For Handy Kennedy of HKJ Ranch in Cobbtown, Ga., sound data management was key to generational succession on his 200-head cattle operation. After taking over his family’s pasture-based operation after his father’s death, Kennedy set out to modernize their business by using data to make decisions about the efficiency and profitability of new technologies.
At first, bringing new ideas into a legacy family operation wasn’t easy. But Kennedy began small—testing pasture nutrient management strategies on limited acreage to better understand their impact on input costs.
He advises beginning farmers to experiment with new technologies and examine the resulting data to make informed business decisions. “Data-driven decisions will give you the competitive edge,” says Kennedy.
That gradual, practical approach has paid off on his own farm. Over time, his family has adopted many new tools and methods, enabling the ranch to operate more sustainably and efficiently. He also urges new farmers to be ready to adapt. “Yesterday’s best is today’s average,” he says. “We have to continue to get better.”
This video is one in a series produced by SARE titled Practical Tips for Beginning Farmers. Based on their own experiences when starting out, farmers from across the country share advice about common challenges facing beginning farmers in today's agriculture. To view the entire series, visit www.sare.org/resources/practical-tips-for-beginning-farmers/.
For information on grants and resources available from SARE, visit www.sare.org.