Who's in Your Corner? Building the Right Advisory Team for Your Farm
Strong markets create opportunities.
Strong advisory teams help you make the most of them. The decisions you make during profitable years often determine how prepared you'll be for the next market cycle.
After several challenging years, improving margins have given many pork producers an opportunity to strengthen their operations and plan for the future. But agriculture has always been cyclical, and today's favorable conditions won't last forever.
That’s why one of the most valuable investments producers can make isn’t new equipment or more acres. It’s building a trusted farm advisory team. They can help navigate both opportunities and challenges.
Today's Opportunities Should Prepare You for Tomorrow's Challenges
The U.S. hog industry has always been cyclical. After several challenging years, 2025 and 2026 have provided much-needed opportunities for financial recovery and renewed profitability.
As we look toward the second half of 2026 and into 2027, many pork producers are well positioned to continue strengthening their operations. Feed costs and hog prices seem to support continued balance sheet improvement. Renewed optimism is spreading across much of the industry.
While improved margins are certainly welcome, history reminds us that agriculture is cyclical. Strong years eventually give way to more challenging environments, and new risks continue to emerge. Market volatility, disease pressure, shifting consumer demand, labor shortages, regulatory changes and global trade uncertainty all have the potential to impact profitability.
When the next downturn or disruption arrives, a farm won’t find one of its most valuable assets on a balance sheet. It will be the quality of the advisors sitting around the table.
Great Decisions Start With Great Advisors
The most successful producers I work with rarely make major decisions alone. Whether they're evaluating an expansion opportunity, working through a herd health challenge or planning for the next generation, they rely on trusted advisors who bring different perspectives to the conversation.
Their lender, veterinarian, nutritionist, risk management advisor, accountant, attorney, insurance specialist and key industry partners all play an important role in the decision-making process.
The value of these relationships extends far beyond technical expertise.
Why Trusted Advisors Matter
Strong advisors help identify blind spots. They challenge assumptions and ask difficult questions. They provide perspective when emotion or uncertainty can cloud judgment. Most importantly, they help producers evaluate opportunities and risks before decisions become problems.
Key Takeaways
A strong advisory team should:
- Challenge your thinking.
- Bring specialized expertise.
- Understand your long-term goals.
- Help identify risks before they become costly.
- Support better business decisions through every market cycle.
Build the Right Farm Advisory Team—Not the Biggest Team
Just as important as having the right expertise is having the right people. The best advisors aren't simply the smartest individuals in the room. They communicate proactively, offer honest feedback and are willing to have difficult conversations when necessary.
They understand your operation, your goals and your long-term vision. Their focus isn't simply on the next transaction—it's helping position your farm business for long-term success.
As producers evaluate their advisory teams, it's also worth considering the balance between experience and fresh perspective. Industry veterans bring lessons learned through multiple market cycles, while newer professionals often introduce emerging technologies and different approaches to solving longstanding challenges.
Both perspectives add value.
Every Operation Needs Something Different
Not every farm needs a large team of advisors.
Every farm's advisory team should look different.
The key is identifying where additional expertise can create value and reduce risk. Some operations may benefit from additional expertise in business planning, risk management, finance, tax planning, succession planning or animal health. Every operation is different, and the right advisory team should reflect those unique needs.
The goal isn't to build the largest advisory team.
It's to build the right advisory team.
Position Your Operation for the Next Cycle
As profitability improves, it's tempting to focus exclusively on expansion plans and growth opportunities.
Those opportunities may be worth pursuing, but you should always evaluate them through the lens of long-term sustainability.
The best advisors help producers remain innovative without becoming reckless—and ambitious without becoming overextended.
The pork industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience through disease outbreaks, trade disruptions, inflationary pressures and periods of financial stress.
Future challenges will undoubtedly emerge.
One principle remains constant:
No one succeeds alone.
By continuing to invest in trusted relationships today, producers can position their operations to make stronger decisions and navigate whatever comes next.
Looking for more insights to strengthen your operation? Explore Compeer Financial’s swine industry resources or connect with one of our Animal Ag specialists to start the conversation.
