Peer Groups
Seven other operations become your advisory board. Not a neighbor being polite over coffee — farms in different states who have seen your numbers and will tell you the truth about them.
Eight operations, none of them competitors
Groups are built from roughly eight farms in different states, matched so nobody is bidding against anybody. The distance is the point — you can open the books without wondering who is across the fence.
Twice a year, three days, at somebody's operation
Day one is operation updates. Day two is the host's presentation, a tour, and interviews with their family and key staff. Day three is the strengths-weaknesses-opportunities-threats wrap-up and recommendations.
You leave with action items, not notes
Every host visit ends with ten to fifteen recommendations, and each one gets an accountability partner from the group who follows up between meetings. The pressure to act comes from not wanting to let the group down.
The Practical Details
- Group size
- About 8 operations, varies by group
- Cadence
- Twice a year, three days each
- Commitment
- Four years — every operation hosts once
- Format
- In person, with a virtual option when needed
- Operation size
- Has ranged from ~600 to 46,000 acres
- Investment
- Varies by group — ask us
There is no non-disclosure agreement to sign. What keeps the room honest is how the group is built — non-competing operations, far enough apart that nobody has anything to protect — and an understanding every member takes seriously: what is said in the room stays in the room.
Hear It From Members
Rather than take our word for it — these are group members on the podcast, describing what a visit is actually like.
Professional Peer Group Opportunities
Two peer group members explain how 8-farm executive groups work: SWOT reviews, action items with accountability partners, and 4-year meeting structure.
Peer group perspective: Bringing value to the farm
Indiana farmer Brad Downing on hosting a 2.5-day peer group visit, the trust it takes to open your books, and the four pages of action items he left with.
The Joe Paulson and Andy Hruby story
Andy Hruby and Joe Paulson explain how custom chopping, a shared chemical LLC, and a machinery LLC let them grow acres and equipment without owning it all.
See If Your Operation Fits
Size is not the qualifier — groups have run from a few hundred acres to tens of thousands. What the group needs from you is transparency, a willingness to hear things you would rather not, and the same effort put back into the other operations. Send us a note and we'll talk through where you might fit.