Reading Time: 3 minutes The profit and loss statement provides three financial ratios that can help identify operational issues and set priorities in your operations plan. The ratios and their benchmarks are: The first and third columns define revenue/earnings and cost categories deducted from them on a standardized operating statement. The second and fourth are the resulting operating and […] Read more
Use financial ratios to diagnose operational issues
AME Management: Different farms have different factors affecting their performance
Farm management groups have benefits
This farm finds that belonging to a farm management group improves their decision-making, and reduces their stress
Reading Time: 5 minutes Alain Lavigne has belonged to a farm management group for 25 years and says he couldn’t imagine farming without it. “It puts the picture of the whole farm in front of you… it helps us evaluate our strengths and weaknesses,” says Lavigne, who farms with his family in Ontario, an hour east of Ottawa. “It […] Read more
FarmLink picks up mobile management app
Reading Time: < 1 minute A Saskatchewan-developed, cloud-based mobile app for farm management is being uploaded into Prairie grain marketing consultancy FarmLink Marketing Solutions. Winnipeg-based FarmLink announced Tuesday it will merge Farm At Hand, the software platform developed by Kim Keller and Himanshu Singh, into its operations. Financial terms of the merger weren’t released. “It has long been our belief […] Read more
The farmer as CEO
AME Management: What roles and responsibilities must a farmer assume in order to be effective?
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
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
Guide HR: ‘Is he suffering from the god complex?’
A narcissistic personality can come in any shape or size and can put your business at risk
Reading Time: 3 minutes He is always right,” says Matthew, age 25. “We always have to do things his way. Not even my mother can voice any kind of opinion. I’ve had enough.” When I met Matthew’s father, his initial comment was, “You will see right away that my son and my wife have problems.” At that point, I […] Read more
Farm At Hand farm app turns into an angel of an idea
As Kim Keller is proving, the test today is whether we can get innovative about how we handle our innovations
Reading Time: 8 minutes Admittedly, it’s hard to say exactly what makes any innovation a success, or why farms are such fertile ground for new ideas. Maybe it’s the opportunity to test new ideas under real-world conditions. Or because farmers are so practical, or so resourceful, or because they know how to persevere. Or, today, maybe it’s more likely […] Read more
The mother-daughter farm team of Blythe Brae Farms
By embracing the belief that leadership is a skill you can get better at, this mother-daughter team is smoothly integrating two generations in a complex farm
Reading Time: 6 minutes Go with your strengths. Then find resource people to help you fill in the gaps. That’s one of the guiding management principles of mother-daughter duo Sharon Hart and Valerie Hobbs who own and manage Blythe Brae Farms near Woodstock, Ont. Hart and Hobbs share responsibility for operations, finance, human resources and marketing at Blythe Brae […] 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
Editor’s Desk: The point of the telling
Reading Time: 2 minutes I’m reminded of the old story of the preacher who learned a valuable trick very early in his career, although it was a trick that he thought was a bit unchurch-like and that he was careful never to reveal. When he started his sermon each Sunday, this preacher would sneak his hand into his pocket […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
