Forage-Livestock System Components
Forage-Livestock System Components
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Edward B. Rayburn, Extension Specialist
Vision
Goals
Resources
Markets
Vision is knowing where "you-all" want yourselves, your family, and your farm to be 5 to 10 years from now. It is a planned destination. We all need to have a vision of what we want out of life. Preferably we should write it down and review it on a regular basis. Remember:
"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there."
The vision needs to be larger than the farm. Visioning is one important way to see how the farm operation fits into the rest of life. We need to answer the question: How do my activities and commitments in the home and community (school, church, local organizations) relate to my vision of the farm?
I use the term "you-all" since a successful vision should include all members of the management team. These can be the members of a farm family or hired managers on a larger commercial operation. All team members should have a vision of what they want or need. The vision for the family farm or farm business should help the individual achieve the visions they have for themselves. Team work occurs best when the team members share in developing a group vision.
The vision for the farm operation should include things such as:
Your personal values play a big part in determining your vision. Your vision will change with your experience, accomplishments, and stage in life.
A vision statement sets down the long-term vision or purpose of an individual or organization. In the family farm context, a vision needs to include more than the farm operation since the farm is only part of the family activities.
Example of a Vision Statement:
"We work to raise our family on a small farm to teach our children good work ethics, and to provide a second income to help pay for our children's college education. We work to have that farm be a well-kept attractive homestead."
Goals are the objectives that are to be accomplished in order to achieve your defined vision. Goals differ from plans, which are specific actions needed to accomplish the goals.
Goals focus management action by specifying what, when and where things will be done. Goals can be divided into long-term goals (5yr +) and short-term goals (1yr +).
Plans are specific actions needed to achieve a defined goal. Planning should occur in a recurring cycle and include how things will be done and who will do it. Like goals plans can be divided into long-term (strategic plans) and short-term or operating plans (tactical plans).
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Goals (objectives or way points on the trip) |
Plans (actions or road to a goal) |
Focus management action and are the road map for achieving the vision (more specific than vision) What When Where |
Provide road map and means of achieving goal (a recurring cycle) How Who |
Goals and plans can cover short-term or long-term periods. |
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Long-term goals (5yr +) |
Five-year plans (strategic plans) |
Short-term goals (1yr +) |
Operating plans (tactical plans) |
Visioning and goal setting help focus management efforts. Visioning ensures that there is a destination to be achieved. An old proverb states that "when there is no vision the people perish". If the management team does not have a well-defined vision, goal setting may not be focused. Goal setting and planning are the road map for getting to the envisioned destination. Goals are the objectives which are to be accomplished in order to achieve the vision while plans are the specific actions needed to accomplish the goals. Goals need to be measurable.
Goal Statements
Goal Statement |
We will achieve a net farm income of $4,000 within five years and have adequate time to have and activity with the children one weekend a month. |
Operating Plans |
1. Improve genetics in our cow herd hy buying performance tested bulls in 1997 and 1999 2. Provide adequate and quality pasture and hay that allows cows to express their genetic potential. 3. Cull cows not weaning steers > 550# and heifers > 500 # at 205 days. 4.Keep work load in line to achieve family activities. |
Goal Statement |
To have all fields having a soil test in the medium or high range within 5 yr. and have 25 to 50% legumes in pastures and hay fields. |
Operating Plans |
1.Soil test each field in spring of 1997. 2.Apply university -ecommended rates of P, K, lime to one-third of fields testing low in the respective nutrient in 1997. 3.Continue item 2 until all fields in medium range. 4.Frost seed or tread-in seed clovers on one-third of the fields each year starting in 1998. 5.Implement MIG (management intense grazing) on my aftermath meadows in 1997 and my best pasture in 1998. |
Resources are the things you have to work with to accomplish your goals to achieve your vision. They can be classified as land, livestock, machinery and equipment, capital, labor, management, and markets.
Resource inventory
A resource inventory allows the manager to view the resources available, evaluate the strengths, and weaknesses of the resources, and evaluate opportunities available to the operation and possible threats from out side factors.
Land
crop land
hay land
open, level pasture
steep, brushy pasture
good forest land
soil fertility
Livestock
cows
calves
bulls
yearling heifers
yearling steers
Machinery/Equipment
tractors
mower
rake
baler
picking truck
wagons
plow
other
Capital
cash in bank
safe credit level
Labor
Management
Markets
Most dictionary definitions of markets or marketing relate to the location or action of selling items. In the modern context a major part of marketing is the planned production of an item having the quality characteristics highly desired by an identified customer. It also includes developing new products that meet the present or future needs of customers and educational efforts to show or to develop a perceived need for a specific product.
Established markets can be viewed as a resource. However, higher prices may be available by moving beyond the local community or concentrating management efforts to produce a product that meets the needs of the customer better than similar products available in the market area.
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