Editor Walt Cooley visits with Progressive Dairy contributor Andy “Caygeon” Junkin during World Dairy Expo about working with family and succession planning. This three-part episode discusses how to goal set for success, how the next generation should work with their elders on the farm, and how to set a farm on the right path for succession. Junkins’s niche is helping stubborn farmers work better together. 

Here’s a breakdown of the episode:

• Business planning for farm families [~2:45]
• Junkin’s business plan in his wallet and how he manages day-to-day goals [~9:30]
• One-page business plan [~12:45]
• Creating short mission and vision statements and how it can change your operation [~18:15]
• Importance of shared goals [~21:40]
• What it takes to put a succession plan in place [~24:00]
• How to transfer management and wisdom before transferring assets [~34:10]
• First draft of succession strategy [~41:45]
• Tips for navigating family members not being on the same page [~46:30]
• Why many farm families struggle with communicating with each other [~50:45]
• Tackling four to five areas the farm struggles with [~56:20]
• Importance of common values and beliefs [~57:45]
• Navigating changing family dynamics during the first few years of coming back to the farm [~59:45]

To learn more about Junkin’s work in this area, visit www.stubborn.farm