“Sis, the horses are saddled. Get your boots on and meet me outside.” They are going to check the cows.

What makes the difference between employees who are happy at work and those who are miserable? 

With children home throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and now with summer approaching, there have been many opportunities to show your children more about working on the farm.

Have you ever considered what your core values are? Or better yet, have you thought about what the core values are for your farm or business? Someone once said that core values can serve as a lighthouse when the fog of life starts circling around you.

We have seen partners and executive leadership teams mistakenly discount the importance of company culture and harm the operation’s performance. Culture is the unique way the organization lives out its purpose and values.

Your body is not a machine. You are not serving yourself or others well by being a workaholic. When are you going to pay attention to your physical, emotional and mental needs, and those of your spouse and family?

It’s uncertain what will happen in the next quarter or two, but we all want to see farms succeed. Dairy farms help feed the world, and by taking a closer look at your operations, expenses and the comfort of your cows, you can identify areas for improvement that will keep your business profitable.

Compliance and building a beneficial team culture are two of the greatest labor challenges observed by Michelle Kohls from Kohls Dairy Farm, Helen Korzec with GPS Nutrition and Evan Platte with Merck Animal Health.

Farmers work hard and in challenging conditions. Farming is demanding physically, mentally and emotionally. It requires resilient people, but that resilience can take its toll. Concern over farmers’ mental health has increased in the last few years.