The ag industry is littered with success stories. Plenty of people started young, worked hard and found a path forward. For others, the path to success was a winding, poorly marked trail with obstacles at every turn. For those who have taken the road, here’s their advice to their younger selves and those on the journey now.
What’s one thing you wish you would have known/done in your 20s?
Chase Dewitz: “I wish I would have left the farm after high school. I received minimal education and really never left, so I feel strongly that experience outside the farm is huge. Education, military or work experience is all an option and important. My children will need to leave for a minimum of 4 years before they can return to farm if they do so wish.”
What’s the biggest mistake/best decision you ever made?
CD: “A lack of patience. I’m still working on this one. Nothing could come fast enough when I was young and now it’s starting to feel like everything is passing too fast. Steadily work toward your goals and they will happen. Try to focus on the end result, not the time it takes to get there, and enjoy the moments in between. Last, join a peer group. I highly recommend it.”
If there was one thing to watch out for early in your career, what is it?
CD: “Be conservative in the good times. Most of my career has been in a low interest rate environment, but especially right now it’s important to conserve cash.”
Farming is hard, why is it worth it?
CD: “There are always times when you ask whether it’s all worth it between the stress and the chaos. It’s a livelihood. There’s no other industry with so many 4th, 5th or 6th generations working the same land. Really most of us aren’t doing this to become wealthy. We’re doing it for the next generation.”
What advice do you have for young farmers just getting started with family or on their own?
CD: “If you’re starting out on your own, find a mentor or mature farmer or industry person in the area. With your family, set some expectations and ground rules. Don’t hit 50 years old and still be the yes man without any assets of your own and two siblings to buy out at 65. How does the 50-year-old bring the next generation into that type of scenario.”
What’s one thing you wish you would have known/done in your 20s?
Matt Bennett: “I wish I would have bought more land. While I know land costs are sky-high in many places, the one piece of land I did buy has been a valuable asset. Using a young-farmer loan, I was able to buy this 53-acre tract with little to no down-payment and very low interest. Getting equity built up at a young age has been a huge benefit.”
What’s the biggest mistake/best decision you ever made?
MB: “The best decision I made was diversifying my operation. Seeing how tough it might be to build equity and grow the farm with limited acreage, I saw the potential to use my skill set in marketing to help others market their grain better. Taking that step out of my comfort-zone to start and build a business has bolstered my farm a great deal.”
If there was one thing to watch out for early in your career, what is it?
MB: “While it’s easy to say I wish I had bought more land, given land prices have skyrocketed over the past 20 years, one thing I’d be cautious on is to get too leveraged. If a person doesn’t have good backing, I’d be cautious to buy land if it puts the producer in a position where a lack of available funds are a constant source of contention. Building a farm takes time and some serious backing, but if the producer has excessive stress, it can be tough on their mental health and the well-being of their family.”
Farming is hard, why is it worth it?
MB: “Farming has changed a great deal over the years, but it’s still a way of life. Being able to raise our family on the home farm is tough to beat. While we enjoy living in the country for starters, the lessons we’ve been able to teach our kids while building an operation have been invaluable. We are a multi-generational farm, and I hope we can continue the legacy for more generations to come.”
What advice do you have for young farmers just getting started with family or on their own?
MB: “The best advice I can give a young farmer is they have to love farming if they’re going to make it their career. Yes, we all like to drive a tractor and get our hands dirty, but when it gets right down to it, there’s so much more to farming. Owning and operating your own business is super rewarding, but it’s also a challenge. If the young producer is passionate about making it work and has a good support-structure, their odds of finding a way to make it work are so much better.”
What’s one thing you wish you would have known/done in your 20s?
Andrew McCrea: “Take more classes about farm and business finance and/or hire someone to assist with this. Spend more time watching financial indicators. This is a business.”
If there was one thing to watch out for early in your career, what is it?
AM: “Find your niche and do it well. Remember that the number of acres that you farm does not equate to the wealth you earn. There are a lot of great farm businesses that farm very few acres. Find what works for you. Also be wary of spending a lot on equipment. You can do a lot with older equipment or hiring certain jobs to be done.”
What advice do you have for young farmers just getting started with family or on their own?
AM: “Don’t be afraid to have a “side hustle.” It’s a great way to earn extra cash and it may provide extra flexibility for your operation. However, MAKE TIME FOR YOUR FAMILY. You only get the time with your kids once.”
What’s one thing you wish you would have known/done in your 20s?
Jennie Schmidt: “There’s much I didn’t know in my 20s because I didn’t become a farmer until my 30s! My training and science background in nutrition and dietetics is actually an asset because it’s the same science of nutrients, just a different biological application from humans to plants and soils. But if you’re a student of your crops, and willing to put in the work, find or have great mentors and family support, you can learn and absorb the knowledge and skills you need to excel at farming. As a woman, I just have to put myself out there in the male dominated ag space and show I’m competent and able to do most anything to operate the farm.”
What’s the biggest mistake/best decision you ever made?
JS: “The best decision personally I made was to leave dietetics and pursue full time farming. The best decisions we’ve made on the farm are those that have a positive ROI. Farming is a business first and a lifestyle second. You need to operate your farm based on the potential return on investment for business decisions you make. Not based on “what you’ve always done” or what your father or grandfather had always done. If you’re just starting out in farming, you need a solid business plan and know your market. I’ve seen several start up specialty ag businesses have a short life because they had a dream but not a business plan to make the dream work. That or they didn’t know their market very well and turned out it wasn’t profitable on that scale.”
Farming is hard, why is it worth it?
JS: “Number One: I didn’t grow up on a farm but married into the farm. Number Two: Full-time farming is my second career after working as a clinical dietitian in my first career. So, I’m here farming because I chose and want to be a farmer and not because it’s some legacy or obligation or because I didn’t know what else to do with my life. Which brings me to my first point for kids trying to decide if they want to come back to the farm or not. They need to ask themselves “Do I want to be a farmer?” If the answer is no, then they need to find another career choice. Kids shouldn’t return to the farm as some default option, because they got a degree in an area that offers no job opportunities, or because they feel family obligation. They should come back to the farm if and only if they want farming to be their career choice. So why is it worth it? It’s a career you’re passionate about and a lifestyle that is hard but you make it work because you love it. That should be true for anyone regardless of their career choice. Love what you do and do it well.”
What’s one thing you wish you would have known/done in your 20s?
Dick Wittman: “I wish I would have received more coaching on how to maintain balance in quality of life and having it be ok to not “win too soon”.”
What’s the biggest mistake/best decision you ever made?
DW: “My biggest mistake was not working hard enough to be a good listener and valuing others input in decision-making processes.”
If there was one thing to watch out for early in your career, what is it?
DW: “Never think that your education is done. My best examples of success are peers who commit to lifetime learning, continually take inventory of what they don’t do well and strive for excellence by putting clear action plans and accountability check systems in place to ensure improvement.”
Farming is hard, why is it worth it?
DW: “We are the foundation for all economic systems. Nothing happens in our economy until someone grows, harvests, processes and starts the economic chain upon which all other economic functions build. Society doesn’t understand the economic multiplier like they should, but we can clearly show how each dollar generated by farmers, timber producers, and other natural resource providers is multiplied 9-10 times throughout the economy in jobs, value-added ,etc.”
What advice do you have for young farmers just getting started with family or on their own?
DW: “Define your goals in life, be realistic about financial resources required to enter this industry and realize there are multiple ways to become a player. To say you have to inherit or marry into this profession is an oversimplification. Explore alternative strategies from internships, collaborative arrangements, custom work approaches and be creative on ways to demonstrate you have the skill sets, passion, and patience to find the right fit. Many states have land matching programs that put prospective farmers in touch with landowners who don’t have lineal successors but wish to keep operations intact. Demonstrate that you know your limitations, have your resumes done and prove you are willing to earn your way.”
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