Running a farm both on the field and in the office are two separate businesses

Running a successful farm takes a lot of hard work both in the fields and in the office.

Leaders at Hebert Grain Ventures tell aginfo.net that farmers should view their operations as separate businesses.

“You run two [businesses],” said Kristjan Hebert. “You run a farm operation, and you run a real estate business. Understand the numbers on both of those. It’s no different than, you know, Walmart sells stuff and they have a building. If you have a hotel, you need it to be full. So, is your farm profitable? Is your real estate operation profitable? Yes, they’re at different rates. Then, how much cash flow does your farm operation have, and how much equity does your real estate operation have? You need to know both of those numbers because your real estate equity allows you to buy land, and your cash flow from your farm allows you to pay for it.”

Hebert says knowing that information will make lending requests a lot smoother.

Related Stories
For farm country, that caution can mean higher costs, slower service, and less local investment.
The latest USDA price projections are raising new questions about crop payments and ARC calculations.
Rayburn Electric Cooperative’s Chris Anderson discusses rapid AI data center expansion, mounting pressure on the electric grid, and impacts on agriculture and rural communities.
Industry leaders say producers could still benefit even with many operations already using reduced-tax off-road diesel.
For producers, the next proof will be actual export sales, shipment pace, and buyer breakdowns.
Smith says the measure would expand fuel choices for consumers while advancing energy independence.