Download all planning task one worksheets using the link above.
In this planning task you will explore personal and business-related values. Well-defined values will help you develop goals that all members of the family and business support. You may choose not to include values in your written business plan—this will depend on your audience and how you intend to use the business plan. However, your values will serve as an important point of reference—you will use them to test strategies in Planning Task Four: Strategic Planning, so it is important to record them.
Values can be defined as the standards, beliefs or qualities that you consider worth upholding or pursuing. They become critical when planning collectively with other business stakeholders, including family members. We suggest taking some time now to think about and explore your personal values. Begin by asking yourself and your planning team members what it means to be successful. See the story panels for examples of values.
Next, read over the values identified by the Beyer family: Beyer Family’s Shared Community Values below. All three members of the family, Richard, Sharon and Rory, take pride in producing good food on their Rollingstone, Minn., dairy farm. They also value community to one degree or another. Sharon’s community values are the most active; she says that she wants to “be of help” and “make someone else’s life better.” Likewise, Richard hopes to help others but sees himself doing so by “set[ting] an example as an organic farmer.” As they develop their organic business, it will be important for the Beyers to discuss the importance of one another’s values and to think about how best to honor all values when making decisions about where in their community to invest, how much to invest and when to invest. Can you begin to see how the Beyer family’s values might be used to inform their long-term farm-business goals and strategies?
Text Box 1T.1
beyer family's shared community values
Richard Beyer: To set an example as an organic farmer; to produce food without chemicals and drugs.”
Sharon Beyer: “To connect with the community where you can be of help and are comfortable doing so; to give; to make someone else’s life better and in doing so, yours will be better. In organics this means sharing your knowledge and experience to help young farmers (or not so young) be successful in a very challenging environment.”
Rory Beyer: “I define community as the family and friends that I want to associate with and help. Also, I value producing good-quality food for the people who purchase our products.”
Use Worksheet 1T.1: My Values, reproduced from the Guide, to explore personal, economic, environmental and community values.
values
Hard work, honesty, family structure/tradition, growing without stepping on neighbors, giving animals a natural life. We also value family time (it is important to take time away from the farm), saving for the future and creating a place for the next generation to grow.
We value fiscal responsibility, honesty, relationships, community and the environment. It is important to us to travel; to learn new things by experiencing other cultures and ideas. Above all, we believe in treating others and the earth with respect.
I take responsibility for everything that happens to me. Money is a useful resource and a tool, but not the ultimate goal. Respect everything that helps us sustain ourselves. A successful enterprise should share with its community
Dig Deeper
For further discussion on values, refer to pages 19-23 in the Guide. Many farm families have found the Guide’s Worksheet 1.2: Common Values (page 25) helpful, particularly when the operation involves many people or when planning for a major change such as transition. First, ask everyone involved in the farm business to complete Worksheet 1T.1: My Values. Then, share your values with one another and use Worksheet 1.2: Common Values from the Guide to identify those values that you share and those that you do not hold in common. It will be important to be aware of any significant differences as you move forward in planning, as values underpin most decision-making. Worksheet 1.2: Common Values can be found at the top of the publication page.
Finally, if you are having trouble getting started on personal values—or simply enjoyed the values exercise—take a look at Worksheet 1T.2: Personal Qualities at the end of this planning task to view a list of personal qualities and values identified as important by Minnesota organic farmers. Bryan and Theresa Kerkaert completed this worksheet independently then compared answers. Some of the Kerkaerts’ answers are shown in the Text Box: Personal Qualities. Like the Kerkaerts, you can use the worksheet to identify personal strengths and weaknesses. You may want to incorporate positive personal qualities in
your final plan as part of the business overview
Put It In Writing!
Much of the work you have done in this planning task will serve simply as a compass to guide you when brainstorming strategies and testing ideas in Planning Task Four: Strategic Planning. If you would like to include some of your values in the business plan, consider adding them in your business overview or as part of the mission statement that you draft in Planning Task Three: Vision, Mission and Goals. Alternatively, if you choose not to include values directly in your plan, keep them close at hand to remind you and your planning team what is important when making critical business decisions in the future.
Text Box 1T.2
Personal Qualities
| Bryan | Theresa | Statement |
| 4 | 3 | I have a strong work ethic |
| 4 | 2 | I pay attention to detail |
| 3 | 2 | It is important to me to do things on time |
| 4 | 3 | I am persistent - I finish what I start. |
| 4 | 3 | I am interested in learning new ideas or ways of doing things. |
| 3 | 4 | I am flexible and willing to make changes when necessary. |
| 3 | 4 | I have good working relationships with others (e.g., neighbors, hired labor). |
| 4 | 3 | I communicate directly; I listen to others and am not afraid to ask questions or say what I think. |
| 4 | 4 | I am willing to consider others' advice and opinions. |
| 4 | 3 | I seek out relationships with other organic farmers I look up to and can turn to for advice. |
| 3 | 1 | I keep up on organic market trends. |
| 3 | 2 | I enjoy farming and the challenges of farming organically. |
| 3 | 4 | I have a supportive spouse, family members, and/or farm partners. |
Example provided by Bryan and Theresa Kerkaert, organic grain farmers, Minnesota
1 = Rarely; 2 = Sometimes; 3 = Most of the time; 4 = Almost always