What should you be doing at your dairy in January?

January is a great month to catch-up on office work along with planning for 2026 and the years to come. As a CPA, I have observed that January frequently brings requests from our dairy clients for support with these exercises, and we are happy to assist.

I have been working as a CPA for over 33 years and am amazed at how fast all those years went by. I am currently the Managing Partner of Van Bruggen & Vande Vegte, CPA’s, but in 2025 our firm embarked on a succession planning exercise for my position as MP. You might say, “Why would you retire at age 58? You must have it made!” The truth is that I have no plans to stop working. I expect to remain actively involved in the years to come; my roll will just be different. I am stepping aside to allow the next generation a chance to step up and grow. Our new, incoming Managing Parter is 41 years old, and when I hand him the reigns in 2 years, I am confident that he will be ready to lead the firm well.

So, what does this mean for your dairy farm? We work with many family-owned dairies, and it is common to have multiple generations involved in the farm. If structured and operated well this can be a beautiful thing. However, there is often stress and some discontent amongst family members when we get honest with each other. So how can these challenges be minimized within your own family dairy. Here are five key lessons I have learned over the past 33 years.

1. If you are the Managing Partner/Director or President of your dairy do not stick around too long in your leadership position. Every farm is different, (so it may not be 58 like me), but engage the next generation and empower them to lead. They will do things differently but if trained well-they are likely to soar!

2. Emphasize communication at all levels. Have routine leadership meetings where everyone is given a voice and keep regular meeting minutes where decisions are documented.

3. Build an outside team to consult with—such as your lender, attorney, CPA and potentially an investment advisor. These professionals should be well versed in the agricultural industry and work well together, to be the most effective.

4. Create a solid succession and handoff plan. It is best to include the professionals in #3 in that process. Then, re-visit this plan at least every 5 years so it can remain relevant.

5. Bring in your CPA periodically (at least annually) to review your accrual financial statements with you and give a broad overview of your income tax situation for the past year.

I realize most of you would prefer time in the Caribbean in January versus addressing the 5 items above, but incorporating these for 2026 may be one of the best decisions ever for your dairy operation.

Insights from Guest Writer Gary Vande Vegte, Managing Partner of Van Bruggen & Vande Vegte P.C.