Benchmarking as a Tool for the Future of Farming
HORSCH LLC seminar brings North American farmers together
Professional farming operations are facing increasing pressure. Rising input costs, limited labor availability, and the ongoing challenge of producing more food from finite farmland require farms to operate more efficiently than ever before. At the same time, many family farms are making long-term strategic decisions that will shape their operations for decades — from machinery investments to crop rotations and soil management strategies.
Against this backdrop, HORSCH recently hosted a seminar in the United States aimed at bringing together progressive farms from across North America. The goal was not only to exchange ideas but also to introduce a structured benchmarking approach that helps farms better understand their own operations and identify opportunities for improvement.
Building a network
The seminar brought together 18 participants from across North America, including farms from Saskatchewan, Ontario, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois and Indiana. Most attendees represented family-run grain farms producing crops such as corn, soybeans, wheat, and canola. In most cases, the owner or main decision-maker of the farm attended, while one larger operation was represented by its farm manager.
The idea behind the meeting was simple: create a space where professional farms with strong growth potential can openly discuss challenges, share insights, and learn from one another. While such benchmarking groups have been well established in Europe for years, this format is still relatively new in North America.
HORSCH has already held similar seminars in the past. The concept is based on the company's philosophy of supporting farmers beyond pure technology in the long-term and sustainable development of their farms.
Focus on practical experience
The meeting was structured as a day and a half event. Participants arrived Tuesday afternoon and began with a round of introductions, allowing everyone around the table to share a brief overview of their operation.
The first presentation was given by two German consultants who work with an established benchmarking group in Europe. They introduced the concept of structured farm benchmarking and explained how farms within the group analyze their businesses in great detail to identify strengths and weaknesses.
Their approach goes far beyond simple yield comparisons. Instead, it focuses on understanding the full operational efficiency of a farm — from labor and machinery to logistics and capital allocation.
Understanding the key numbers behind a farming business
Wednesday began with an in-depth presentation of a farm that is part of the European benchmarking group. The discussion focused on the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are tracked and compared within the group.
Examples included:
- Total labor cost, including the value of the owner’s time
- Horsepower per acre or hectare
- Time required per produced grain unit (GU)*
- Machinery efficiency and utilization
By analyzing these figures together, farms gain a much clearer picture of where resources are being used effectively — and where improvements are possible.
A recurring theme throughout the discussions was that labor and time are often the most limiting factors on modern farms. Improving organization, optimizing workflows, and carefully tracking operational costs can therefore have a significant impact on overall profitability.
*Grain unit (GU): A grain unit is a standardized unit used to convert different cereal crops (e.g., wheat, barley, maize) into one common “grain-unit” output. This makes it possible to compare key figures such as labor time, machine performance, or costs per unit of production across different crops. The exact definition (e.g., kg or t of grain units) depends on the benchmarking system used and must be consistent within the group.
Equipment and agronomy discussions
Wednesday afternoon shifted the focus toward practical agronomic topics. Discussions centered on spraying and planting operations, two areas where many farms face similar challenges.
Participants compared experiences from their own farms and identified common pain points in daily operations. HORSCH product managers contributed their expertise by explaining how different equipment concepts address these challenges and how certain design principles can improve efficiency in the field.
Later discussions also included seeding and tillage systems, where global farming perspectives were shared.
Insights from the HORSCH team
The seminar also included contributions from members of the HORSCH family. Michael Horsch supported the German consultants throughout the presentations and discussions, helping translate the benchmarking concepts into a North American context. Lucas Horsch provided additional insights into global farming trends as well as perspectives on seeding and tillage practices.
The open format encouraged participants to ask direct questions. One farmer, for example, raised the topic of herbicide resistance and whether it could be solved by increasing chemical use.
Mike Wasylyniuk (Product Manager Sprayers) responded with a practical observation:
“No — changing the chemistry alone will not solve the problem. It often comes down to basic application parameters. One of the simplest and most effective factors is maintaining the correct boom height.”
The comment highlighted a recurring theme of the seminar: sometimes the biggest improvements come not from adding more inputs, but from optimizing existing processes.
Continuation of the exchange
Overall, the feedback from participants was very positive. Attendees appreciated both the openness of the consultants and the willingness of the HORSCH team to share their perspectives.
One of the most important outcomes was fostering connections between farms facing similar challenges, but which rarely have the opportunity to exchange views in such depth.
Looking ahead, discussions are already underway about possible next steps. One idea being considered is organizing a follow-up meeting or even a trip to Germany, where participants could visit farms that are part of the established benchmarking groups and see their operations firsthand.
Although the plans are not yet final, the interest among participants is clear. The willingness to learn from one another—and to critically review their own operations—could well become one of the most valuable tools for farms facing the challenges of modern agriculture.