Milk - General

When Your Plate Is Too Full: Tips to Delegate and Manage the Workload

Thu, 20 May 2021 15:30:32 GMT

Do you ever feel overwhelmed, overloaded, scattered?

“Generally, pandemic or not, leaders feel at least a little bit this way all the time,” says Marlene Eick, a leadership coach and consultant from Wooster, Ohio. “The question is, is this ok? And if not, what can we do about it?”

Eick says delegating is helpful to any leader and can help solve those feelings of being overwhelmed, overloaded and scattered.

Why Don’t We Delegate?
Three obstacles stand in the way of leaders delegating tasks, Eick explains.

1. You think you’re the only person who can do it.
This is a tough one, especially if you are a business owner, she says. People often struggle with the idea that someone else could have as much passion as they have for the business.

“If we are leaders in our field, we’ve likely gotten to this place of leadership by being a person who does things. You’ve probably worked independently, too. Now you’re at this place where you’ve got all kinds of things on your plate,” Eick says. “Even though you have a team of people, assistants, contractors, industry partners, etc., and could be delegating some of this work, you might still be operating from that mindset of ‘I have to be the one to do this.’”

2. You haven’t identified and trained anyone else.
Training people to do parts of your job requires focused investment and time. Simply put, it takes a lot of work. In the short-term, that may be true, but Eick says in the long-term, that investment will pay off.

“Take the time right now to identify who on our team could do the job,” she says. “If we identify that person and train them, we know that saves us time. But this can definitely be an obstacle if we haven’t done that yet.”

3. You haven’t created a process for delegation.
Once you’ve shifted your mindset to accept someone else could do some of this work and you’ve identified and trained that person, you need to have a process in place to shift work to them at appropriate times.

Challenges may include not having a standing meeting with someone on your team or poor regular channels of communication to share tasks with someone, she says.

How Can We Get More Off Our Plate?
Taking more off your plate starts with shifting your mindset and asking the hard questions, Eick says.

1. What can someone else do?
Take an inventory of everything that is on your plate. Consider what tasks could be shared or outsourced to someone else. Eick says it is important to consider your personal tasks, too.

“We can often lighten the load of all the things we have to do by thinking what about what we can delegate in our personal life to make space for those professional tasks or projects we have going on,” she says.

2. Who can do it?
Eick says determining who could take on some of your tasks is an important question – but not an excuse to get out of doing things in your job description. Based on the tasks at hand, who are you looking for? Someone who has entry-level skills? A high schooler? A new college graduate? Or do you need a skilled and talented contractor to come in and help with a project?

“Being very clear about what you need is critical,” she says. “And make sure you train or instruct them accordingly.”

3. How can you get work to them?
Determine a process that will allow you to share tasks easily. Some ideas to consider are a daily e-mail, a morning phone call or a Slack channel for discussions.

“Find the right way to regularly communicate because no one can read your mind,” Eick says. “They want to help you, but they can’t know what you need unless you are communicating that to them.”

Delegating tasks starts with one tiny step forward, she says. It also requires a willingness to share the workload.

“No matter where we are in our careers, if no one before us had ever thought, ‘I’m not the only person who could do this,’ none of us would have gotten an opportunity,” Eick says.

Read More:

When You Are Waist-Deep in Alligators

Plan Big, Execute Small

Reader Responds to Mental Health Struggles in Agriculture

Close the Door and Think About Your Farm Business

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 19:45:19 GMT

I know, you would much rather spend your time doing versus sitting and thinking. But, if you aren’t consistently thinking about the future of your farm, who is?

“As a leader, your top priority is to think,” says Jack Uldrich, a global futurist and author of 12 books. “No matter how successful your business and no matter how unassailable your business model may seem, every business is on thin ice. So think — and then think twice.”

You’ve probably heard about the benefits an open-door policy creates, but Uldrich also says you need a closed-door policy to think about the future. In his latest book, “Business As Unusual,” he makes these recommendations to business leaders:

Once a day, close your door and think for 15 minutes about how technology is advancing and how it might be leveraged to incremental improvements to your business today.
Once a week, close your door and think for an hour about how societal, political, cultural, economic, demo-graphic or technological trends could alter the world of tomorrow.
Once a year, lock your office door and leave for a “think week” to ruminate about the “day after tomorrow.” What trends should you incorporate into your business?

“Every business leader should regularly conduct a ‘premortem’ on his or her business,” Uldrich says. “A premortem is the opposite of a postmortem. The purpose of the exercise is to engage in a candid conversation about the real threats to your business.”

Imagine your farm went out of business in five years, he suggests. Ask yourself and your employees: What didn’t we see coming?

“This will allow you to tap into the wisdom of your team to better explore the real threats to your business,” Uldrich says. “Counterintuitively, the conversation will also likely change how a disruption could be turned into new opportunities.”

Save the Date!

Top Producer Summit

Feb. 14-16. 2022 in Nashville, Tenn.

TPSummit.com

A Strategic Advantage: Develop a Decision-Making Process

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 19:24:37 GMT

The difference between strategy and serendipity is small when you are prepared, explains Mark Faust, president of Echelon Management.

How can you be ready, willing and able to lead your farm into the future? Start by developing a specific decision-making process.

“Have you put off decisions that could be of great benefit to your company? Do you sometimes feel as though you agonize over decisions?” Faust asks. “Here are a few tools that have helped many leaders with whom we work deftly make more effective decisions.”

BETTER WITH PRACTICE

Most leaders aren’t using any objective criteria or tools to evaluate the options available, Faust says.

“Instead, far too many business owners spin their wheels and then make decisions based on intuition, when a much more helpful and objective approach could be applied,” he explains.

Don’t become overwhelmed by all the decisions you must make for your business, advises Jay Parsons, University of Nebraska agricultural economist. As you analyze a decision, articulate your objective, rely on good information and focus on the big picture.

“Understanding decisions that need to be made today and decisions that can be made later and linkages between the two reveals much about the decision context,” he says. “Permission to focus on objectives rather than analyzing alternatives frees up creative thought and generates possible solutions that result in more flexibility and an increase in ability to deal with the future uncertainties being revealed as outcomes.”

Of course, you have valuable instincts based on years of experience and data. Yet, Faust says, you could improve your decision-making success by using more tools to evaluate your options.

“Frequently, there is an objectifying tool we can pull out and use to help make the decision more rational and meas-ured and thus give confidence to CEOs that they are doing the best they can in making that decision,” he explains. “Also, bringing in an objective outsider, someone who is not burdened with the concerns surrounding the decision, can offer a unique wisdom that can accelerate success.”

If the decision is between alternatives, your first step is to ask the following questions. Mark Faust suggests:

MUSTS: What are the “musts,” or non-negotiables, we cannot sacrifice? These are mandatory, measurable and realistic. This will sometimes sift out options that are not appropriate.

WANTS: What are the “wants” we would like to gain? See which of the previous “must” options will likely meet the most of your wants. List the specific wants behind each relevant option.

RISKS: What are the potential risks we need to consider? At this point, many decisions should become more clear if not obvious. Look for the most rational decision, which equates to the maximum benefit within acceptable risk parameters.

GAINS: What are the potential gains that could be realized? List the benefits behind options and consider if an option delivers a solid return with a reasonable likelihood of success.

For larger and risker decisions, business coach Mark Faust says you might need to increase your analysis and thought process. He suggests putting your decision factors from above into a spreadsheet. For each option, you will want to weigh the negative potential of the risk or positive potential of the reward.

For example, he says, you could rank a reward from 1 to 5, with these parameters:

1 = Some minor enhancement that only you would know about.

2 = A nice improvement that people around you could benefit from and see.

3 = A benefit that is companywide and people are talking about on a regular basis.

4 = Customers flocking to your company.

5 = A game changer for the company, industry, or more.

(Farm Journal)

After rating the reward potential, do the same with the risks, considering the following ratings:

-1 = A minor annoyance

-2 = A problem you could solve

-3 = A problem for which you would have to get help and it would be made public in the company.

-4 = A huge embarrassment

-5 = A problem so bad that it could harm your company.

(Farm Journal)

To make changes, Faust says, the rewards must be a 2 or more. Otherwise, you might as well consider other potentials. If the risks are -4 or -5, then you may want to eliminate that option.

Watch Mark Faust’s Top Producer Summit presentation on how to make smart decisions.

Adapt or Crash: Choose Your Business Path

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 20:22:34 GMT

As the leader of a business, you have two choices. As trends and economics change, you can adapt and capitalize on the opportunities, or you can stay the course and watch your business decline.

At some point, your farm will face an inflection point, which is a business term for an event that changes a company or industry. Think about GPS guidance, the pandemic and electronic commodity training.

“After that inflection point, all bets are off; the industry changes,” says Damien McLoughlin, professor of marketing at the University College Dublin in Dublin, Ireland. “The forces that drive that change are rarely a surprise, and the change, which appeared to be so gradual, then suddenly comes into play.”

In using the book, “ Seeing Around Corners ” by Rita McGrath as a guide, McLoughlin provides steps to push your business toward growth.

Build a united organization. Everyone on your team needs to understand they play a vital role. “When a leader casts a vision of great improvement, everyone feels hopeful,” says Mark Faust, president of Echelon Management.
Focus on innovation. Create a business culture that accepts and thrives on innovation, McLoughlin says.
Enhance your business’s resilience. To do this, Faust suggests sitting down with your team and discussing the future. Look at the trends; see how your competitors are approaching the changes and brainstorm solutions.
Develop a written strategy. “Strategy is simple,” McLoughlin says. “It’s about a leader asking: What are the opportunities in our environment, and what resources do I have now, or can I assemble, that allow me to take advantage of these opportunities?”

(Farm Journal)

Andy Grove, Intel’s co-founder, described a strategic inflection point as an event that changes the way we think and act. The seismic event occurs, then businesses either thrive or die.

Tips to Boost Mental Health Ahead of the Holidays

Tue, 20 Dec 2022 20:56:54 GMT

The statistics surrounding mental health are alarming. A study by the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) in 2021 found that 3 out of 4 people shared that their mental health worsened during the holiday season. The reasons varied, but financial pressures, conflict with family members, loss of loved ones and busy schedules were common reasons that aided in a declined mental health state of being.

Jess Peters with Spruce Row Farm in Meadville, Pa., says that there is so much pressure with the added expectations to be jolly and end the year on a high note.

“Most of us will spend a ton of time over the next few weeks surrounded by family and that’s great, but when you need to be alone. Be alone. Last year, I was feeling crazy overwhelmed and showed up to our family’s annual Christmas Eve dinner (the only formal Christmas tradition we have) an hour and a half after the rest of my family,” she says. “It felt amazing.”

The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences offers these options if you notice your mental health worsening during the holidays.

Practice self-care. What activities help you feel refreshed or relaxed? Taking a walk around your property, watching a favorite movie, or driving through a Christmas light display in your community are all simple activities that can bring happiness.
Avoid negative coping strategies. It is common for people to enjoy alcoholic beverages, but excessive drinking to change your mood can harm your physical and mental health.
Set healthy boundaries. It is okay to say “no” or “not right now.” If your schedule is too busy, consider limiting the number of invitations you accept. If family gatherings are a little contentious, plan to stay for only an hour or two.
Follow your routine. Enjoy holiday treats and remember your veggies and protein. Settle in for a fun movie night and aim for 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Proper rest and nutrition help your mental health tremendously!
Acknowledge your feelings. Talk to a trusted friend or family member and tell them how you feel. Sometimes, just saying words out loud can help remove a burden from our minds. Your loved ones may also be able to provide additional support.

Peters says this year she is taking the pressure off.

“Yes, 2022 is ending and 2023 is beginning. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to magically become a new person. You can do that any day of the year. New year, same you,” she says. “That’s ok.”

Help is Available:

988 – call or text this number 24/7 to be connected to the Suicide and Crisis Prevention Lifeline. A trained counselor will listen to you, support you, and share resources in your area.
741741 – text the Crisis Lifeline 24/7 to connect with a trained counselor.
911 – if you or a loved one are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a medical emergency, call emergency services immediately.

The holidays can be a time of excitement and happiness and can also be challenging. Peters’ shares that for a lot of people, this time of year means grief.

“We tend to reflect around the holidays and miss the people we’ve lost who we love most. If that’s you, I’m so sorry because grief is a beast for which there is little to no advice,” she says. “Take solace in the fact that you loved so deeply, and they loved you in return. And if that’s true, they wouldn’t want you to stop living your life because of them. Live for them. Whatever anyone tells you, some kinds of grief are forever. It’s our job to learn how to live through it.”

Keep Farm Employees Safe During the Extreme Heat

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 13:41:44 GMT

For those whose livelihood depends upon working outdoors or in less than favorable conditions, this week looks to be quite difficult with higher-than-normal temperatures and humidity predicted. Meteorologists suggest parts of the upper Midwest could experience temperatures that land them in the categories of “high alert” and “emergency.”

When temperatures reach this level, it’s critical to take them seriously. While farmers do what they need to do to ensure livestock are cool and comfortable, it is also essential to check on other farmworkers and employees. Many farm employees may lack previous farm or other outdoor employment experience, so dealing with weather-related conditions may be new to them, not to mention the difference among individuals who may or may not be acclimatized to high heat conditions, explains Melissa O’Rourke, farm management specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

In general, she says farm workers can become overheated in one of two ways:

The heat from the environmental conditions in which they work.
An individual generates internal heat through physical labor.

In states like Washington, permanent heat rules for outdoor workers are now in effect. The overall goal is to address minimum requirements to prevent heat-related illness and reduce traumatic injuries for outdoor workers associated with heat exposure.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), almost half of all heat-related deaths occur on a worker’s very first day on the job, and over 70% of heat-related deaths occur during a worker’s first week. This is because workers who are new to working in warm environments may not be acclimatized to heat. Their bodies need time to adapt to working in hot conditions.

To protect new workers from heat hazards, schedule shorter shifts in the heat, separated by breaks, and monitor new workers closely for any symptoms of heat-related illness.

Other Helpful Tips

The Farm Bureau Financial Services shares other helpful tips that can help keep employees that work outdoors safe during the heat, including:

Dress the Part

Shield yourself from the sun by covering yourself up with a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses. OHSA recommends wearing light-colored, loose-fitting, and breathable clothing like cotton or linen. A special body-cooling vest might also be a great investment if you live in a steamy climate.

Drink Up

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends drinking 1 cup of water every 15 to 20 minutes during moderate activity. If you’re working outside in the heat, you’ll want to stay ahead of those numbers to avoid dehydration. Your urine is a good indicator as to whether you need to be drinking more water. Ideally, you want your urine to look clear. You might swear by your morning cup of joe to get you going but avoid drinking caffeine all day or adding sugary or alcoholic beverages to the mix. All of these items can dehydrate you.

Keep Your Cool

Find a shady spot where you and your team can take frequent breaks during hot weather. That could be the air-conditioned cab of your truck or even an outbuilding. Eat regular meals and include a lightly salted snack or two throughout the day for energy and balance electrolytes. If possible, schedule demanding tasks for early morning or evening when it’s cooler.

Mind Your Meds

Your body temperature might have difficulty cooling down or it may heat up more quickly if you take certain medications or have certain medical conditions. Talk to your physician before working in the heat this summer to find out if you’re at an increased risk for heat-related illness and need to take additional precautions.

Know the Symptoms

Heat-related illnesses can sneak up quickly. Keep an eye out for the warning signs and act fast in the event of heat stroke, heat exhaustion and heat cramps.

Heat stroke happens when the body can no longer control its temperature and is unable to cool down. Heat stroke is a medical emergency, and you should call 911 immediately.
Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to dehydration. If you are experiencing signs of heat exhaustion, ask a fellow worker or family member for assistance; you shouldn’t be left alone, and you may need medical treatment.
Heat cramps occur when your body sweats out too much salt and can also be a sign of heat exhaustion. Drink a sports drink or try water with a salty snack. Seek medical attention if you’re on a low-sodium diet, have heart issues or if your cramps don’t go away after an hour.

See Your People – 1 On 1

Wed, 28 Jul 2021 17:36:43 GMT

Trouble recruiting or keeping talent? Do you know employees’ needs and ideas for how to grow the company? Here’s a leadership tactic with a pattern of success for fast-growing and successful organizations.

I recently met with Scott Beck, who leads the largest family-owned seed company. He just finished a journey to meet and listen to every one of his more than 700 employees. It took more than a year.

The idea flashed into his mind one weekend morning when he was asking in prayer about what else he could do to better serve his company and customer. He tested the idea and came up with a set of objectives for each conversation:

• Tell me about you and your family.
• What do you enjoy about your job?
• What you like about the company?
• What would you change?
• What advice do you have for me?
• How do you create an exceptional brand experience with customers
or employees?

All this was covered in 27 minutes. Scott chose “27” because of an earlier project where his dad, Sonny, asked every employee to find a way to save $27 a day.

People could choose to meet one-on-one or in a small group. Most chose one-on-one. The revelations were breakthrough. Scott was surprised how much it meant to the team. A favorite insight was how often he heard “I love the people I work with!” and how much people enjoyed coming to work.

More Examples of Success

Quintiles is a Fortune 500 company now, but it got there through the same kind of love and interest Scott had for his team. As president and chief operating officer, my good friend Sandy Costa helped to build that company from $90 million to more than $1.6 billion in just six years. That was through 60%+ organic growth. At the end of every week, he sent a missive called Good News Friday to share successes and bright spots that came from his one-on-one conversations throughout the company. He ran weekly worldwide sales meetings and met as many employees as he could. He asked nearly the same types of questions that Scott did.

Terry Theye founded Future Now. In the early ’90s, it was one of the fastest-growing companies to hit the Fortune 500 in history. He spent one or two weeks every month visiting locations throughout the U.S. and met with every employee once or twice a year. Meeting mostly in groups but also one-on-one with people at all levels was key to his process, and he had an “open door.”

How Connected Are You?

What is your reason for not getting out and meeting with as many of your employees as possible? Now is one of the most important times in history to take such dramatic action. Talent is rarer than ever. Attracting it and keeping it is your key to success. Culture is king. Go see your people, and listen one-on-one.

5 Ways to Ready Your Farm and Family for a Successful Succession

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 21:53:19 GMT

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.

There can be huge costs if you don’t set up the structure correctly, say Paul Neiffer, CPA and principal with CliftonLarsonAllen, and Rena Striegel, owner of Transition Point Business Advisors. They hosted a session on farm succession planning during the 2022 Top Producer Summit in Nashville.

Here are five takeaways from their presentation and discussion on AgriTalk.

1. Take into consideration the financial side of the business.

On the financial side, Neiffer says farmers can relieve much of the stress they encounter by having real-time data at their fingertips to monitor their progress and results. That sounds obvious, but too many farmers are still unable to do that.

Accrual financial statements can help you know your costs and monitor your actual costs against a budget, so you can adjust accordingly.

“If you adopt accrual accounting, you will be so much better off,” Neiffer says. “Too many farmers today still aren’t using it.”

If you don’t understand how to implement accrual accounting practices, you’re not alone. Reach out to a farm CPA in your area or online and learn how to put it into practice.

2. Start the succession process while the next generation of farmers is still young.

“The farms that have done succession the best start when the kids are learning the tough stuff – how to pick up rocks and pull weeds,” Striegel says. “You’re stamping out entitlement at a very young age.”

In the process, Striegel says you are teaching the next generation about the psychological ownership of a farm.

“They learn that the farm is theirs to care for and not that it’s theirs to simply benefit and draw (a paycheck) from,” Striegel says. “The next generation needs to understand how to care for the farm, the people and everything around that operation – from the family relationships, to employees, the livestock and the crops.”

3. Give the next generation a combination of responsibility and accountability.

Often, the older generation has a difficult time delegating jobs and tasks to the younger generation. “Often it’s because there’s a lack of trust that the job will be done the way the current generation wants it done,” Striegel says.

But delegate you must, in order for the next generation to be equipped for succession when the time comes to formally transition the farming operation.

Start with small steps and build upon them, she advises.

“Set expectations and know what you’re going to do when they aren’t accountable,” she recommends. “If you can get that level of openness in your conversations when your kids are younger, by the time you get to a transition conversation or a succession discussion, it is so much easier, because you’re used to talking to each other. You’ve already had some tough conversations about behavior or performance.”

Accountability isn’t about keeping your thumb on the person, micro-managing their every move, Neiffer adds.

“It’s being clear about what you expect and saying how you’ll determine whether the expectation is met,” he says. “It can prevent a lot of frustration in the operation and be a real positive.”

4. Play to people’s strengths, even while they’re still youngsters.

If the operation has more than one family member that you expect to take over the farm reins in the future, consider how to equip each person according to their talents and abilities.

Along the way, provide training and coaching.

Neiffer relates his personal experiences about how he and his brother have different aptitudes and that their parents understood that so both boys could succeed.

“In my family, I was the financial person from an early age,” he recalls. “Growing up, I was dealing with the finances with my mother because she had the math brain. My brother did more of the production and learned from my dad. I can drive a combine, but I’m still better with spreadsheets, and that’s OK.”

The important thing is, help your children embrace what they’re good at and emphasize those abilities and skills for their personal development and for the farm.

5. Understand that a succession plan is not linear. Adapt accordingly.

Anticipate that there will be changes on the road to succession for your farm, so adopt an attitude of flexibility, Striegel says.

With a plan in place you have a tool that 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,” Neiffer says. “Keep in mind that farming is a dynamic business and your plan needs to be, too.”

Hear the complete discussion between Striegel and Neiffer on AgriTalk here:

The Three C’s of Succession Planning

Is My Grantor Trust Safe?

Top Producer Summit: Succession Planning: From ‘Grunt’ to CEO

Oxpeckers And Zebras

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 05:50:39 GMT

There are dozens of instances where smaller animals coexist with much larger animals. African oxpeckers, for example, feed on the backs of zebras, elephants, hippopotamuses and other large African animals, according to Cosmos magazine. The relationship isn’t all symbiotic, as the Oxpeckers are actually vampire birds that do eat ticks, but then suck the blood out of open-tick wounds.

Over the past several weeks I’ve sat in on presentations by a number of small, startup companies that produce and market alternative food products. One product was produced from grass-fed Guernseys. Another yogurt was made from family-owned organic dairies in Oregon.

One of the more interesting presentations came from Miyoko Schinner, CEO and founder of Miyoko’s, a company that makes vegan cheeses. We decided to interview Schinner and provide her remarks for everyone to see. You can read her comments here .

As you read the story, you may feel your heartbeat accelerate, your face get red and an anger well up inside you, because she says things that drive dairy people nuts. The fact that she calls her vegan products cheese, for example, even though there’s no dairy in them. Or that they milk cashews. Or that she calls our current methods of food production unsustainable.

One might ask why in the world we decided to print such false information. Good question.

A colleague once told me that it is important to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I think what he meant was we need to know as much as possible about those who have opposing views so we can see things from their viewpoint, and thereby learn in the process.

I’m not calling Schinner and her company enemies, by any means. I think they are more like the oxpecker, living off of the much larger dairy industry. Had the dairy industry not laid the brand development groundwork for things like artisan cheese and yogurt it would be hard to imagine that Schinner’s product or other products in that category would be successful.

That being said, I would assume that the larger dairy industry derives at least some benefit from these smaller, niche market products. If someone is eating yogurt because it comes from milk from grass-fed, locally owned Guernseys, at least they are eating dairy products. And maybe if someone eats a vegan cheese that tastes like high-end cheddar, they will at least appreciate what full-fledged cheddar tastes like.

Even though the dairy industry is huge and these startups are very small in comparison, it does accentuate the fact that a considerable effort needs to be made to educate consumers about modern agricultural practices. Swisslane Farms has developed a Dairy Discovery center to educate kids and their parents about life on a dairy. It’s also comforting to have experts like those at the National Dairy Council to make sure dairy is prominent in dairy nutrition guidelines.

While I appreciate that these small companies are trying to carve out a niche for themselves, I could do without the disparaging remarks these companies make against modern production agriculture. They’re playing on uneducated consumer emotions to gain differentiation, and that’s not right. After all, you’d never hear the oxpecker say a disparaging word about a zebra.

What do you think? Should dairy alternative companies be allowed to market their products as dairy? Send me your comments at mopperman@farmjournal.com

Nominate Outstanding Farmers for Top Honors

Fri, 28 Jul 2023 14:31:07 GMT

The 2023 Top Producer Summit will be held Jan. 23–25 in Nashville. During the Summit, Top Producer will recognize remarkable farmers who have taken risks, built thriving businesses and given back to their communities.

The entry deadline for each award is Sept. 30.

2023 Top Producer of the Year

The award honors three producers whose operations are at the forefront of agriculture and crowns one winner. Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and industry or community leadership (20%). All three finalists receive trips to the Summit, CEO coaching sessions and other prizes. The winner also receives a lease of a Case IH tractor. Learn more.

2023 Tomorrow’s Top Producer Horizon Award

The award recognizes farmers 35 and under who represent the next generation of esteemed farm leaders. Entrants are judged on entrepreneurial originality (50%), financial and business progress (30%) and leadership (20%). The winner receives a trip to the Summit, a drone and other prizes. Learn more.

2023 EWA Trailblazer Award

This award is given to a female producer who is a shining example for her peers. Entrants are judged on agricultural advocacy (50%), farm business innovation (30%) and industry or community leadership (20%). The winner receives a trip to the Summit and leadership or succession planning consulting sessions. Learn more.