Last year was the first year I did not go home for Thanksgiving. Although I spent it with close friends and had an enjoyable time, it was not the same as being home with my family.

“Our greatest responsibility is to be a good ancestor,” said attorney Daniel Rupar, speaking about succession planning at the 2015 World Dairy Expo.

The consumer of dairy products – the person who buys that chunk of cheese, jug of milk, pizza topped with cheese or bakery product with whey solids or milk powder as an ingredient – is who makes the dairy industry a business.

I once had a new client, an engineer, who suddenly had to take over the management of a sizable hog farm in a very tough financial position after his dad died of what was suspected to be a suicide.

If the team manager can integrate this hard-to-find mix of ambition and humility into one, he or she may just be hitting a sweet spot of inspiring others to pursue their own excellence in management to become a role model and inspiration to others.

Editor’s note: This article is the final in a series covering the topic of QuickBooks and farm financials.

Dairy veterinarian George Palmer has learned that just because you’re not doing anything wrong, it does not mean an animal rights activist will not target you.

Last year, I was selected as a Face of Farming and Ranching by the U.S. Farmers and Ranchers Alliance. As I spent the year communicating with consumers by print, radio and in person, I thought a lot about my ancestors.

We can all identify examples of great brands, like Disney, Nike and Apple. Each offers unparalleled customer experiences, of course, but there’s something else at play.

There’s been a quiet revolution in the dairy industry that has more to do with people than dairy cattle. Over the past 50 years what had been a male-dominated profession has welcomed an increasing number of women.