When I’m looking to generate more income for a dairy, the milking parlor is one of the first places I look to create cash flow. More often than not, I find facilities, cows and employees are under-utilized, leaving milk on the table you may not even realize is there.

Good management requires good observational powers. You’ve got to see and hear, and sometimes even feel, taste and smell, to ascertain whether or not things are going as planned. Technology makes it possible to move beyond the limits of your own five senses and incorporate data – collected from cameras, ear and leg tags, and robotic milking equipment – into your management plans.

During stressful times, it’s easy to let emotions overtake rational thinking – which can lead to poor decision-making. Throughout my nearly 25-year career, I’ve seen U.S. dairy producers feel the stress of volatile markets, increasing regulation and consumer demands.

From milking by hand in 1915 to milking with robots today, Stensland Family Farms has embraced technology’s role in providing an opportunity for dairying, agritourism and on-farm processing.

If your farm experiences high turnover on a constant basis, it may be time for a self-evaluation to address the reasons why this is occurring. I recently took to social media and asked employees what was the top reason they left the last farm they worked for.

The U.S. dairy industry is evolving, progressing from a commodity-driven producer of domestic products to a top three exporter of dairy ingredients. More attention is being placed on creation of value-added consumer goods and the proliferation of innovative, direct-sourcing models throughout the supply chain.

Benchmarking – comparing your operation against the performance of your peers and yourself over time – can identify ways to create dairy farm business efficiencies and increase profitability.

For dairy producers across the U.S., 2017 has the potential to be a year of growth and opportunity – but financial success hinges upon four key factors. “The best time to grow is when everybody else is hunkered down,” Mike Boehlje, Purdue agriculture economics professor, told dairy producers at the 2017 PDPW Manager’s Academy held in San Diego, California, earlier this year.

Scott and Steve have been partners for 24 years. They have worked together for 38. And they have been brothers for 50. They know each other like the back of their hands. Each brother’s relationship with his sibling is likely to be the longest of his life.

Form I-9 is required for all new hires in the U.S. – both citizens and non-citizens – and the federal government has the authority to audit, or check the accuracy, of an employer’s Form I-9 paperwork. Think of it this way: The government requires citizens to pay taxes and submit tax returns annually.