Rooted in Agriculture, Ready for What’s Next
About UnCommon Farms
For nearly 60 years, we’ve helped farm families navigate industry transitions, market volatility, and generational growth. We don’t just consult on agriculture—we live it.
We Show Up Because Every Farm Has a Story Worth Sharing, a Legacy Worth Honoring, and a Future Worth Shaping
Our roots go back to 1967. The agricultural landscape has changed dramatically since then. Through fluctuations in commodity cycles, land values, technology, tax law, family dynamics, our core belief has never moved an inch: strong farms are built on strong business, and the families behind them deserve both.
In 2006, we evolved into a dedicated membership organization because we recognized that advice alone wasn’t enough. Modern farms needed holistic business coaching, a high-performing peer community, and real accountability to execute on what they’d learned. So that’s what we built.
At UnCommon Farms, we don’t just believe in farms; we believe in the people behind them. We believe in their resilience, in their courage, and in the legacies they are building. We are more than a partner. We provide financial clarity, business expertise, and a community that makes thriving possible.
Driven by Farmers, Not Outside Investors
There are firms that advise on agriculture. Then there’s UnCommon Farms. We’re a farmer-owned organization governed by a board made up primarily of farmers. Every decision we make is designed to drive value and profitability back to our members, not to satisfy outside investors or hit someone else’s revenue targets.
Combined, our staff brings over 1,000 years of hands-on agricultural experience to the table. That means the coaches and consultants working alongside your operation aren’t reading about the industry from the outside. They understand the dirt, the weather, the cash flow pressure, and the weight of the legacy you’re carrying.
There are others who offer pieces of what we do. No one else has combined the coaching, accountability, financial expertise, peer community, and succession planning into a single, integrated system, all designed specifically for the family farm.
The Principles That Guide Our Work
These are the standards we hold ourselves to every day because they’re the ones we believe your farm deserves from a partner.
Our Mission
Make a real difference for each farm we touch.
Our Vision
UnCommon Farms empowers farms to thrive across generations.
Our Values
Not a Job, But a Calling
We show up because the work matters. Farming isn’t just the industry we serve—it’s who we are. Every decision, every workday, every harvest is part of something bigger than a paycheck.
Imagine the Possibilities
We believe in progress. Curiosity fuels growth, and innovation keeps farms moving forward. We challenge the ordinary to build a better, more resilient future for every operation we serve.
Go Far, Together
Community is our greatest strength. Real success is shared and best built through trust, collaboration, and a commitment to lifting each other higher. When we work together, we go farther than any of us could alone.
Integrity Into Action
Every day, we earn trust by communicating with clarity and courage, holding ourselves accountable, and practicing what we preach. Transparency over convenience. Accountability over comfort.
In It for the Long Haul
Building a legacy doesn’t happen overnight. We think in generations, focusing on the stewardship and structural strength that endures long after we’re gone. Your farm’s next chapter is why we show up.
How We Partner With Your Farm
Every farm family’s journey looks different, but the path to partnership always starts the same way: with a real conversation. Here’s exactly what to expect when you’re ready to take the next step.
Step 1: Needs Assessment
Connect with our team so we can learn about your farm's unique challenges, history, and goals. There's no pressure, no pitch, just a real conversation about where you are and where you want to go.
Step 2: Consultation
We take a deep dive together in an interactive session where we map out exactly how our coaching, community, and financial resources can support your operation. You'll leave with a clear picture of what a membership relationship looks like in practice.
Step 3: Become a Member
You're officially part of UnCommon Farms. Kick off your journey by engaging with your dedicated coach, connecting with your peer group, and attending your first training sessions. This is where implementation starts.
Step 4: Preserve Your Legacy
Work side-by-side with our experts to execute your business strategy, protect your assets, and secure your farm for the generation that comes after you. This is the work that matters most.
The Experts in Your Corner
From our executive leadership to our dedicated Business Coaches, Financial Consultants, and Insurance Agents, the UnCommon Farms team is built to support every facet of your operation. Our team is made up of specialists who have dedicated their careers to the agricultural industry.
Matt Ronken
Chief Executive Officer
Michelle Goeke
Chief Operating Officer
Nicole Davis
Director, Human Resources and People Strategy
Justin Friedrich
Director, Strategic Partnerships and Sales
Farm Success Stories
UnCommon Farms has helped us understand and manage a scaling business that is sustainable into the future all the way to succession planning. Figuring out education pieces for our employees and our team. Areas of continuous improvement.
Kyle Mehmen
MBS Family Farms
I think we know what the end goal is now more than we ever have. I think we understand what it’s going to take to get there, and we have plans we’re putting into place that will allow us to accomplish our goals as a family—of growing and bringing back the next generation.
Larna Fidler
Schnitker Farms
UnCommon Farms gives the older generation confidence in the younger generation’s management, and I think it makes that transition easier for the older generation.
Rich Bronec
R&R Bronec Grain and Cattle
We needed to change the way we ran our business. Instead of working in the business more, we had to work on it. If you have the next generation coming along and you’ve always just been the operator or the patriarch of the farm, being part of UnCommon Farms has so many benefits. There’s not only the resources; there’s the networking, there’s peer-to-peer conversations you can have. There’s a way to better your business.
Joel Abeln
Abeln Farms
We’re into this for four years now, and I’ll be honest, I’m more excited now than I was at the beginning… The more you put into it, the more you get out. The more you commit to it, the more that you follow, the bigger connections you make… I think it helps us take our operation to the next level.
Robert Ensor
Ensor Brothers Farms
With UnCommon Farms, we have these connections to other farmers and other communities who we can rely on to share those experiences and those learning moments, so we don’t have to make those mistakes the first time around.
Emma Purvis
E&H Farms
Don't Leave Your Legacy to Chance
Your farm represents decades of sacrifice, hard work, and family commitment. It deserves more than guesswork and good intentions. Partner with a community of high-performing operators and advisors who are just as committed to your farm’s success as you are.
A Community of UnCommon Farms — You Belong Here.