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Taking one day a month to “have fun”

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Sunset in Kuznetsk Alatau, South Siberia. Dmitry A. Mottl (photographer) & User:Tom_dl

Spending at least one day off a month, or more is one of the most important items in operating a successful farm business, according to Albert Nunes, a CPA with Genske, Mulder & Co. from Modesto, Calif., who made a presentation on financial strategies to get through tough times during the Indiana Livestock, Grain and Forage Forum last week. In terms of family life, reducing the stress load and keeping a positive attitude, a vacation day or a bit of time off once a month can be tremendously beneficial, he explained.

U.S. bioenergy policy: Time to refuel?

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A recently-released policy paper by Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy is questioning the United States’ biofuels policy, and rightly so. The paper, “Fundamentals of a Sustainable U.S. Biofuels Policy,” challenges the economic, environmental and logistical basis for ethanol production.

Should You Require Your Latino Employees To Speak Only English At Work?

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"We are in America, %@$@ it, they should speak English!!!"

This is what a farm manager told me sometime ago as he complained about his newly hired Latino employees speaking Spanish at work and him and other employees not being able to understand what they were saying…

"If they want to speak Spanish, he continued, they can do that at home, not here. When they are at work, they should speak English, English, English!!!"

He told me this in a very demanding tone. I guess he thought that if he were demanding enough the situation would change.

Easier said than done, I thought…

This manager worked for a company that had turned to the available Latino workforce as an option to fill the jobs it couldn’t fill with native U.S. workers. This, of course, brought with it a new set of challenges.

Making the time to get it ALL done

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As grain farmers in the Midwest begin to wrap-up an unusually long harvest, it’s finally time to cross one more thing off the list, but not without adding a few new “to dos.”

With increasing pressure from activist groups such as the Humane Society of the United States, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, Farm Sanctuary and Greenpeace, farmers and many in agribusiness are realizing the importance of communicating to neighbors, civic leaders and those among the non-farm audience about what’s really going on behind those barn doors.

Two Sides of the Same Book

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Spend some time evaluating the different kinds of jobs available to us in the agriculture industry, and something interesting starts to emerge. Almost as if there were two different covers on the same book, there appears to be two different genre’s to exist in, if you work in the agriculture industry. First, you have the stereotypical farm work that anyone can see. Tractors driving through the fields, someone bailing hay, a farmer working on equipment, another hauling manure - all the kinds of jobs that get the day to day dirty work done.

Then, there is the other side of the book - jobs that keep people traveling all the time, working in cities, holding meetings in board rooms, attending industry events to connect with others. When considering or reevaluating a career in ag we have to ask the questions, “What side is right for me? How do I choose?”

I've Found a Perfect Job Opportunity...Now What?

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So, I’ve found the perfect agriculture career opportunity - Now what do I do? The answer to the question seems obvious. Step one. Make sure my resume is up to date. Step two. Draft a cover letter. Step three. Submit the application. Step four. Wait, and hope for the best. If you are like most job seekers, this is the way you go about applying for new jobs. But, if you are looking to make a step out from the crowd - you might try a few other tricks!

Once you’ve located what you think to be the perfect opportunity - do some brainstorming about who you know that might have a connection to the company. Is there someone in your personal network that can make a call on your behalf? This is one tried and true tactic that will help you get the interview.

Cooperatives - A Great Career Opportunity in Agriculture

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Recently, many people have been asking my advice on where the greatest opportunity for jobs in the agriculture industry is. Over the next several weeks, I will attempt to break down several areas of the industry that are working hard to recruit top talent. In this economy, you might find it hard to believe that certain sectors of the industry are in high need, but believe it or not, its true. As we face many baby-boomers coming up for retirement, almost all sectors of agriculture will experience a shortage of well qualified workers. This week we’ll take a snap shot of the Cooperative system - where job openings seem to abound these days, and we’ll examine why.

2008 Banff Pork Seminar: Dr. Julie Menard’s practical PRRS experience and treatment

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Dr. Julie Menard’s practical experience and treatment of PRRS in her operation.

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Management series: Managers not MBAs

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Presentation from MIT OpenCourseWare on the topic of managers not MBAs.

Managers not MBAs. Click to listen or right click to download mp3 file to your computer.

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