“He’s probably one of the most successful farmers I know,” says Kyle Rupp of his dad, Gary. “He started from the ground up and made all of this possible.”

JCB's new 6000 Series tractor aims to satisfy the needs of farmers looking for machinery with 240 to 330 horsepower.

For some farms, innovation means introducing conservation practices ahead of the curve. For others, it may look like growing crops outside the “normal” local rotation. Elsewhere, it may mean introducing cutting-edge technology. At Uhlorn Family Farms of Ferdinand, all three are at play.

"Currently farmers are tasked with finding a home for used drip tape; sometimes it gets piled up, sometimes it goes to the landfill. Better equipment is being used now that can help get the mud out of the tape, but we still need to find appropriate avenues to utilize the used tape."

Many business leaders and managers complain that they can teach new employees how to do all the tasks required for the job, but too often prospective employees lack the character and attitude necessary to fit their company culture.

Unmet expectations for performance and behavior are likely the greatest stressor for most, if not all, supervisors. A failure to meet animal or crop goals, arriving late for work and skipping an assigned task are all examples of unmet expectations.