Ranching success..What is the key?

Well, what a weekend I've had! I had the opportunity to tour a number of family run ranches around Kansas, each of which had received industry recognition for their business successes, and all of whom shared their business, agricultural and personal knowledge with me.

It has always intrigued me what exactly makes a successful agricultural operation. Success of course is a subjective term, and open to interpretation by anyone judging that 'success', but I've always based success in the agricultural setting on production, efficiency and economic growth. The ranches I visited on my recent tour met all of these criteria and had been awarded either at a state or national level for success in their field. So what makes these operations successful?

I think there are common themes shared by these operations, as with the many other successful ranches around the US and the world. Successful business owners share a strong desire to succeed; to achieve beyond what the average operator can achieve, to strive towards clearly defined goals, and be driven to continually improve.

A genuine interest in the industry in which you work is another common element to success. People who love what they do are more likely to apply themselves to working at what they do, and to achieving goals which they have set. Hard work is also a common theme amongst successful ranching operations, and this was certainly the case with each of the businesses I visited over the weekend. Long days and working weekends seem to go with the territory of agricultural success, and it is clear amongst successful ranchers that these 'long hours' are filled with productive work and generally enjoyed by the rancher.

I consider my Dad to be a successful rancher. Sure, he had opportunity as a young man that not everyone has, but he has built on that opportunity and with the support of my Mum has continued to strive for growth, production and efficiency in our commercial Angus business. Dad has always said that consistency is one of the keys to success in agriculture. Working hard day in, day out, year after year is a hard thing to achieve. The easier option is to get side-tracked or distracted or lose enthusiasm, but those who stick with it and strive for consistency in their work ethic and their desire are apt to be more successful in their agricultural ventures.

The challenge now is for me to strive to gain and utilise these attributes to make a successful agricultural business of my own. 

A big 'thank you' to Kirk Sours, Tailgate Ranch Company, Tonganoxie KS, Berry and Carla Bortz, CB Farms, Preston KS, and Melody and John, Mary and Andy McCurry, McCurry Angus, Burrton, KS for hosting me this past weekend. Your kind hospitality and industry knowledge will not be forgotten.

We talk the talk, now let's walk the walk

Last week I attended a two day 'Women Managing the Farm' conference here in Manhattan, Kansas. The conference provided a good platform from which to meet other women working in agriculture, and covered educational content in farming and ranching, along with industry best practice and advice. I enjoyed the two days and met some fantastic women and certainly learned a lot about the agricultural industry here in America. However, with my enthusiasm for this industry event came some sincere disappointment. Disappointment in the constant promotion of women as superior to men in agriculture. Disappointment in the overcompensation apparently necessary to justify such an event. Disappointment in the regularity with which I heard women speak of their expected secondary roles in family businesses. And the reality that the majority of the women I spoke to openly and happily played 'second fiddle' to their male partners.

I spoke with a number of women over the two days; young and old, experienced ranchers and those new to the industry, those working in a partnership and those working for corporates, industry professionals and those keeping the home fires burning. I spoke with a young woman, a passionate teacher, who had to find employment in another area because "there weren't any teaching jobs where my husband was based". I heard a story of a woman who moved to her husband's ranch only to be told on her first day that she should "go inside and make lunch" rather than be out in the paddock fencing; a 'rule' which she subsequently adhered to.

I spoke with a young woman in her mid twenties who showed earnest disappointment in having to leave her job on her family farm because her boyfriend wasn't a farmer. When I asked her how her partner not being a rancher prevented her from continuing in her work she replied, "Well he's not a farmer, and there's no jobs around here so we'll have to move somewhere where he can work in his industry". I was incredulous not that she would make a kind and substantial sacrifice for her partner, but that she would walk away from her rightful and no doubt hard earned position in her family farming business as if she had no option to stay.

Add to this, overhearing a conversation between college students in which they related a regular term used amongst young female agricultural faculty students who claim they attend college to gain an "M.R.S." or "Missus" degree. More simply put, they come to college not to further their educational and vocational skills and prospects but to find a husband so they can marry and not undertake employment.

I'm certainly not against women choosing to take a role in their family other than professional, nor am I against women making the choice to have a secondary, support or 'behind the scenes' role on the farm, but I feel very disappointed when someone gives up their professional aspirations, no questions asked, because that is the expectation. In no way do I mean to diminish the important and central roles of women and mothers as primary caregivers, as 'stay at home' mums, as family matriarchs and as business partners. But I strongly believe that if a woman chooses to be something other than one of those roles, than that is a valid choice which should be accepted and respected. Why should a woman relinquish her professional opportunities at the directive of another?

The conference talked big on women in agriculture and of women being the foundation of the agriculture industry, but I don't believe that to be true. Until I see women making independent choices and gender equality becomes more than just lip-service at a conference, I won't be content to accept the apparent sexism which so many women find legitimate. Nor will I promote the role of women in agriculture as superior to that of men. My hope is that one day, women and men can work side by side in whichever area of agriculture they choose, regardless of their gender, based solely on their ability and performance. In the words of Oprah Winfrey: "Excellence is the best deterrent to sexism".

Blue skies and sunshine prevail in the Flint Hills

Following a very bleak start to my time in Kansas, the broad blue skies and sunshine have finally this week prevailed. That's welcome news to an Aussie girl. Along with the improved weather has come an opportunity to see some of the vast pastures in this part of the world, the Flint Hills of Kansas. Common forage crops and pastures here include alfalfa (Lucerne), seed canary grass (type of phalaris), brome, buffalo grass, Bermuda grass, switch grass, birdsfoot trefoil (type of lotus), orchard grass (Cocksfoot), red clover, forage sorghum, and ryegrass. It's interesting to note that a lot of these plant types are similar to that which we use for livestock forage back in the New England region of NSW, Australia.

Average annual rainfall is also quite similar between the two areas; thirty five inches here in Kansas and thirty three inches back at home. But mean temperatures over the season are significantly different here in Kansas with cooler temperatures and regular snow fall in winter, along with warmer temperatures in summer. Combine that with an elevation of only three hundred metres, compared with just over 1050 metres in Glen Innes, NSW, and that makes for some significant farming and grazing differences between the two locations. But regardless of those differences, beef production principles remain the same.

I've had the opportunity this week to spend some one on one time with one of my lecturers who has given me some real insight into the comparisons and differences between the production and marketing of beef here in the US and in Australia. Being a majority feeder cattle market here in the US there is less grass fed production, but the principles of fertility, longevity and animal health remain crucial regardless of the market in which cattle are destined. Our grass fed system outside of Glen Innes, Australia utilises those very same principles as the crux of our operation.

A close friend asked me before I left Australia what I could learn about beef cattle production in the US that would help me better manage our breeder operation at home. At the time I wasn't sure, but now that I'm here and learning in the US beef industry, I can see how strong the correlation is between beef systems across the world and the fundamental need for efficient, sustainable production.