America celebrated its independence on July 4 by proudly displaying the colors of red, white and blue. These three colors are associated with freedom and visibly featured on the U.S. flag.

Several of my previous columns have emphasized the importance of taking the time to get to know your employees and train them, with the growth in the number of Hispanic employees of Mexican or Central and South American descent now utilized as part of our agricultural workforce.

Congratulations! All your employee positions are filled and you are back to full staff at your business (whether it is a farm, ranch or feedlot).

Are managers leaders? Are leaders managers? This question has sparked much debate in the business world and for many years with leadership researchers, who have studied the structure and success of businesses.

The new year brings with it new motivations and goals. Many people make New Year’s resolutions – only to hope that they are still following them by the end of January.

It’s that time of year as we move into the holiday season that we reflect back on the year and are thankful for the many things we have in life, whether it be our health, our family, our friends or our job. You and I may have different lists of items of things to be thankful for, depending on our circumstances. For example, in agriculture we may be thankful for rains, a successful crop or strong cattle markets; in agribusinesses, it may be a profitable year in sales.