Potato Grower

January 2018

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WWW.POTATOGROWER.COM 91 Successful Nutrient Application Begins with reflex ® reflex ® Intelligent injection control for Variable Rate Fertigation ® 800-446-5328 | www.agri-inject.com Immediately Save Money The reflex ® System enables you to significantly reduce your annual fertilizer usage and reduce the amount of water required throughout the season while producing a high yielding crop. Increase Yield It is proven that spoon-feeding fertilizer as needed will dramatically improve yield. Recent studies have shown that applying 30 lbs. of nitrogen at the VT stage can increase the yield by over 50 bu/acre. Learn more about how the reflex ® Variable Rate Fertigation ® can be a great investment to overcome lower commodity prices. Give us a call at 800-446-5328 or visit us online at agri-inject.com/reflexvrf AI-113A.indd 1 11/29/17 2:15 PM 170351AgrInj12v.indd 1 11/29/17 4:35 PM Burwash tires to instill legacy planning best practices with his clients. One of the most important of these is to start as soon as possible. A 2015 Farmers Weekly survey of 700 farms showed that 74 percent of successors believe the absence of a succession plan threatens the farm business. A comprehensive plan done in advance allows proper time to appraise the farm's assets, groom the successor on farm operations, complete all necessary legal paperwork, and adequately save for retirement. Plus, you never want to be caught without a plan in the event of a crisis. Another best practice? Start early but adapt regularly. Life changes fast. Succession plans provide a long-term view of how things will transition, but "should act as a moving road map you revisit often because life circumstances change and you have to be flexible," Burwash says. "A succession plan you made 10 years ago and haven't looked at since isn't doing any good, either." Meeting regularly with stakeholders helps to gauge progress and stay on track with the farm's short- and long-term goals. Finally, don't underestimate the importance of communication. We've hinted at it throughout this article, because it impacts all stages of succession planning. This is an emotional subject prone to missteps, so try to be as proactive as possible with communicating. For example, Burwash suggests setting an agenda for meetings to stay productive and on topic, taking detailed meeting notes to prevent miscommunication, and defining roles early to keep everyone in the loop on expectations and goals. The busy harvest or planting time isn't an excuse for putting off succession planning— there will always be another thing to do on the farm. The first step of starting the conversation is usually the hardest one to take. But, by taking that first step, you're well on your way to creating a lasting legacy that supports many generations to come. Be the farmer who can look out at the fields and tell his child, "One day this will all be yours. Now let me tell you the plan for how." For more information on succession planning, contact nburwash@agritrend.com.

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