Bringing Kyle and Kerri Home

Having dedicated their lives to working with farmers, the folks at AgriSolutions® provide vital services which promote success, longevity and profitability for farming operations. But help and expertise offered by AgriSolutions® personnel is not limited to accounting and data analysis; they actively promote the legacy of family farms by encouraging young people to stay on the farm and join their parents in the operation. Stan and Karmen Mehmen learned just how far the services and commitment of AgriSolutions® extend when they faced a family dilemma.

Family has always been an important focus of the Mehmen farming operation, which includes commercial corn and soybean production along with three business entities: a trucking company, a seed business, and a pig building construction business. Both Stan and Karmen's parents and grandparents had been farmers since their arrival in this country from Europe. With that rich farming heritage, Stan and Karmen were eager to have their son Kyle and his wife Kerri join them on the family farm and continue the Mehmen farming legacy.

However, after completion of his university degree, Kyle had been working for five years as a chemical sales representative. And, although the Mehmens strongly desired to bring Kyle and Kerri home to join them as part of their farming operation, they were uncertain of the financial and interpersonal implications of that decision. They knew that they needed an "outsider," a third party to whom all family members could openly express their desires and concerns. In addition, they needed a consultant who could carefully analyze the financial aspects of their operation and the impact of bringing Kyle and Kerri into the business.

The Mehmens realized that just such a person actually existed, someone who knew them and their operation well and who had the best interests of their operation and family at heart. Karmen explains how their AgriSolutions® consultant, Daryl, was vital in bringing Kyle and Kerri back to the farm: "Our consultant helped us prepare for the transition by conducting personality tests, analyzing our fears and desires, and delineating responsibilities. He helped with the budget process and feasibility study, and will help us analyze our status at the end of this year. Having a third party involved, someone that all family members could consult with confidence, was crucial in this important step for our operation."

With Daryl's help, Stan and Karmen were able to bring Kyle and Kerri home to join them in the Mehmen family farming operation, with Kyle being the third-generation Mehmen to work on this farm. Now, all four Mehmens work together, with one additional full-time employee and three seasonal workers, to keep the business running smoothly, each bringing to the operation specialized abilities and strengths. As Stan and Karmen learned, the expertise of AgriSolutions® personnel, combined with the AgManager® software, data collection, analysis and benchmarking tools, help with strategic decision-making in all aspects of farming operations.