1. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Personnel Plan People make a business successful. Who will manage your business, who will provide the labor, and how will they do it?

2. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Labor Your business plan should document that you have the management and personnel resources necessary to run your business or a plan to obtain them.

3. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Personnel Plan For many family farms, the personnel plan will only need to describe the roles of the family members and the outside consultants and advisors hired.

4. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Management Who is the manager? What are the roles of the manager? What are the qualifications of the manager?

5. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Management Who is on the management team, what are there roles and qualifications? What additional management skills may be needed either through training, outside advisors or hiring staff.

6. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Management How does a farmer transition from a one person operation and learn how to manage people? You have to be a learner, and willing to get help to learn how to manage people.

7. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Management Do you have a management transition or contingency plan? If the manager is unable to continue, who will replace him or her?

8. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Labor What tasks need to be accomplished in your business? What additional tasks will be created if you make major business changes?

9. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Labor Who will do the required tasks – family members, existing employees, or will you hire additional help?

10. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Labor Are there tasks that no one on your team has the skills to do or that no one is willing to do? You might want to use your task list and identify the ones where your business has personnel gaps. What responsibilities will you hire consultants to do?

11. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Personnel Plan Your personnel plan should describe job descriptions, compensation plans, incentive plans, employee handbooks, and training procedures.

12. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Personnel Plan The most important business skill in any occupation is people skills!

13. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Resources Ag Help Wanted www.aghelpwanted.org

14. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Resources Guide worksheets Management team – worksheet 4.22 Family and hired labor – worksheet 4.19, 4.2

15. Copyright © 2003 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota Resources FINPACK Business Plan software Management team Family & hired labor Consultants Personnel management