URBANA, Ill. — Managing a farm is a big job. From determining cash rent to planning the next planting or calving season, a farm manager can be an experienced asset to help when making decisions about a farm. Guessing around decision-making can cost farmers thousands in potential revenues that are critical for day-to-day operation and profitability. There are several ways and times to use a farm manager.

What is a farm manager, and what do they do?

Farm managers provide consulting services to farmland owners for a fee. The common areas to consult a farm manager include comprehensive on-farm visits, evaluating soil health, determining cash rent, assisting with licensed real estate deals, and more. Managers vary in responsibilities by situation, farm size, assets, and management company policies, which make choosing and hiring a farm manager a decision to be taken seriously.

Depending on the amount of oversight the farmer or landowner desires, individuals can inquire if a local farm manager offers specific services that provide advice but leaves the management of the farm with the customer. Others offer complete farm management services for a fee and will take care of more inclusive responsibilities, such as cash rent and grain marketing contracts. For various reasons, operations often bring in farm managers when a landowner can no longer handle the full responsibilities.

Some farm management offices are owned by financial institutions that provide loans for farmers leasing the land. At the same time, others are often at banks where there is no collaboration between the loan and farm management departments.

“An experienced farm manager with years of experience combined with good office support, good record systems, and fewer low-acreage farmers to manage can effectively manage many acres,” says Kevin Brooks, University of Illinois Extension farm business management and marketing educator.

Handling a large number of different farmers operating on a smaller number of acres typically requires more time and effort. When considering hiring a farm manager, asking several questions can help provide insight into how much time a manager can devote to a farm.

A few sample questions to ask a farm manager include:

• What does a day in a farm manager role look like for an individual?
• What are some strengths of the manager and farm management team?
• How much time do they believe can be devoted to each farm operation?
• Can it be a quick phone call for questions or rather meetings held at an office?

Protection, profitability, and growth are essential to a farm operation. Having a list of questions personalized by an operation’s needs and specifications sets expectations during the consideration and hiring stages.

“A tip when searching for a farm manager is the goal of always feeling comfortable to ask questions of a farm manager,” says Brooks.

Choose wisely and pay attention to what is happening on the farm. Good communication with a contracted farm manager impacts a farm’s future.

For more on managing a farm, visit Illinois Extension at extension.illinois.edu/farm-management. Follow along at the Farm Coach blog for more discussion, and reach out with questions for Kevin Brooks, Extension educator, at kwbrooks@illinois.edu or 309-543-3308.

SOURCE/WRITER: Kevin Brooks, Extension educator, farm business management and marketing, Illinois Extension

EDITOR: Jenna Braasch, media communications coordinator, Illinois Extension

About the Blog: Illinois Extension's Farm Coach blog helps farmers and landowners navigate the rapidly changing farm management environment of today’s world. Farm Coach is managed and written by Kevin Brooks, Extension educator for farm business management and marketing, with Illinois Extension serving Fulton, Mason, Peoria, and Tazewell counties. The author is a licensed real estate managing broker in Illinois and manages farms. Follow along at Farm Coach and find Farm Coach – University of Illinois Extension on Facebook.