Next-Generation Farmers
It’s not often you hear of a farmer using virtual reality or an artificial intelligence chatbot on the farm, but coupled with real-time data through OpsCenter, this Arkansas farmer is truly taking technology to a new level.
In 2022, Dalton Dilldine bought a shuttered commercial grain facility and outfitted it with monitoring and automation technologies. This year, he’s taking a hard look at spray drones and how they can fit across his acres.
From a pragmatic approach to purchasing new technology to making more of the buying decisions on the farm, there are some interesting trends transpiring as more Next Gen farmers identify as an owner/operator on their farm.
Communication between one generation to another can seem like talking a different language. “I suggest you approach looking at another generation with curiosity rather than judgment,” says Kim Lear of Inlay Insights.
Pride is deeply seeded in Nolan Parker and Matthew Brown. They hail from multigenerational farm families, but decided to set out on their own in 2022. The pair of Louisiana farmers are excited about their future.
The good news is there are legal devices to do whatever a farmer wants to do. The key is using the right mechanisms for the relationship piece.
There’s a serious lack of communication between generations, and procrastination and conflict avoidance are killing agriculture, says Elaine Froese, a farm family transition expert.
Matt Spillman and his two brothers are carrying on their father’s legacy. Each brother has a specific role in making all the wheels turn on the farm.
When raised by farmers, our earliest lessons in leadership, stewardship and life in general occur with the rhythms of the seasons. It turns out, even in a season of loss the learning continues.
From understanding breakeven price per bushel to finding a mentor who persevered through the 1980s, Alan Hoskins with American Farm Mortgage and Financial Service shares pointers for a long, financially sound career.