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
Eligible producers have until July 15 to purchase coverage for the 2027 commodity year.
Supporters say the bill would improve workforce access while bringing more predictability to labor costs.
Industry leaders say rising Tier 2 imports are adding pressure to domestic producers.
Roland Leatherwood with The Mosaic Company discusses field scouting, nutrient deficiency detection, tissue sampling, and in-season nutrient management amid high fertilizer prices.
Ag & Business Legal Strategies’ Joe Peiffer discusses Chapter 12 bankruptcy trends in agriculture and rising risks as farm income declines.
Storage preparation remains an important step as wheat harvest moves north.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Shaun Haney, host of Rural Radio Channel 147’s Real Ag Radio, joined us Friday on Market Day Report with an update on the important vote involving the use of ag machinery in Canada.
The FAO Food Price Index for October 2023 is out. Where do global food prices stand, and which categories saw the largest gains?
Agriculture Accounting Expert Paul Neiffer joined us Friday on Market Day Report to take a further look.
Falling feed costs and strong demand for butter could be good news for dairy farmers looking to get their finances back on track.