generation? Rena Striegel, president of Transition Point Business Partners, says to aim for a decade.

“If we’re lucky, we’ve got that long. Sometimes we don’t, though,” Striegel explains. “Sometimes things happen and we have to move much quicker than that. An illness can escalate transition quickly. A disagreement can go from ‘We’re all good’ to ‘We’ve got to fix this right now.’ And sometimes lack of planning can cause an extremely difficult situation – particularly if someone wants to exit quickly.”

She says the fastest succession plan she has ever seen executed from start to finish was six months.

“That was so painful, I cannot even begin to describe how difficult that was to get four brothers to agree on a plan and ready to execute in six months when the first one wanted to be out,” Striegel says. “We did it, but only because that farm family really sat and hung in there. If one of them had lost his patience or his temper, that whole thing could have blown sky high.”

Striegel compares the timeline of your succession plan to landing a plane.

“Think about those flights where the runway is really long. The plane comes in, it touches down nicely, and it just comes to a stop, right? It’s nice and gentle. No problems,” she says. “If you think about those landings where it’s stormy, or the runway is short, they’re a little scary, they’re really abrupt, they’re very stressful, and they can kind of hurt. So, we want to give as long of a runway as possible to give everybody a chance to ease in.”

The 10 years you ideally have are broken down into this timeline:

Years 1-2: Assemble your professional team and make some of the biggest decisions. Understand your entities and reorganize assets if necessary. Update your documents.
Years 3-4: Work with the next generation to get them ready for the roles they will have. Practice good communication and iron out dysfunction.
Years 5-10: Begin actual transition of ownership.

What comes first during that ownership transition process will vary.

“Sometimes it’s operational first. You’re allowing successors to make some of the operating decisions. Then maybe it’s some of the financial decisions, maybe it’s marketing decisions, maybe it’s buying inputs, maybe it is selecting vendors. Maybe you’re letting them negotiate for equipment,” Striegel says. “Whatever it is, you’ve got to figure out what the timeline is to take things off of your plate and put it on to them, and to be really clear about that, so that we can develop successors in the right way.”

Transitioning relationships is also an important piece of the puzzle.

“When do you turn over the relationship with your banker? What about your lawyer or your CPA? When and how do we get that next generation involved in those conversations?” Striegel asks. “If we don’t transition relationships, what happens is the next generation has no relationships with the people that have been serving your family for however many years and when you’re done, so are they.”

She says there won’t always be a finite end date on the transition, but it’s important you feel confident about the progress.

“The main thing is to say, ‘Over this period of time, I’m going to start working with you to take this over’, make sure you spend time doing that, and then let it go with oversight,” Striegel says. “I always like to say, ‘You watch me do it, I’ll watch you do it and then you do it on your own.”

The Best Time to Start Your Retirement Plan

Fri, 06 Jun 2025 21:00:31 GMT

Farmers historically have struggled to invest money in anything other than their farm operation. However, by investing in retirement plans including an IRA, a farmer can more easily save up for retirement and make the transfer to the next generation much easier.

The power of compounding is the financial seventh wonder of the world. Based on your annual investment return, you can determine how quickly your investment will double by dividing it into 72. For example, if you average 3% on your money, it will take 24 years to double. However, if you can earn 8%, then it only takes nine years.

The younger you start to invest, even small sums, the more money you will have at retirement. Let’s compare the results of placing $10,000 into a retirement account at either age 20 or 40.

The farmer who does this at age 40 and then pulls the money out at age 70 will have $100,627. However, the farmer who starts at age 20 will have $469,016, and if they can earn 10%, will have $1,173,909.

The cost of maintaining a solo 401k plan is very inexpensive and married couples can set aside at least $14,000 into an IRA each year. The fees on those accounts are minimal and you can make sure to invest in low-cost ETFs or mutual funds. High-cost funds could quickly reduce your returns substantially.

Most of the earnings will result in the last 10 years, so the sooner you get started, the more funds you will accumulate.

Risk Protection Benefits
There’s another big reason to make this investment. Funds in a retirement plan are fully exempt from bankruptcy, and we all know farming can be a very risky business. The full exemption does not apply to IRAs, but the amount that is exempt is fairly large.

This amount gets updated every three years. On April 1, 2025, the exemption amount was raised from $1,512,350 to $1,711.975 through March 31, 2028.

Most farmers have IRAs less than this amount, so it’s likely they will have a full exclusion if bankruptcy was to occur. Amounts rolled over from a 401k plan or other retirement account, including earnings associated on that account, are fully exempt.

In some states, IRAs are fully exempt or at least partially exempt.

The bottom line is to invest in an IRA or retirement plan. I hope you never need the protection, but it is a good insurance policy.

Hard Work, Sacrifice And Risk: Advice For First-Generation Farmers

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:00:00 GMT

Doug Stark of central Wyoming knew he wanted to farm after high school but quickly had a hard reality check.

“The first year I kind of dabbled at it a little bit–I rented a farm and used my dad’s equipment. That didn’t really work out,” Stark recalls. “I didn’t have enough farm ground to make it all work, and I frankly, didn’t really know what I was doing from a business standpoint.”

Stark ended up at the University of Wyoming to study for an ag business degree. Once he graduated, however, there was no longer a family farm to apply his skills on.

“My dad sold the dairy, liquidated the farm and moved on as well,” Stark says. “It was out into the working world and Farm Credit Services of America.”

Stark stayed at Farm Credit for 37 years, eventually serving as the company’s CEO until his retirement a few years ago. He recently joined the Ag Inspo podcast with Ron Rabo and Rena Striegel to discuss what he believes the next generation of producers need to start a farming operation when one isn’t being passed down.

It’s Possible To Start From Scratch
Stark says the first misconception many young producers have is they can’t start farming by themselves. He says it can be done, but be prepared to make sacrifices.

“Whether in ranching or farming, people I know who did it have worked their tails off,” he says. “They went without a lot of years. They built things themselves. This friend of mine built his own shop by hand. He pounded all the posts, put up all the rafters and ran all the wiring. That’s the kind of thing that you have to do when you’re starting.”

Get Creative
Since first-generation farmers aren’t inheriting equipment, land, or other assets, Stark says they’ll need to get creative.

“How can you look at things differently than the traditional ‘buy the land and buy the machinery’ mindset,” he asks. “Maybe you help your neighbor put harvest corn in exchange for using equipment initially or trade labor.”

That could also look like running a bare-bones, older equipment fleet for a few years.

“I met with a farmer who was stepping in to take over, and he was willing to downsize the equipment line in order to be able to afford to buy into the operation,” she says. “They were going through their inventory saying, ‘Do we really need a planter this nice and this big? Could we get by with something a little less new?’ It was really cool to see that young farmer being willing to consider not running top of the line equipment in order to be able to get in.

Another option is connecting with farmers without children to pass their farm down to - something Starke says is more common than you may expect.

“I can’t tell you how many producers I have known in my role as a leader that don’t have succession on their farm or ranch, and they would love to have a young person to work with to help them get started. It doesn’t mean they’re going to give their farm or ranch to them, but they would get a break and develop a lot of knowledge.”

Striegel shares an example of this she’s seen first-hand.

“I was on a farm where the gentleman didn’t have a lineal descendant as a successor. The young man he was working with was his best friend’s youngest son. Their farm was not large enough to support his two sons, so the older son was on the family farm, and the younger son is now working with this neighboring farmer to take over.”

Take Risks
Starke says you must be willing to take chances, as he doesn’t recall many farmers regretting a risk they took - mainly the ones they didn’t take.

“I would drive by a farm with a client and they would say ‘You know, I had a chance to buy that back in 1969 for $500 an acre, and I passed it up. We could have made it work, but I just was too stubborn. I only wanted to give him $450 and it’s worth $15,000 today,” Starke recalls.

He also recommends having an entrepreneurial spirit and finding ways to enhance the value of your operation.

“Maybe there’s some other agritourism you can employ. Maybe there’s other assets on the farm that you can look at, whether it’s a gravel pit or something that you could develop,” Starke says.

Kansas Farmer Chase Larson's Ability to Overcome Adversity, and Still Grow, Will Inspire You

Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:22:43 GMT

A pilot by training and a farmer by trade, Chase Larson runs his Kansas operation more like a Fortune 500 company than he does a farm.

“Being able to get outside of what you’re doing every day and hearing other people’s experience is crucial to making a successful company,” says Chase Larson, CEO of Bestifor Farms , which is based in Belleville, Kansas.

The Decision to Make Chase CEO
From regular board meetings to his involvement in peer groups, Chase took over as CEO just over a year ago.

Chase Larson sits in the company’s board room.

(Tyne Morgan, Farm Journal)

“He was doing a lot of the responsibilities up to that point, as far as negotiations, cropping decisions, and relationships - everything it takes to run a farm. He earned that respect and my feeling the time was right,” says Thayne Larson, Chase’s dad who also now serves as Bestifor board president.

Chase recalls the point his dad decided it was time to fully transition, “He walked in, and actually my mom was there too, and said, ‘You are CEO of all of Bestifor.”

An aerial view of harvest for Bestifor Farms.

(Chase Larson)

That moment was a surprise in a way, but Chase has always been an integral part of the operation, even buying and brokering loads of hay in college.

“That’s how I really got into it was through logistics and shipping and negotiating when we got into the trucking business,” Larson says.

Bestifor Farms is one of six companies for this sixth-generation farm family.

(Matt Mormann, Farm Journal )

Today, Bestifor Hay Company and Bestifor Farms are just two of the six businesses that make up the Bestifor family of companies.

“We hired better and better people and provided benefits. We worked off of that model, and we’re still working off that model today. But not only the farm and the hay company, but all the additional companies that we have surrounded that support it,” Thayne says.

Bestifor family of brands includes six companies today.

(Matt Mormann, Farm Journal)

Pursuit to Enter Into Pet Food
With 40 employees, 30 of which are full time, each of the Bestifor companies inject values into the overall Bestifor brand, and one of the businesses that’s sprouted within the last decade is a company called Grandpa’s Best.

“We realized we had some really good talent around us being in the hay business for a long time. We said, ‘How hard can it be to start a pet food company?’ And turns out, it’s really hard,” Chase says.

Grandpa’s Best is a small family company committed to providing premium quality Timothy Hay, Orchard Grass Hay, Alfalfa Hay, and native Kansas Prairie Hay to small herbivores and exotic animals.

(Matt Mormann, Farm Journal)

The wild idea to start a pet food company didn’t come from Chase or Thayne. The idea came from Chase’s late wife Celine.

“She came out here and she just got a curious mind,” Thayne says. “She walked the pastures and she was a K-State grad who grew up in California. She said, ‘I wonder what else can eat this grass besides cattle. So, she got seven or eight or 10 different species of grasses, and she sent samples to K-State for research asking what else will eat this? And it came back with rabbits and gerbils.”

They hired a firm to help explain the pet food business, uncovering a $3 billion pet food market worldwide.

“And we said, ‘Well, sure, there’s a piece of that we can find,’” Thayne says.

And they did - a business that’s doubled in sales every year since 2019.

“Chase and Celine, they brought a different side to the operation,” Thayne says. “They showed us there’s more to this than just local and quality for what we’re trying to accomplish as a family. And they have just taken it to another level and put it on steroids. It’s taken off in a whole different direction, and we’re excited about it.”

Constantly uncovering new opportunities, Chase’s late wife Celine was the one who came up with the idea for Grandpa’s Best.

(Chase Larson )

The Battle Against Cancer
Celine Larson was a light on the farm, in their family and in their community.

“She was someone who was an entrepreneurial spirit,” Larson says. “She enjoyed agriculture.”

In 2017, Celine was diagnosed with cancer. Their four kids were 2, 4, 6 and 8 at the time, and Chase’s focus shifted from farming, to fighting for Celine’s life with treatments in Texas.

“I think the longest stint was like 36 days that we never came back,” Chase says. “My mom took the girls to school every day, got them ready, fed them and took over that role while we were down there fighting cancer.”

Chase, along with his late wife Celine, have four daughters.

(Chase Larson )

On Dec. 9, 2019, a little over two years since she was first diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma, Celine Larson passed away at the age of 35.

“When she passed away, it changed our perspective on what’s important in life,” Chase says. “You rethink what you want to do, what you don’t want to do. But the family support on both sides was unbelievable. And most people think, ‘How do you get through things like that?’ But it these negatives are not negatives.”

Thayne adds, “He hasn’t talked about his faith, but it’s rock solid. He’s just such an inspiration and so dedicated. And that’s part of the balance of his life.”

Water Management Software Built By Farmers
Constantly striving for balance, Chase is also always uncovering new ways to grow. One example is through is latest endeavor, which is an app for real-time water management called VandWater, a company that was built by farmers for farmers.

“We figured out how to write it, got the right coders, hired them and went from concept to that in three months,” Chase says.

Chase Larson created VandWater two years ago, which is software for anyone who manages water. The goal is to make comprehensive water management more simple through software.

(VandWater )

Today, VandWater is a fully web-based app, available on any iPhone or Android. It has thousands of wells on the system across three states.

The new ventures are allowing the operation to grow in new ways, all while not losing sight of their roots, which is the farm. Bestifor Farms has managed to double in size over the last 16 years - growing to 12,000 acres today.

Sixth Generation Farm With Sights Set on the Future
And Chase says this sixth-generation farm isn’t finished growing yet.

“We’re very entrepreneurial driven,” Chase says. “We’re not afraid to fail, not to figure out a mistake here or there. You’re not going to grow without constant change and being outside of your borders.”

Chase’s constant hunger to find value, while not losing sight of the fact quality is their legacy here, makes Chase Larson a finalist for 2025 Top Producer of the Year.

Your Next Reads:

2025 Top Producer of the Year Marc Arnusch Looks for Success Beyond Commodity Farming

How Iowa Farmer Mark Hanna is Investing in Innovation and Giving Ag Startups a Fighting Chance

Dalton Dilldine: Next-Generation Producer Follows in His Father’s Footsteps

Texas Rancher Kimberly Ratcliff Trades the Big Apple for Community Beef Business

How a Farm Journal Ad Led to Love and Legacy

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Before there was eHarmony and Match.com, and before people were swiping right or left to find the love of their life, there was Farm Journal.

In August 1984, a Farm Journal story, “Finding a mate got you buffaloed?,” coupled with personal ads created a farming legacy that is still alive and well on at least one farm today.

In the aftermath of that article, a farm girl in southwest Iowa named Pat would find love all the way in the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in Fort Ann, N.Y. Under a listing that began: “My worst habits are losing gloves and sunglasses and tracking dirt in the house,” Pat first learned of Douglas Fuller, a young dairyman who was also looking for love. She circled the listing and wrote “yes” above it.

Soon after, they started corresponding through letters.

“Her letters were well-written, and she started sending chocolate chip cookies with them,” he recalls.

Their cross-country courtship lasted only three dates before Pat packed up her truck for New York for good to marry Doug.

Thirty years later, the legacy of that single piece of magazine print is still alive. Though Pat passed away in 2020, Doug now works alongside their daughter, Olivia, and her partner, Tom, to continue the family’s farming tradition in now the fourth generation of Fuller Acres Farm.

“I’ve always felt a deep connection to agriculture and feel lucky to have farming families on both sides,” Olivia says. “I was lucky to grow up knowing what it meant to be a steward of the land and everything that went into raising our food.”

Though returning to Fuller Acres Farm has been far from easy, Olivia says it has been the best decision of her life.

Visit Fuller Acres Farm to learn how she is carrying on her family’s legacy and elevating conservation efforts.

Do you know someone who found love like Doug and Pat Fuller thanks to Farm Journal’s August 1984 story, “Finding a mate got you buffaloed?” and personal ads? Or maybe they connected through the Rural Singles Directory Farm Journal published in the mid-1990s. If so, we want to hear about it. Send an email to editors@farmjournal.com.

Your Next Read: Is Now The Right Time To Ditch Tradition On The Farm?

Leadership and Legacy: Empowering Stories from the First Female Corn Growers President

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:00:00 GMT

It’s a fine line Pam Johnson walks gracefully—actively contributing to the family farm, giving her time and talent to farm organizations while building her legacy and now, in her words, letting go.

For 25 years, she’s used her farm roots, passions and gift of leadership in multiple advocacy organizations. And since 1972, she’s built up the family farm with her husband, Maurice, who died in 2024.

For her achievements in agricultural advocacy, farm business innovation and industry leadership, Johnson was recognized as the 2024 Top Producer Women in Ag award winner, which was sponsored by the Farm Journal Foundation.

Bigger and Better
From their 1,150-acre corn and soybean farm in Iowa, Johnson has springboarded her on-farm experience into advocacy and leadership.

In 2013, she became the first female president of the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA)and collaborated with trade associations as well as members of Congress to work on the farm bill.

She also went on to help found MAIZALL, the International Maize Alliance of Corn Growers Associations, which included Brazil, Argentina and the U.S.

“Not many people can go from the farm to the halls of Congress and do that hard work, and fewer remember they are still from the farm and representing their friends, neighbors and fellow farmers,” says John Doggett, former NCGA CEO. “Pam never forgot that the efforts she made were not for her, but those who placed their trust in her to advocate for them.”

(Lilac Design and Photography)

“I love the big picture stuff — especially when I started meeting with farmers in Iowa, around the country and around the world — it was energizing to work on the next big thing,” Johnson says.

Finding how she can use her voice and engage in the industry beyond the farm gate was something Johnson found inspiration from within at first, and then was able to quickly see how it paid off.

“When we were young and working to make a buck, a local elevator failed, and they had a bankruptcy hearing in Des Moines. Some of us went to that, and I told Maurice I was going to get up and say something because I was angry and didn’t think there would be accountability by the owner or restitution for the farmers who were devastated. I thought it was important to be an advocate for people and for my community,” she says. “And people noticed. I got up and found my voice. When you join with other people, you can make a difference.”

That experience led to Johnson being asked to help a local economic development group.

One of her champions was Helen Inman, who served on the Iowa Corn Promotion board preceding her.

“She encouraged me, even though I said I was busy,” Johnson says. “But she set the hook — she said, ‘It’s the best work I’ve ever done with the best people I’ve ever worked with,” so I said, ‘Yes, I will do it.’”

Through Johnson’s leadership on the promotion board, farmer investment in value-added agriculture and specifically ethanol grew. There are now six ethanol plants within 50 miles of her farm providing diversified markets and ownership dividends.

The role was life changing and the true springboard for her further leadership.

“There have been times when I’ve thought I was too busy, but working on things that mattered, doing meaningful work with people you like — that makes a difference,” she says. “It was said when I worked with the U.S. Grains Council that demand creation isn’t a spectator sport, and it’s the truth. You can wish and hope, but if you don’t do anything about it, it’s not going to happen.”

Her time away from the farm fostered new ideas and new opportunities.

“These experiences and getting to be friends with other farmers, we’d go to their farm, and they’d come to ours. It just made us bigger and better people,” Johnson says. “I had the luck to be exposed to the ideas and bring them to the farm.”

Transitioning for growth mode to a new stage of retirement, Pam Johnson farms with her sons Ben and Andy in north central Iowa.

(Lilac Design and Photography)

Seeds Planted At Home
Johnson says the greatest achievement has been building the farm business with her husband, Maurice, and now successfully transferring it to their sons, Ben and Andy.

Being around agriculture all her life, she says a focus on the future has always been at the forefront.

“My mom and dad were farmers, times were tough, and dad started working as a mechanic and ended up being the owner of the John Deere store,” she says. “And every week he had an ad in the paper and included his philosophy: the greatest crop we are going to raise is our children.”

She says farming chose her, but her first career was as a nurse. After the birth of their sons, she left nursing and worked full time on the farm.

“Everyday, Maurice and I went out the door shoulder to shoulder,” she says. “The women in this family have always been treated with equality. We sink or swim together.”

The farm had farrow to finish hogs for 38 years — exiting the hog business in 2010 and since then solely focusing on row crops.

“We survived the farm crisis of the 80s and the collapse of the hog market in 1998,” she says. “In ’98 we saw so many people go out of business, and it was survivor’s guilt, because other people were working just as hard as we were. From that we learned resilience, perseverance and keep your nose to the grindstone.”

(Lilac Design and Photography)

A business focus on farm finance has been paramount, which was aided with digital recordkeeping and benchmarking with other farmers.

“Maurice was the driving force behind the farm accounting going digital, and frankly, I don’t have that in my skillset,” she explains. “It’s another lesson in life, to surround yourself with smart people and then do what you are each good at.”

She and Maurice took on senior leadership roles in the farm management, and they set the expectation both sons would go to college before returning to the farm—if that’s the future they chose.

“The beauty in having kids go away to college is beyond just the degree and education — it’s the ideas, their network and their bigger thought process they bring home,” she says.

Through a series of fortuitous events, both sons married and returned to the farm — offering additional labor resources and stepping into more management decisions with their wives. They were able to purchase nearby farms, share resources and work together.

“Each of our kids have their own land, but we tried to move forward together and work together,” she says. “We let skills, talents and passions unfold over the years. You can’t be good at everything — it helps when everyone is different, and you aren’t all clones.”

She says the goals for the farm have been continual improvement and growth of the business.

“The aim is to keep moving forward, be successful, and enjoy life and family along the way,” she says.

(Lilac Design and Photography)

Pinch Me Moments
From economic development to scientific research, Johnson says, “Sometimes I sit back and smile that I had a part in making big things happen.”

One area she particularly enjoyed was the scientific research work funded by the grower associations, including genetic mapping.

“Science made my brain sparkle, so I got hooked into the research committee,” she says. “These were visionary people at the table, and while the human genome was getting mapped and the rice genome was getting mapped, we knew we had to get the corn genome mapped — to tap into the potential of what corn could be.”

Seeing the opportunity to be a champion for the project, Johnson raised her hand to go to Capitol Hill.

“We got the funding, and it was industry changing,” she says. “And now it’s moved from genomics to phenomics, and there’s still so much potential.”

A coalition builder, Johnson sought out common ground to bring groups together.

“On a trip to Argentina with officers of the U.S. Grains Council and the National Corn Growers Association, we saw common issues — trade barriers, acceptance of biotechnology and more,” Johnson says. “So, we brought together the Argentinians, the Brazilians and the American groups. We had collaboration with the three huge corn competitors on one front, but we built trust, traveled together to China, the WTO in Geneva and the FAO in Rome and worked together.”

In the moment, the work was rewarding, and upon reflection, Johnson found it empowering to think what was started.

“You’re never sure sometimes if what you did made a difference, but we planted seeds anyway,” she says. “And I think back about what we did and say, ‘Pinch me, right?’”

Johnson notes her visibility as a female farmer and woman in association leadership is and should be encouraging to others.

“If you can see it, you can be it — it’s true,” she says. “If I was going to a meeting or to an event, I wanted to be encouraging and inspiring to try to make it easier for the next person behind me.”

Johnson has been active with other advocacy groups including Common Ground, which focuses on consumer outreach, and FarmHer, which provides mentorship among female ag producers.

“There’s not much more gratifying than when I meet someone who wants to do something I am doing or have done, and they say, ‘Tell me how I can get involved.’”

Pam Johnson and her husband, Maurice, navigated industry changes and the effects and opportunities for their Iowa farm all while Johnson pursued local, national and international advocacy leadership roles.

(Lilac Design and Photography)

Time of Transition
This year has brought a new chapter for Pam Johnson.

In 2021, her husband, Maurice, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Since his diagnosis, she returned to her skills as a nurse and was his caregiver. He died on Sept. 7, 2024.

Now the matriarch of the farm, Johnson says her role continues to change. She wants to intentionally retire and fully transition to the next generation.

“At the end of this year’s harvest, I thought, I’m so lucky,” she says. “After Maurice’s funeral, we went into harvest together. And we had long hours day after day without a rain break.”

In the middle of harvest, Johnson got the sign of encouragement she needed.

“I asked Maurice to send me signs. And in the midst of harvest, we got to experience the best northern lights show I’ve ever seen. My daughter-in-law said, ‘Grandpa is with us,’” Johnson says.

She and Maurice spent their farming career in growth mode, and now is a time for change.

“Now my identity is flying solo, and I’m going to retire. I do not want to grow any older and wait to fully turn over the farm,” she says. “There are checklists, and we know what to do.”

She says she’s staying on the farm in the house she and Maurice built in 1975 from boards reused from an old corn crib, and she’ll contribute as she’s asked to.

“Now is the time to try to make things better for the seventh and eighth generation and at the same time let go,” she says.

She’s continuing to live by the words she and Maurice built the farm with: courage, resilience, perseverance, excellence and doing the right thing.

From Louisiana Farm to Ag Retail Leadership: Dean Williams’ Journey to FBN

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 16:41:51 GMT

Dean Williams grew up on a farm in Louisiana and found his way to agriculture through retail. He’s spent more than 20 years selling crop protection, procuring supplies and managing ag retail warehouses and distribution businesses.

His resume includes strategic leadership stints at Nutrien/UAP, Simplot Grower Solutions, Pinnacle Agriculture and Terral Seed. He has a track record of growing businesses, optimizing profitability and navigating market challenges.

His southern roots and strong work ethic have helped him create winning teams throughout his career. He joined FBN in July to help grow crop protection sales via the company’s digital online storefront.

Q: What do you like about working in ag retail?

A: I’ve always been passionate about the agricultural industry. Having grown up on a farm in Louisiana, I’ve always wanted to do something that makes life better for farmers. As I worked in the industry and figured out all of the moving parts, it’s been a renewed focus. Things in the retail channel are too expensive, and I’ve always thought it was very inefficient. That is what drives me. I think we need to make the industry a lot more efficient for our farmers and for suppliers as well.

Q: What’s your leadership style?

A: I’m a person who’s very passionate and very direct, probably to a fault. My style is to be open and transparent. But, when I take a new role, I want to come in and find out what the business is about, listen to the customers, figure out their needs and how we can service them. I like to build a process or a model we can implement. Then it’s about getting the right people on the team and in the right positions. I try to be very open about what the goal is and where we’re headed. I believe if we can get all their cleats pointed in the right direction and heading toward the goal, it will take us toward success.

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

A: Be willing to embrace change. I got that advice early on, and I think it’s where a lot of people struggle. This world’s always changing, and the ag industry is no different. You have to get ahead of change. The puck’s always moving, and you want to stay ahead of the puck, so that means skate to where the puck is going and not where it’s sitting today. For me, this new position at FBN is about skating to where the puck is going.

Q: What advice do you have for others getting into the agricultural business?

A: It’s a great industry, and I don’t know that I’ve ever had a bad day. I’ve had a few bad moments, but I’ve never had a really bad day. It’s a lot of fun. This business is about building a puzzle and then putting that puzzle together. You have to know your farmers, know the people you call on, understand the area, understand what it means to grow and just do the best you can every day. Farmers like the human touch. They like to have fun, but they also like good advice. Always bring good advice to the farm when you go because they really don’t want you to show up just to see them. They want you to show up with information because their time is valuable. Be willing to explore new ideas and, as I said, be willing to change.

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What the Next Generation Can Do to Prepare for Transition Planning

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 19:38:30 GMT

The interconnectedness of agriculture business and family relationships can make transition and estate planning feel challenging. Having the conversations and carrying out the legalities are two separate components that require great detail. Add on managing finances and what should be an exciting opportunity for the rising generation can quickly become overwhelming.

Jessica Groskopf, a Nebraska farmer and transition planning expert, talks about transition and estate planning in a different light. She spoke on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast about how the next generation can prepare themselves. She recognizes the challenges that come with the process, but also sees the hidden opportunities that can help the rising generation build for the future.

“There is a big part of the message missing when it comes to talking about estate and transition planning,” Groskopf says. “That part of the message is what we can do as the younger generation to prepare ourselves for that eventual transfer.”

Jessica and her husband know firsthand what it is like to build for the future even when there has been a lack of transparency and communication from the senior generation. Together, they turned what looked like a less-than-ideal buy out to others into a great opportunity for themselves by using emergency funds, good debt, flexible investments, and alternative revenue.

Groskopf says, “Fifty percent of land owned by an operator was purchased from a non-relative.”

That means the younger generation needs to start preparing financially because the likelihood of them purchasing property is very high.

Financial preparation can include many components. The Groskopfs knew they wanted to buy farmland at some point regardless of if it was in the family or not. So, they started early to prepare for their unknown scenario of a down payment for property.

“The key to savings and investing is time,” Groskopfs says. “The younger you start saving and investing, the better off you will be especially if you are allowing that money to grow over a significant amount of time.”

About five years after they began saving and investing, Jessica and her husband bought into the family partnership with the money they had accumulated. The amount of time, and money needed for a down payment is unique to each individual person and family.

Emergency funds are the first step to financial security.

“For most farm and ranch families, I prefer they have three to six months worth of family living expenses on hand,” says Groskopf

Emergency funds are the safety net that families can use to safeguard against bad debt and continue to move forward financially. One smart practice with emergency funds is to make sure they are in an easily accessible account that earns interest. Two account examples to explore are high-yield savings accounts or money markets.

The next step is to tackle “bad” debt.

“Not all debt is bad and debt is certainly not dumb,” Groskopf says. “Debt is a tool…I think most people understand what bad debt is, but I want to provide a clear definition. Bad debt has a relatively high interest rate, usually over seven percent. Bad debt is also purchasing items that are not necessary.”

Other considerations to make about debt include depreciation, tax advantages and if the item putting you in debt is adding value in other areas of the business. It ultimately comes down to how you manage debt because even good debt can pile up and put farmers and ranchers in less-than-ideal financial positions.

Once you have an emergency fund, and have paid off “bad debt”, it’s time to focus on other savings and investments.

“If the money will be needed within three years, it should go into the savings bucket,” Groskopf says. “High-yield savings accounts, money markets and bonds are all examples of accounts that can be used for shorter-term savings. Accounts used for savings should earn enough interest to outpace inflation, look for options with an annual percentage yield of 3% or higher.”

Groskopf says to invest money that will not be needed in the short term. Investment accounts usually have higher rates of returns but require leaving the money in the accounts for long periods of time to receive the advantages of using them.

For farmers and ranchers aiming to secure their financial future, Jessica recommends investing in flexible accounts. When picking an investment account, considerations need made to what tax and penalties may apply upon withdrawal of the funds along with any other stipulations that come along with the account. Once you have selected the account, you will then need to select the investments within the account. Producers should look for lost cost, diversified options such as Index Funds, Mutual Funds or Exchange Traded Funds, she adds.

“If your head is spinning when it comes to all this information, I’d encourage you to sit down with a financial advisor and explain your situation. Share how long you’d like to invest and how accessible you need the funds to be,” Groskopf says.

Alternative revenue streams or town jobs are a common risk management strategy for farm and ranch families. Whether they pay for living expenses or even supplement the business during the beginning years, they can be a valuable tool.

“I’m someone who says that it has to fit with the farm or the ranch,” Groskopf says. “You have to make sure the seasonality of the business doesn’t conflict with the farm or ranch and that you have the flexibility you need to get everything done.”

Financial and non-financial considerations need to be made before committing to another form of revenue for your personal life or ranch.

Building for the future takes time and experience.

“No one has taught any of us how to do this finance stuff…it is not something you should inherently know,” Groskopf explains. “If you are starting from scratch, go back to your balance sheet. Write down what you do and don’t have in place and even what you don’t understand. Connect with an expert such as your local banker or a financial planner who can help you move forward.”

If you are not comfortable investing on your own, work closely with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) professional, Certified Public Accountant, tax preparer, and/or investment advisor.

Listen to the full conversation:

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Next Gen Spotlight: Minnesota Farmer Balances Tradition and Innovation

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 16:07:52 GMT

Growing up with five brothers, Rebecca Sip never expected to return to the farm full time. However, when her parents started talking about retirement, the future of the family farm was in question because her siblings had established off-farm careers.

“I had always thought someday when I had a family, I’d be able to bring them back to the farm for visits as I’d seen my extended relatives do for years growing up,” Sip explains. “When the thought there might not be a farm to come back to loomed as a reality, I had a conversation with my sister, and we both said, ‘let’s give this a shot.’”

Today, Sip raises soybeans, corn, wheat and sugar beets across 3,000 acres north of Ada, Minn., alongside her brother, Paul, sister, Marissa, and their parents. Taking the leap to full-time farmers hasn’t been without its challenges, but the family has learned to play to each other’s strengths.

Q: Did you face any challenges returning to the farm?

A: It was definitely overwhelming at first. Mechanics has been a huge learning curve for me. I still wouldn’t say it’s my strong point on the farm — my brother is far more gifted in that area. But it’s also been an encouragement because I can look back and see all the things I’m confident to tackle now that I didn’t know how to do when we started.

Q: What’s the hardest part of getting started as a young farmer?

A: You don’t have years of experience. For example, every field has different soil, each soil reacts differently to weather conditions, which can have major effects on crop results. My dad’s wisdom from his years of working through so many different conditions is really invaluable and something I want to thoroughly learn.

Q: What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

A: There’s a verse from the Bible my dad has quoted for many years: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” It’s just made me realize if I desire blessings in my life, I need to approach things in humility. That’s huge on the farm because it’s really easy when you’re in the heat of harvest to be tired, stubborn and not approach communication with humility. You can hold an opinion without doing it in a smug manner, and it certainly makes the disagreements go smoother if you can remember that.

Q: Any advice for others just getting started?

A: You don’t need to know everything at once, but you do need to be constantly learning — and slow down enough to enjoy it. A breakdown on the combine in freezing cold weather 20 miles from the shop is uncomfortable. Being stuck in the mud in three tracked Challenger tractors makes you wonder what you’re doing. But, in my view, those things also make you a more resilient person.

Q: What’s something you hope to implement or change on your operation down the road?

A: There’s going to be a lot of change for us in the next few years as my parents step back. Taking over the decisions and planning this last year has been another level of growth for all three of us. I’m really glad it’s a gradual transition process and not a hammer drop. Beyond that, there’s definitely things that would be nice to change and add to the operation, but with tighter margins you can’t throw much money at things that won’t necessarily give you monetary return.

Q: If you had a magic wand to fix one problem on the farm or in agriculture, what would it be?

A: Pesticide resistance. If every farmer was able to spray less, save money, save time and still end up with excellent results — that would be amazing.

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The Only Way To Be Sustainable Is To Be Profitable

Fri, 06 Dec 2024 12:30:00 GMT

The only sustainable thing for your business long-term is profitability. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make efforts toward soil preservation or time efficiency, but does improving organic matter by 0.5% over 15 years matter if you go out of business doing it? Is the carbon program making the payment for your recently purchased land?

The roller coaster of markets will continue into eternity as it always has. Your focus should be what is most profitable for your business. Most of the rest is noise — though it’s still important to pull the signals out.

The current bleak outlook for farm profitability should stress the importance of this message. Many operations in 2024 are going to be OK only because of the higher yields. 2025 is an unknown, as any new year is.

The Best Product, The Best Price
The first question clients ask us is, “Where can we cut first so this doesn’t hurt as badly?”

Usually, we start with the importance of yield and price. You can’t save your way to prosperity — you need product (bushels), and you need to capture the best price by paying attention to the markets and knowing when to market because you know your bottom line (cost of production) to the penny. Cost of production doesn’t have room for error.

The Wrong Cuts in the Wrong Places
Next, we look at expenses. You need yield, so choose your fertility cuts with caution. The uncomfortable one that most people choose last is the cost of living. Lifestyle creep is when we make more money, we spend more money and become accustomed to that standard of living — see 2021 to 2023. It seems too hard to cut. Packages, frivolous expenditures or premature equipment upgrades add up fast. One or two generations back kept the cost of living in line much better than we do today — this is not conjecture, this is a fact.

The next place people look is other things they are writing a check for: seed, custom application and insurance. This is a slippery slope, especially in the outlook of environmental sustainability or income security.

While this might be unpopular in the modern outlook of sustainability, not seeding a cover crop could be a huge net positive. No seed costs, no application costs and maybe increased tillage. Tillage can and does improve yields in a large area of the country, and that is why it is still prevalent and important — this should be undisputed.

I wouldn’t reduce insurance coverage. Saving a few bushels worth of cost and leaving 20% to 80% of your income unprotected is something a lot of farms can’t afford. I don’t care if you like the current system or agree with the programs — they offer a huge safety net for revenue.

Five Takeaways
Do you want your farm to be sustainable for years to come? Make more money. Pull out the tillage equipment, grow good crops, get your spending in check and take advantage of insurance and marketing opportunities. It’s simple when written, but it’s not easy. Sustainability is profitability — there’s no two ways around it.

No one knows better than you that the future of your farm depends on balancing practices and profits that sustain your land, resources and family . The stakes are evolving based on weather patterns, technology, market demand and more. What actions are you taking to remain resilient?