Farming operations are detailed, complex, and often only known by one person. In the event a key farm operator is unable to operate the farm, Nebraska Extension has developed a Crop Operations Plan to help guide someone new to the operation to adequately and successfully operate the farm for the next couple months. This guide is not designed to be a legal document, but it provides some guidance to an employee or neighbor who may not know all of the innerworkings of the farming operation.

The Crop Operations Plan includes key contacts for farming inputs or needs; a field plan for each crop field in production, including seed selection, fertilizer needs, and crop protection plan; and space for day-to-day activities, access to data management software, location of farm supplies, etc. It is important to initially identify two or three potential replacements who may have the knowledge or skills to operate the farm.

It is recommended farm operators complete this plan as soon as possible since no one knows if, or when, they may become ill or unable to perform farming operations. This guide is primarily for use over the next couple months, but it can be modified to include operations beyond that time frame. It can also be incorporated permanently into business plans. Nebraska Extension will also provide an extended operations plan in the near future.

A Cow-Calf Operations Plan has also been developed for operations that include cows and calves.

The Crops Operations Plan and Cow-Calf Operations Plan are available in a Word document and can be downloaded below.