Henry Ford once said, “The man who is too set to change is dead already. The funeral is a mere detail.” I had to read that quote a couple of times before I fully understood how powerful it is – and how appropriate it is to the current beef industry. You may have to do the same thing.
I want you to think back to the drastic changes that were taking place when Henry Ford made this bold statement. The horse and buggy were being replaced by automobiles. Draft horses were being replaced by tractors. For many people, these changes were beyond comprehension. If you and I lived during that time period, there is an excellent chance we would have been extremely reluctant to accept those changes.
People hate change! Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the cow-calf sector of the beef industry. It often takes two or three decades for cow-calf producers to make simple changes – even though they know the change will be for their own good. Some changes are not possible until one generation gives way to the next. As stated in the leadoff article of our Summer 2020 Newsletter, many family businesses advance one funeral at a time. If you don’t think this is true, you are living in la-la land.
Cow-calf producers who think they can continue to do things the way they have always done them need to WAKE UP and smell the coffee. As Henry Ford said, “Those who are too set to change are already dead. The funeral is a mere detail.” Are you already dead? I hope not. It’s not too late to make the necessary changes in your program and genetics – but time is of the essence. Nothing stays the same. It’s Time to Change Horses!