You can never plan too much into the design of a facility to house your livestock – and especially for fire prevention. Roughly two-thirds of fatal barn fires occur from October to March, according to an October 2018 report from the Animal Welfare Institute, with 36.8% occurring in January through March.

It really is better to ask permission now rather than ask forgiveness later - especially in Illinois and Indiana where you should not stake out a new livestock structure until you have the proper permits approved and in-hand.

In the Chinese culture, don’t expect to begin a business discussion until you have developed a relationship with the others in on the deal. In the United States, according to the Better Business Bureau, business owners were asked what the most critical assets to their businesses were. The answer may be surprising.

Agriculture and the job of providing protein to the world gets more complicated each day. And just like the weather you don’t often have control of those factors that affect your bottom line – like trade agreements or passing the Farm Bill (which at the time of this writing has not yet been finalized or signed).

Company consolidation is everywhere – whether it is in the agricultural world (think Monsanto and Bayer or Pioneer and DuPont) – or in the fast food world (think Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut) – it gives customers choices. But more importantly these companies have linked together to combine expertise, to share resources, and to maximize the services they can produce and provide.

Farmers know you can’t do the same thing and expect different results. Protein producers make adjustments in their operations frequently – managing uncertainty in things like the weather, regulations, market prices, etc. But sometimes, as protein producers know, you need to re-think an issue to take advantage of the opportunities at hand, keep up with new ideas offered in production methods, technology, science, etc.

It’s not uncommon. Partners in livestock production are part of the way we get this work done. For some, it’s a spouse, a sibling, or a parent they partner with in the farm operation. Some might say they look at their banker as a partner. You work with a variety of partners to help you run your business, help you manage risk, do some of the work, and give you time to spend for yourself.

REMINGTON, INDIANA; February 8, 2017 – Summit Livestock Facilities, LLC announces the acquisition of Heartland Builders Company based in Columbus, Nebraska. The acquisition will provide a stronger presence in the Northern Midwest, combining Heartland Builders’ reputation for quality construction in the area with Summit Livestock Facilities’ expertise and innovation in protein livestock facilities.