Now that it’s a new year, one of my goals is to set the course of the company as far as changes in infrastructure, customer relations, employee policy and so on. Clear written goals are printed in large type on a poster board in our break room so that they are not simply folded up and put away only to be forgotten.
A reduction in expenses would be welcomed as it would serve customers as to stable prices and in some cases a reduction of prices. A review of the 2019 budget is in store as to how well we did staying within the budget and adjustments made to the 2020 budget.
New products for 2020 (mostly in plants) are already set with more work to be done for the year 2021 and beyond so we look ahead as far as possible for products we think will interest our customers.
Improved growing operations are always necessary as new research and developments from the land grant universities continues. Much of our focus is on environmentally friendly practices which are good for us, our customers and our planet. Slowly but surely agriculture is under a cultural shift as more thought is given to ensuring clean bountiful water and health of complicated ecosystems and of course we humans as far as the food we eat from the farms and the water we drink. One of the biggest examples lately is the cooperation of the State of Ohio, the Ohio Farm Bureau and various environmental groups to solve problems of algae bloom in Ohio waters and especially in the Maumee River Basin that affects the water quality of the gem of Ohio, Lake Erie. With leadership from Governor DeWine, money has become available for projects for farms to mitigate nutrient runoff and education from the State and Farm Bureau continues to bring to light solutions leading to cleaner water for all Ohioans.
Then there is the necessary mundane work of taxes as having to do with state, federal, local end of the year reconciliations and payment of some taxes will be coming up.
Seminars begin at the end of this month and then there will be some preparation for the Daffodil Society on April 18th and the Orchid Society on March 7th and 8th to which everyone is invited. This year, spring will definitely be exciting!
Tom