It is not much of a mystery that the average farmer and rancher is aging. It is also no mystery that there is an increase in absentee ownership. There are numerous factors that play a role in both of these situations. Rising price of real estate, political landscape and the commodity market, lack of interest in upcoming generations to take over the family enterprise, pressures from financial institutions to maintain a smooth transition (we can cover the importance of a succession plan on another post), and/or the capitalist-conservationist investing their money in land.

Whatever the reason may be, there is one thing that will need addressed. Who will manage the land and the operation? The answers will be as different as the individual and ranch/farm itself. What is the main purpose of the absentee owner? And how can he/she find a manager that will align with their goals?

Whatever the end sight is for the owner they will want a manager that will help fulfill this desire. It is not much of an exaggeration to refer to this owner/manager relationship as a partnership. This works best when both parties view it that way. With so much at stake, it serves neither to diminish the importance of the other.

Both parties will need to be realistic about that perfection does not exist, but can be strived for in both parties, and then move on to the things that do matter. Such as financial ability of the manager and owner. Both will bring a different perspective to the table. The manager should be able to follow a simple budget and operate a successful operation within the constraints. On this same token, a good manager will bring many financial considerations to the discussion table that the owner might not be aware of.  After all, it is the manager’s responsibility to anticipate the real and true costs of a successful operation. A good manager should be able to input on how to avoid expense by prioritizing projects and outlays. Having a solid management plan for the ranch and it’s goals in a timeline helps.

Providing opportunities for demonstration during the evaluation process can be invaluable. Both the owner and manager candidate are evaluating one another. This can be done when the prospective manager is exploring the land. The manager will be the one caring for the land on a daily basis and their view/opinion of the place is critical if the absentee owner and manager are to have a successful partnership. On the same token, the potential manager will be evaluating the owner/owners to see if it will be a good fit for their management style practices.

There is no fill in the blank checklist to find the perfect manager nor the perfect absentee owner. However, there are many key elements that will need to fall into place to have a successful working relationship. Let someone with experience help guide this process.