Farm succession planning is a critical topic that often gets brushed under the rug due to a variety of emotional and practical reasons. Families and farmowners may avoid discussing succession because of deeply rooted values, fear of mortality and the uncertainty of what lies ahead.

Twenty-five years ago, I would have told you that topics like self confidence and insecurities were a bunch of fluff. However, I’ve been through a lot and can tell you that it is the soft issues that become hard problems in farming.

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.

What causes 30-plus years of building a family and a farm to fall apart within five minutes? Well, there are several reasons, but one is borderline personality disorder.

As a nation that depends on immigrants and foreign labor to work in agriculture, the diversity of this population and their languages bring new challenges to the dairy industry.

How often have you heard about the importance of having financial statements? Perhaps you have heeded that advice and have used a variety of spreadsheet tools, software and outsourcing alternatives for creating accurate balance sheets and accrual income statements. Now what?

With wildfires becoming more frequent in more regions of the U.S., the health hazards of working outdoors in smoky air is an issue for hundreds of thousands of workers – not just those fighting the fires.