Setting Priorities
Priorities are determined through strategic planning sessions that focus on data from member surveys, farm cost analysis, research on excess margins in different sectors and other factors relevant to farm profitability. As those these factors change, priorities may change with them. Management listens closely to Members and the FNA Advisory Board for ideas that may lead to redirecting strategies, priorities, and tactics.
Farmers of North America divides its priorities into five primary objectives in our mission to maximize farm profitability.
1. Crop inputs
- Crop Protection Products
- Fertilizer
- Seed
2. Other Operating Expenses
- Insurance
- Finance/Credit
- Grain Handling & Transportation
3. Revenue
- Product Marketing
4. Farm Information Services
- Cost of Production Analysis
- Marketing
- Agronomy
- Farm Business Management
- Benchmarking
5. Capital Assets
- Equipment & Building
Members make their needs known to FNA through direct communication with FNA’s management team and indirectly by which FNA services they choose to employ. By using FNA suppliers, members are voting with their wallets which suppliers they prioritize. Suppliers that are popular with members stay on the priority list. On the other hand, when members don’t make use of programs or suppliers in one of the categories, they may be sending the message that those services are not priorities.
FNA management makes decisions, informed by consultation and research tools and according to a “best-bang-for-the-buck analysis.”
FNA’s resources consist entirely of our Membership fees, therefore the management team needs to be efficient and effective in using those resources.
FNA’s current priorities look like this, and its resources are spent accordingly:
- Crop Protection
- Fertilizer
- Grain Handling & Transportation
- Farm Information Services
- Farm Product Marketing
- Seed
- Equipment and Buildings
- Insurance & Risk Management
- Finance
FNA’s management team is highly entrepreneurial–when an opportunity to build value for our farms is seen, it is acted on regardless where on the current priority list it may sit.