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.