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What are the basic characteristics of a successful farm manager?

Most people believe that farming is quite a simple job and for this reason, they often underestimate farmers. However, farming is a very complex activity that demands a lot of hard work and proper management. Everyone can grow crops. Still, not everyone can be a successful farm manager. You could be having all the money, but you can’t run a farm.

You therefore end up employing a manager to manage and carry out duties associated with the day-to-day and long-term management of a farm. It is their responsibility to ensure that the farm runs efficiently and profitably. Their day-to-day activities will depend on the type of farm being managed

Being a successful farm manager means producing optimal yield and quality crops, while at the same time making a profit and managing farm sustainably. This is something every farmer strives to.

Characteristics of a Successful Farm Manager

While striving to achieve successful farm business, many farmers ask themselves are they doing the right thing. In doing so, they often wonder employ managers to manage a farm efficiently. So, what are the most important characteristics of a successful farm manager.

There is no unique formula for success. However, a successful farm manager is a person who meets these three important characteristics:

Organized and skilled in managing farm activities

A successful farmer always knows how many work hours were spent on each farm activity, field and farm season. Depending on the number of work hours, a farm manager can determine whether a certain activity took more time than planned and then track how it affects further production and farm finances.

Tracking work hours also facilitates making decisions regarding future farm activities. Based on data about work hours spent on a certain farm activity, a farmer can organize future activities and plan how much workers or work hours will be needed to manage the following activities.

Being organized and skilled in managing farm activities also includes tracking the efficiency of each worker. While some workers are efficient, others can lack behind. In that case, a farmer is able to pay workers based on their efficiency, which is particularly important for farmers who hire seasonal workers, usually during the harvest.

Besides tracking work hours and the efficiency of each worker, successful farmers also track work cost for each farm activity, field, and season. In doing so, they know how much a certain farm activity costs, which makes future planning and finance management easier.

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 Open-minded to new technologies

Traditional farming methods are being overtaken by new technological ways. Today, growing crops is much more than just cultivating the soil. Various farm sensors, drones, advanced tractors with automated steering systems, farm management software, and many other remarkable technologies are changing the way food is produced. Agriculture, known as a traditional and outdated activity, is now modernized and smart.

Every improvement in farm technology is oriented towards farmer’s productivity. Farmers who are open-minded to new technologies, today have the true opportunity to improve their production. In other words, the only thing that stands between a farmer and success is his own will to change his approach and accept modernized and improved agricultural solutions.

Data-driven manager

In order to increase farm productivity and profitability, while at the same time reduce risks and costs, successful farmers make decisions based on data.

Data-driven farm management is the only safe way for resource utilization. For instance, some farmers practice pest protection, fertilization, and many other activities based on their feeling. In doing so, they often spend their resources without knowing whether it’s really necessary, which usually results in higher costs and less efficient farm management. Therefore, tracking the usage of resources per each crop, field, and season, is extremely important to achieve productive and profitable crop production.

Besides that, successful farm managers always know which crops are productive and which lack behind.

Tracking crop productivity, as well as sales and expenses, can reveal valuable information and facilitate making serious decisions which determine the further direction of farm management.

Being a successful farmer requires a lot of hard work and knowledge. In order to manage a farm efficiently, the farmer needs to have a certain level of organization, which is sometimes hard to achieve. For this reason, farmers who are striving to achieve successful crop production and manage a farm efficiently, always make data-driven decision.

Your farm manager is the link between you and success.