Farmers Wear Many Hats
Underneath that timeworn and sometimes weary looking baseball cap that some farmers wear are many other "hats" that are essential to their success. They have…
Underneath that timeworn and sometimes weary looking baseball cap that some farmers wear are many other “hats” that are essential to their success. They have to have much knowledge about things and be able to do many things. Also, as technology and farm practices have changed, the kinds of “hats” they wear have changed.
Farmers, regardless of the kind of operation they have, must be able to handle many different responsibilities. If they are a dairy or other kind of livestock farmer, one of their first jobs is taking good care of that livestock.
Many responsibilities go into that care, or to say it another way, a farmer must wear a lot of “hats” to get the job done. He or she must be a structural engineer and carpenter to provide the housing for that livestock. It must be designed to keep them safe and comfortable but also be able to feed them efficiently and dispose of the livestock waste.
Then, the farmer must be a nutritionist or know a good one to hire. Feeding the right feeds that are balanced nutritionally is one of the most important “hats” a farmer can wear.
They also have to be good animal doctors. Livestock will develop health problems regardless of the good care they get. So, the farmer must observe the animals, decide the problem, take care of it, or maybe it is serious enough to call the veterinarian to help deal with the problem.
All farmers have to be economists. They have to look at costs to feed their livestock or grow their grain. Looking at what the market says about supplies and prices helps them make marketing decisions. It also includes deciding what to produce, such as milk or meat or to grow, such as grain, and what grain to grow.
Being a mechanic is another one of those “hats.” Knowing how farm equipment operates is important. Good maintenance and all that goes into that is a big job. Also, some of today’s modern farming equipment with all the electronics it may have is not easy to repair. It takes a high tech mechanic or one has to be hired.
That brings the reader to another essential, which is financial planning. It may be the first “hat” that farmers should wear. What will it cost me to produce that milk, corn or soybeans? Will the price farmers get for their effort be enough to provide for their families, pay all the bills and cover the depreciation on their equipment and buildings? Retiring debt is also an essential.
With all the additional environmental, safety and health regulations, there is much paperwork that farmers have to do. They have to be a secretary, or someone in the family has to be to shuffle all the paper required today. It also requires some kind of organized record keeping system. Many farmers today have turned to computers to help with the job, but it still takes time and costs money.
In another way, farmers have to be politicians. That is, they need to know what regulations and programs the government is planning that will impact farming. Since farmers are few in numbers, they need to take time to make their voices heard when it comes to regulations that will impact their business. It may be hard to find time to do that, but it is important.
Putting it all together, management may be the final “hat” farmers wear. Successful farming means being a good manager. Yes, the career of a farmer means wearing many different hats.
Parker is retired from The Ohio State University and is an independent agricultural writer.
