Farmers have used external resources for years to help with management challenges.
Accountants, lawyers and lenders are long-established sources of advice and assistance.
More recently, farmers are using advisers who have expertise in production and marketing.
As farms increase in size and complexity, more farmers will look to people who can provide them with the information and support they need to manage their farms.
The range of available resources will expand to meet these needs, such as advisers who have experience and expertise in human resource management for farms.
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Peer groups are another farm management resource that is gaining popularity. Also known as peer advisory groups, farmer-to-farmer discussion groups and peer advisory boards, they have existed for years in different types of applications within different industries.
A peer group is a small number of people who get together in regularly scheduled meetings to share insights on experiences and performance. They aren’t a new concept and are definitely not the “the breakfast group at the local café.” They have a high degree of structure and formality.
Some of the reasons why farmers might join a peer group include:
- Strengthen and advance management practices.
- Affirm or challenge how things are being done.
- Build collegial relationships with farmers with similar management mindsets.
- Introduce an element of accountability to ensure that things are getting done.
- Act as “board of directors” for the business.
- Provide input and feedback on management issues.
- Share management techniques.
- Help decide how decisions are made.
- Help decide how challenges are handled.
- Potentially provide business investment and development.
- Learn from other farmers’ experiences — people who actually have “skin in the game.”
Groups typically comprise five or six farms but can be up to 10. Having more than 15 people in attendance requires careful facilitation so that each individual is able to be actively involved in the discussion.
A well-structured group doesn’t have “freeloaders.” Each participant can expect to take away information or knowledge from a meeting, but they must also make a contribution.
Farms should be at least a half hour apart. The distance helps to ensure that people are able to speak freely and openly.
There should not be any element of competition.
Farms can have similar or diverse operations, but peer groups with participants who are progressive and have a business management orientation have better outcomes.
The expectation is that members of a group attend the meetings. Members have to be prepared to make the commitment and investment to attend.
Three key success factors are trust, respect and confidentiality. Participants should sign a statement acknowledging confidentiality.
One of the challenges in forming a group is determining if the members are actually peers.
The purpose is not to have a group of farmers who agree on everything. The purpose is to be challenged but not criticized.
Groups can change over time. Farmers can opt to resign and new members can be brought in.
Groups decide among themselves how often they want to meet. In-person meetings are required, at least while the group is being formed, so that relationships can be established. Meetings can be anywhere from half a day to two or more days.
Groups should develop a charter or set of bylaws that define how they will manage and govern themselves, who can join and how people are expelled.
Groups function better with a hired facilitator whose role is to:
- Plan and facilitate meetings, including logistics for in-person meetings.
- Co-ordinate data collection where applicable.
- Prepare reports.
- Get things started.
- Ask questions to ensure everyone is participating.
- Move things along if meetings get bogged down.
- Provide input and contribute to the discussion when appropriate.
I’ve been in lots of discussions with farmers in the past year who have a real interest in the peer group format. A peer group can have great benefit when formed correctly and have the right participants.
I personally have been involved in a peer group of consultants for nearly three years now. Our group has eight members with seven from the United States. We meet four times a year; twice in person.
We get together to talk about farm management best practices, challenges and issues. I find it to be a hugely valuable experience.
