Reading Time: 3 minutes An Internet search will reveal several definitions of the roles and responsibilities for the chief executive officer (CEO) of a business. The degree of formality of the actual position and its title varies considerably from business to business, depending on size, complexity, and organizational preferences. Potential roles and responsibilities of the CEO are summarized below. […] Read more
The farmer as CEO
AME Management: What roles and responsibilities must a farmer assume in order to be effective?
Three key alignments for top farm management
AME Management: Define your management structure for the future
Reading Time: 3 minutes When the planets align, life on the farm can be very rewarding, like when your weather is perfect at the same time that there are production shortfalls in other parts of the world and you can price into market highs. There are other alignments, however, that are much more within your control when you are […] Read more
The strategic approach to managing employees
AME Management: It's important to foster a culture of employee engagement so people feel respected, motivated
Reading Time: 4 minutes If you own or manage an agricultural business of any size, you likely have a number of employees (family members or otherwise) working with you. And you have them for good reason. Employees come with many benefits, or at least they should. Employees with specialized skills can provide missing competencies and networks, allowing the business […] Read more
Which personality types are best for your farm business?
Personality testing can be a surprisingly easy and useful tool in your farm business
Reading Time: 5 minutes Have you ever wondered why one family member considers it the end of the world when another family member leaves an empty water bottle in the combine? Or why, knowing this, another family member will check the cab and toss out the offending bottle in order to keep the peace, while another family member will […] Read more
It’s not ‘one size fits all’ when it comes to team building on the farm
It might seem something only office workers should waste their time on, but team building fits farming too
Reading Time: 4 minutes The options are endless. Companies send their employees out rock climbing. They hire fancy consultants to host trust-building days. They send their executive boards fly fishing, or arrange a day of more traditional community service work where everyone can work side by side and roles are often reversed. Less adventurous businesses can even do the […] Read more
The business of owning farmland
Farmers are land investors too, but are we any good at it?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Of course, farmers integrate their real estate into their production business, with land and buildings used for the growing of crops and production of livestock. Importantly, too, the asset value is used as collateral to secure financing. As well, farm real estate is often the main retirement fund. There is no question, too, that farmland […] Read more
What’s your communication fitness level?
What kind of meeting athlete are you? Check out this new take for meetings your family will be proud of
Reading Time: 6 minutes Are you a couch potato when it comes to talking to your family about critical farm decisions? The comparison isn’t so far fetched. In a way, family communication is a lot like physical fitness. Even the best of us have areas that need a little toning, while many more of us need to spend serious time […] Read more
Financing proposals — what to take to the bank
AME Management: Provide the essential information to your lender so they can better understand your business and assess your "ask"
Reading Time: 3 minutes In farming, where access to adequate financing is key to success, lender relationships can’t be ignored. Nor can you neglect your approach to your annual review meeting with your lender. This is an important management function that needs focus. How can we best manage those relationships and your annual review for long-term positive outcomes? “Lending […] Read more
Finance metrics you may not have thought of — measuring financial risk
AME Management Part 3: How balance sheets and operating statements help determine your exposure to risk
Reading Time: 3 minutes The first two columns in this three-part series focused on using the operating statement to monitor operating efficiency and to diagnose operating problems. In this column, we turn to the interaction between the balance sheet and operating statement to identify and manage financial risk. This is very topical currently because of concerns that lower grain […] Read more
Is there room for improvement on your farm?
Who knew? Formal process improvement is emerging as your farm’s best bet for solid gains
Reading Time: 6 minutes Farms have an impressive record of increasing their production efficiency through scale, scientific improvements and innovation. Efficiency is the ultimate controllable factor in commodity margins. “Every year we do more with less, better,” says Dick Wittman, Idaho farmer and consultant. “We are becoming safer, more environmentally sound, and more efficient.” As our farms become more […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
