The holiday season is upon us once again, and it is both a magical and stressful time of year. While I look forward to Christmas traditions and creating new memories with loved ones, I also know there is a lot of work associated with the closing year transitioning to the next one.

I’ve been blessed to know many successful farmers, entrepreneurs and business leaders who always seemed to be a step ahead of the herd. What are the common threads among these folks? What core set of traits did they share? I came up with three traits and one overarching theme.

Constant improvement is the key to success in today’s dairy industry. Regardless of farm size or location, successful dairy producers are always evaluating new practices, technologies, facilities and equipment choices that will improve efficiency, productivity, animal health and many more aspects of their operation.

Do you have a clear picture of who you are and how you lead on your farm and in your family?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines trust as “an assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something; dependence on something future or contingent: hope.”

Nearly 400 dairy producers and industry professionals from across the Northeast gathered in East Syracuse, N.Y. this spring for two intense days of learning, collaboration, industry thought-leadership, and a few laughs.

Feeling good about yourself can help the family farm succeed by making you better at making decisions, dealing with problems, negotiating and leading.

Employees are one of the largest expenses on a farm – second only to feed costs. The most startling part of this statistic is that staff care is frequently low priority and high risk.

The ranching industry often prides itself in long days and hard work. “There is always something to do” is the motto!

“The only thing constant in life is change.” This quote is attributed to an ancient Greek philosopher, and I can’t think of a better way to describe today’s dairy industry.