Investment in agriculture carries unusually high risks for banks and investment funds

When organisations make investments in agriculture, often their most intense pre-investment focus is on financial, legal and marketing information.

However, in our experience, it's crucial to dig deeply into the operational processes of how that business works as well.

Pre-investment process mapping identifies operational and workability anomalies that could become significant issues later.

Identifying issues at the pre-investment stage allows investors to temper their expectations and/or allocate resources early in the investment towards any critical concerns identified.

Agricultural Investors

By ensuring that process mapping is always a pre-investment requirement, it becomes a part of the standard investment procedure.

Unjustified reluctance to support any process mapping activity could raise a flag for any investment team.

Where goodwill hinders pre-investment process mapping then the exercise should take place immediately after the investment for the purpose of risk mitigation.

We offer a systematic and rapid service documenting critical business operating procedures and protocols held by valuable staff members.

We also help teams and individuals to structure complexity and create systems that can significantly reduce the risk of error.

Our service is personalised and highly confidential, supporting any type of farming enterprise.

Beautiful landscape of a farming land

People at all levels from the CEO to the general manager, hold critical knowledge and can unexpectedly leave the organisation

Consider:

  • Unfortunate sudden death in service

  • Serious accidents and incapacitation

  • Serious sickness or ill health

  • Family issues

  • Serious professional disagreements

  • Retirement

The goal should be to avoid what Watkins and Bazerman call “Predictable Surprises”

In farming, the core knowledge of the farming operations and strategic planning is generally in the hands of, if not one, then only a few select people.

When organisations make investments in agriculture, often their most intense focus tends to be on financial, legal and marketing information.

Who should be thinking about this?

  • INVESTORS interested in pre-credit due diligence

  • PRIVATE EQUITY INVESTORS concerned about business support and recovery

  • BANKS providing specialist support to private equity investors

  • BOARD MEMBERS concerned about risk

  • BUSINESS LEADERS concerned about risk