Farm Management

Farm Planning/Goal Setting

Our primary objective is to develop a clear understanding of what the landowner's goals are for their property. Often a landowner places priorities on what they want from their investment or asset. These can include optimal income, improved marketing or asset conservation.

Once we have established these goals we then formulate the actual farm plan. This process includes production planning as well as exploring various governmental programs, all geared toward the goals of the farm. The production planning includes field layout, crop rotation, fertility and herbicide programs, seed selection and tillage methods. Government programs include direct payments, the conservation reserve program or EQUIP.

Commodity Marketing

Marketing is key to a successful and profitable operation. Our Ag Services team can develop an effective marketing program for all the different commodities produced on the farm. We utilize professional analysis along with cash based contracts to provide a well-managed program to help reduce commodity price risk.

Accounting, Recordkeeping and Fund Management

Ag Services operates an account for the farm to process farm receipts and pay farm expenses. This account maintains an accurate record of all financial transactions and provides the landowner with periodic reports. To make efficient use of the operating capital for your farm, the funds are kept in a cash sweep money market account earning you valuable interest on your balance.

Government Farm Program Participation

Participating in federal government programs has become important to any farming operation, but often it can be a daunting and frustrating task. We take care of all the paperwork required by the Farm Service Agency for such programs as; direct payment signup, loan deficiency payments, disaster assistance programs and conservation reserve programs.

Land Stewardship

We view farmland as an asset and protecting your asset is crucial. The long-term conservation effects of operational decisions such as tillage methods and production practices are of great importance. That is why we place an emphasis on improving conservation and erosion control while maintaining high farm returns.

Lease Negotiation and Operator Selection

Selecting the best lease type or operating structure is essential in meeting your goals for the farm. We will negotiate and implement lease terms that are equitable for both the farm owner and operator. If necessary we will interview and recommend qualified candidates to be considered for any farm operator vacancy.

Advanced Soil Fertility Program

AG Services offers a unique program for soil fertility on your farm. Using state-of-the-art technology we can tailor a program to meet your needs from start to finish. Our software program allows us to take site specific soil samples, either in a grid format or by management zone, map the results and supply the retailer with a variable rate application map, all done by us with your specific yield goal in mind.

Management zones can be located on your property through our Veris program. The electro-conductivity bar locates and maps the different zones on each farm. From these maps we are able to place specific soil sample locations, making sure these samples represent the surrounding area. We can also assign yield goals to these zones and use these goals, along with soil test results, to formulate fertilizer recommendations with the intent of maximizing production while limiting expense.

On-Farm Research

Agriculture is an ever-changing business and that is why we have an extensive on-farm research program. Our goal is to provide you with valuable information you can use in your farming operation and to help with our decision making on our managed farms. The scope of our research extends beyond traditional seed variety testing and includes; herbicide, insecticide, fungicide, seed treatments and more. We test new products to see if they perform the way the manufacturers say they do and analyze if they are profitable or not. This information allows you to make decisions on your farm, based on real in-field trials.