Growing crops and livestock is one thing.
Growing your operation is another.
Even the most successful farmers find it challenging to manage a complex operation.
That’s because farming and ranching require one set of skills, while managing a successful business takes a completely different set.
At Encore, we’re passionate about helping farmers improve their operations by developing management skills, gaining new perspectives and planning for change.
Hundreds of farmers have worked with us—and they’ve grown, changed and prospered.
Are you ready to begin?
Insights
Easy Employee Reviews
How to keep your best employees engaged and happy. Originally published at www.farmprogress.com/commentary/easy-guide-employee-reviews on 11.19.2022. Have you had the frustration of being blindsided by a great employee leaving? They have been on board for a year or so, and it appeared everything was going great. They showed up on time, did the work, and didn't create problems. Yet here you are again; a great employee is leaving and you have a slot to fill. Labor has always been tight, but finding and keeping top farm talent has reached a crisis point over the last couple of years. Finding good team players is hard. But, once you have hired someone and showed them the ropes, you can relax, right? Unfortunately, hiring is a small piece of the employee puzzle because your...
What do transition planning and CRP burns have in common?
Successful transition planning takes a plan If you don't want a raging grass fire, you have to plan. To get a controlled fire that burns the CRP grassland without making the local newspaper, takes planning and preparation. I learned the hard way that tossing a match without planning doesn't end well. The same goes for transition planning. Transition planning is a bit like a pasture burn. It can either be effective and routine or really exciting and out of control. When transition planning is out of control, bad things happen, and people get hurt. Relationships and bridges get burnt. My first grass burn was a disaster. It wasn't that I was reckless; it's just that I didn't know how and didn't understand the power of large grass fire. Unmanaged conflict during a transition plan looks like...
Investing in the next generation
Just like any investment, the earlier you start the more it has time to grow and develop. You invest in your business; you invest in your retirement, and you invest in your connections with loved ones. Have you considered investing in the future leadership of your farm? John thought he had everything covered. He didn't question his succession plan; he was fortunate to have two sons come back to the dairy. Everyone worked well together, and it was just assumed it would easily be passed on. Unfortunately, John passed away unexpectedly before his anticipated retirement date. His sons were not prepared to fully "take over" the operation, nor did they agree on who would be in charge of what. Arguments ensued. Employees quit. Big decisions were left unanswered. John did...
Keep in the loop
Join our email list