The Most Needed Ag Issues List Few want to Talk About
The Graze Master Group has compiled a list of issues and topics that sometimes inhibit farms, ranches, agricultural businesses, and rural communities from evolving in more fruitful directions.
Every farm and ranch business is different and has its own unique set of challenges and opportunities. However, after nearly 15 years of consulting across the nation combined with a lifetime of frontline ag experience, certain themes arise. These themes are layers and once our Graze Master personalized farm, ranch, and business assessments are complete, we have already started to peel these layers off to discover the potential within each one. There are family dynamic layers, professional layers, spiritual layers, biological layers, psychological layers, communication layers, environmental layers, economic layers, sociological layers, educational layers, and so much more. They are essentially life layers that impact the success or demise of farm and ranch businesses.
Agricultural Issues List:
The ag system has created a divide between the comfortable echelon and those daily fighting to keep farms and ranches afloat. The ag system is set up inequitably. Working hard and doing the right thing is not always rewarded fairly across the ag sector. The divide between those enjoying the benefits of the commodity-based system and those striving to survive despite of it, is a growing chasm. This divide also greatly impacts the ability to create healthier communities that use unique gifts in an inclusive way that could lead to even more wealth creation on the farm, ranch, and main street.
The “adult children” era is real. In some cases, farmer or rancher fathers, mothers, and other key holders have not truly passed the reins to the next generation. That control (often based out of fear, complacency, comfort, and lack of information) can create tunnel vision, even belligerent mindsets. Sons or daughters also can go into shock when dominant parents pass away leaving them ill-equipped for leadership roles because they have had little to no say about the direction of farm or ranch operations.
On some farms, tasks are overly specified and because of that, farm partners and/or employees do not grow as people. For example, at times only certain people can meet with input sellers or take new chances on a different brand of seed, new innovative practices, and new equipment. Certain family members also sometimes get to have further professional or educational training while others keep things going on the farm. Knowledge is not always shared and learning new ideas can even be seen as a direct threat to status quo farming endeavors.
There are times when key holders do not respond at all or give blank stares when new ideas are brought forward by younger generations. Members of the farm team who are even into their 50s or 60s, can become extremely nervous and sometimes scared to bring up new ag practices they have learned about online or at workshops.
There are many examples of males of mature age who do not have a real say on the farm or ranch business until the father or key holder dies. Females can sometimes be overlooked as farm managers.
Business decisions are based on who the farm leadership have bought seed and other inputs from for years. Net profit is often not considered. Alternative products and practices that would improve soil health and water quality do not fit the already established input relationship triangle.
Females are often not at the table for major farm decisions, but their signature is required on legal documents and contracts. Women will often leave the farm to pursue more professional experiences and to earn supplemental farm income. Often a key reason for working off the farm is to secure and afford health insurance. When ideas are brought from away from an established conventional farm, they can be met with confusion, anger, or worst case scenario ignored entirely.
“Ag bubbles” are a serious issue. The ag input sellers, agribusinesses overall, and bankers keep some farm families in a bubble that makes them think they are the most progressive if they are purchasing from their entity or business. This is especially true for some farms producing corn and other major commodity crops. It also holds true when purchasing farm equipment and other chemical inputs.
Uninformed bankers can limit the vast potential the land has to increase wealth while also being more fruitful and renewing soil and water resources. Ag loan officers can limit potential because they simply have not learned new information yet. There’s a lot of hope in educating this sector to look at farm and ranch profitability different. Currently this is a big, often understated issue when considering the adoption of new soil health practices and more innovative products and visions on conventional ag operations.
Increased automation of farms limits opportunities for families to work together. Livestock are often eliminated in the name of efficiency. This is coupled with the very real issue of limited places to market and process livestock. USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) regulatory requirements put major barriers on bringing homegrown meat to local, regional, and national markets. These regulatory challenges still exist for many locally produced farm products.
Knowing agricultural history is vital to making changes. For example, some ag chemical inputs can be traced back to post-war times when the military had surplus chemicals. Instead of decommissioning chemicals, they made agricultural fertilizers and other synthetic inputs instead. Also, some of the global ag companies still in existence today have ties back to Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. Research is also uncovering increased sterility in humans from environmental factors related to the use of synthetic chemicals.
Research is showing beer/alcohol consumed in large amounts in our rural areas is a numbing agent and de-accelerator. Alcohol abuse and other addictions alter relationships, and negatively impact communication. More major farm decisions are made under the influence of alcohol and other drugs, including opioids, than many realize.
Final thoughts: These are just some of the challenges we see in certain sectors of agriculture. The hope is there are plans, services, and steps that can be made to envision a healthier, more productive future for agriculture. It’s so rewarding to see the lightbulb go on in families who have so much promise on the farm and ranch. Positive change begins in that precious resource between our two ears, the brain! When the brain and heart are inspired, there’s no stopping the potential for profitability, hope, and wealth on the farm, ranch, and in our rural communities.
Learn more about our Graze Master Group Transitional Ag consulting services, educational events, discussion groups, book signings, and more by contacting Kerry Hoffschneider, co-founder of the group at 402-363-8963 or kerry@grazemaster.com.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the list of topics and issues our Graze Master network can address in a positive fashion. We have no qualms or fears about facing these topics head-on and implementing successful outcomes that achieve win-win scenarios.
Copyright© 2025 All Rights Reserved, Kerry Hoffschneider