Farm Management Canada (FMC) and Wittman Consulting have released a fully revised and updated Building an Effective Farm Management System Guidebook, by farm management expert Dick Wittman.
Following international success of the previous version released in 2004, Wittman and FMC consulted with farm management experts around the world to update the guidebook to reflect current trends in farm management.
“Building an Effective Farm Management System is specifically designed to help farm businesses implement professional farm business management practices,” says Heather Watson, executive director of FMC. “That is why we were so excited to work with Dick on a new and improved version of the Guidebook as it provides farmers with a step-by-step approach to farm business management using countless examples and providing customizable worksheets so that farmers can create and build upon a comprehensive management plan and process for their farm.”
The new guidebook has more than 100 pages of new content, including twice as many editable worksheets, and is a valuable investment for farm managers and advisors alike, says FMC. The new version also combines conceptual content with working illustrations, that give the reader a clear vision of how to document and put key concepts into daily practice.
“Farm businesses have changed significantly since the first edition of the Guidebook including increasing layers of generational involvement and business relationships, demanding more robust and transparent governance and management policies and processes,” Wittman says.
“This resource addresses these changes, offering new developments and refinements in farm management practices that are being followed by the most successful farm businesses. My aspiration is that every farm business recognizes the importance of adopting professional governance and management practices and commits to make this aspiration a living reality to support ongoing success and transition to the next generation,” he says.
The guidebook is available in hardcopy or digital forms from Wittman Consulting.