Applications for Ohio Farm Bureau Health Plans now available
Members have three ways to apply: contacting a certified agent, calling 833-468-4280 or visiting ohiofarmbureauhealthplans.org.
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The following information is provided by Nationwide®, the No. 1 farm and ranch insurer in the U.S.*
It’s a trend in American agriculture: the big are getting bigger. Recent U.S. Department of Agriculture data show farms with at least $1 million in annual revenue account for 4% of the nation’s farms, but 66% of the commodities produced in the nation.
As farm workforces and asset bases grow and change, farmers today are increasingly adapting farm management strategies to integrate things like human relations and employee management.
Changing farm management priorities
As farms and acres grow, so do workforces. That causes changes in farm management priorities, added Nationwide Agribusiness Senior Underwriting Director Doug Becker.
“Large farmers are investing in bigger facilities and truck fleets. You may need to start adding HR resources so you can manage new tasks like vetting truck drivers so you know your fleet is well-maintained and safe,” Becker said. “That’s not an easy transition for farmers who are wired to put ROI first. It’s hard to put a price on adding people and resources to make sure you’re not becoming more exposed to risk.”
Consider these factors for larger farms
Mitigating that risk on large farms happens in different ways. Managing a large farm today accounts for risk mitigation in several ways. Consider devoting resources to these priorities as your farm grows:
- Workforce training and education. Just like training drivers to meet certain safety standards when growing your truck fleet, for example, add educational programs to ensure every worker knows the hazards of each job on the farm and is prepared to mitigate those hazards.
- Health care and compensation. Provide good benefits and competitive pay to not only retain workers but make your farm an attractive workplace for qualified candidates as you grow.
- Specific liability coverage. As you grow, your farm faces new hazards. Account for managing larger grain storage facilities and machinery fleets, for example, in your risk management plan to ensure you’re covered and not exposed to increased liability.
ROI isn’t always immediate
While ROI is a major factor in many changes as your farm grows, it’s often difficult to measure for things like workforce training and education. That doesn’t mean they’re without value. “Since these aren’t really tangible, they’re not necessarily going to show a direct ROI,” Becker said. “It’s important to see the value of these things when you’re growing your operation.”
For these types of specific farm management components, Owens recommends thinking in the context of both ROI and general competitiveness.
“There has to be a return on the investment,” he said. “Investing in these types of things will help make you more competitive, which will provide ROI in the long run.”
*A.M. Best Market Share Report 2019. Nationwide, the Nationwide N and Eagle, and Nationwide is on your side are service marks of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. © 2021 Nationwide.
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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