Farm406

• 35 FARM 406 HIRING AN Agricultural Consultant Rob Evans, an employee with MaxAg of Montana, prepares a probe for extracting a soil sample. The red hydraulic unit in the background punches the probe into the ground. W hat are the major factors that affect your farm ac- count's bottom line? Some factors, such as weather conditions, are often out of your control. Many others you can manage. In today's agricultural world, some of that control comes from utilizing recent knowledge and technology. The major caveats to employing these latest developments are having the cash flow to purchase equipment that is used only a short time for a specific reason and carving out the time to master the technology. Hiring someone else to provide that expertise for you may be the better choice. The occupation of agricultural con- sultants is an evolving career in agri-busi- ness. These consultants evaluate the lat- est opportunities, innovations, scientific research and technologies for the grower. Investing in a consultant's expertise should pay you back, if not the first year then over time, in increased profits that are evident on that bottom line. There are several types of consul- tants: those who also sell a product and consultants who are not influenced by commercial interests. A consultant who sells a product will often teach you how to use that product. The private con- sultant will contract with you to supply information, give advice, and often do the work for a fee. A relationship with either type of consultant can help the grower make the right decisions in soil fertility, fertilizer recommendations, pest management, evaluation of weed management, wildlife management and habitat, water and irrigation manage- ment, and technological advances, to name a few areas. One Way to Save Time & Money Text and Photography by Suzanne Waring

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