Allan Nation, 2000, Green Park Press, Ridgeland, Mississippi, USA, 340 pages.
ISBN: 0-9632460-6-2
Allan Nation is the editor of the Stockman Grass Farmer, a US magazine dedicated
to pastoral production and what it takes to grow grass. Nation has
written several books about grazing and the farmers who do it well in the
US. This book goes much further. It covers a broader range of
topics than just grazing management and brings together a melting pot of
business and farming wisdom about the cattle business.
In this book Nation looks at what is working well in big business and then
finding who is applying it in farming. Comments and ideas from Robert
Kiyosaki, Peter Drucker, Tom Peters, and Warren Buffet are explained in a
farming context, and then Nation introduces the reader to farmers who are
using these same practices in their farming businesses.
This book documents a full range of farm management topics, many drawing
from the observations of farmers that Nation writes about. It covers
setting goals, cutting costs, reducing risks, market cycles, tax laws, and
animal and pasture performance, but it is not about raising animals.
Nation’s passion is to challenge US cattle farmers about many of the paradigms
that have formed the US cattle business. By drawing on visits to New
Zealand, Ireland, South America, and Australia, Nation makes comparisons
with the US industry about levels of knowledge, understanding, and efficiency
practices. There are many interesting insights about the business of
cattle and because the US industry is such a large player these insights
are of interest to many cattle producers around the world.
Furthermore, Nation takes this book beyond the typical run-of-the-mill farm
management text. He introduces a whole new dimension to conventional
farming; its human side. Here Nation explains the stages of business
life, the boredom of success, as well as lifelong energy levels and family
succession. He also talks about vision and its importance for providing
direction and purpose. And the tool to do this – writing your own personal
book!
In this book Nation is bridging the gulf between what is conventional farming
practice and the innovative activities of farming leaders. It combines
the gritty reality of financial performance with savvy management ideas and
the passion to bring balance to farm business. Whether an old hand
or new to farming, whether running a big or small property, this book will
impress with its content and style. I wish there was such an agricultural
writer as this in New Zealand.