Are there moments when it's tricky working so closely together?

We get on well with each other. Sure, sometimes we don’t quite agree on something, but in the end we make sure we get on the same page. My favorite thing about working with my family is that I see them so often. Sometimes that’s good and sometimes it’s not, but mostly it’s good.

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#ThinkingInGenerations

Farming insider: Vis Farm, USA

Q: Where is Vis Farm located and what crops do they grow?

Location: Pipestone County, Minnesota, USA. Crops cultivated: Maize, soy, hybrid rye.

Q: Did Cole and Jared know early on that they wanted to work in farming?

Cole: Yes, even when I was little I always knew I wanted to be a farmer. I always had little tractors at home, and we played with them in the house when we couldn’t go into the fields. Jared: I started wanting to become a farmer at a young age. My earliest memory on the farm takes me back to my own first ride on the tractor. I saw myself as an equal in the business early on, even though I was not yet included in the company partnership.

Q: What is the Vis family’s vision for the farm in the future?

Cole: My wish for the future of the family farm is that it will still be run well in the fifth, sixth, and seventh generation and that it will develop into a business that people respect. Jared: When I think about the future of the family farm, I picture my children, whom I want to support in whatever they choose to do. If one of them decides to carry on the farm, I will try to show them the way – just as well as my father once did for me.

About the Vis Family Farm

The Vis farm was established in 1992. These days, three generations work together here to farm maize, soybeans, and hybrid rye. Farmer Todd Vis took over the farm from his father, and now his two sons Cole and Jared are ready to adapt the business to the agricultural challenges of the future.

Farm facts

Family-run farm where three generations work together

Location: Pipestone County, Minnesota, USA

Crops cultivated:

Maize, soy, hybrid rye

Special features: Less than one percent of Minnesota’s inhabitants work in the agricultural sector, yet the home state of the Vis family is among the biggest producers of agricultural goods within the USA.

My wish for the future of the family farm is that it will still be run well in the fifth, sixth, and seventh generation.

Cole Vis, USA

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Question time

We’re in southwestern Minnesota, not far from the border with South Dakota. Although only a few people here work in agriculture these days, the state of Minnesota remains one of the country’s biggest producers of agricultural goods. Does that make you proud in a way?

Jared: Playing a part in feeding the United States and the world makes me proud to be a farmer. And being able to do this kind of work with my family makes it even better.

Todd, as a father, you no doubt feel the same way about working together. Are you happy with the way you have prepared your sons for a life in farming?

Todd with his sons Jared and Cole

Todd: I am delighted they are part of the family business. It’s really fulfilling to have them here. When they take over the farm, I plan to remain involved in whatever they’ll let me do then. Even if they only need me for driving tractors in future, or just working the soil from time to time, that’s also fine.

Now we’ve talked about the future, let’s go back to your beginnings. Cole and Jared, did you know early on that you wanted to work in farming?

Cole: Yes, even when I was little I always knew I wanted to be a farmer. I always had little tractors at home, and we played with them in the house when we couldn’t go into the fields.
Jared: I started wanting to become a farmer at a young age. My earliest memory on the farm takes me back to my own first ride on the tractor. I saw myself as an equal in the business early on, even though I was not yet included in the company partnership. The current registered partnership is just a name change; I’ve felt like an equal in the business for a very long time.

How was the handover, or the introduction to the work on the family farm? Is there anything that stands out in your memory, looking back?

Cole and Jared working on the farm

Cole: What I like to think back on is the constant willingness to try new things. My grandfather and my father were always open to change, open to doing extra things to improve our crop yields with less input. I really value that, because I also see other farms. I have friends and acquaintances whose fathers and grandfathers are really reluctant to try new things. It’s really great to be in a position where you can push things forward and see how effective they are.
Todd: My father, Cole’s and Jared’s grandfather, started the farm in 1992 and introduced me to farming back then. Even now, he still helps us out every day. Now it’s my turn, and I think I’ll pass on the business in much the same way as my father did with me back then.

That all sounds very harmonious. Are there not also moments when it's tricky working so closely together?

Jared: We get on well with each other. Sure, sometimes we don’t quite agree on something, but in the end we make sure we get on the same page.
Cole: My favorite thing about working with my family is that I see them so often. Sometimes that’s good and sometimes it’s not, but mostly it’s good.

You two will take the farm into the future. What image do you have in mind when you envisage this farm still in the hands of the Vis family many years from now?

Cole: My wish for the future of the family farm is that it will still be run well in the fifth, sixth, and seventh generation and that it will develop into a business that people respect.
Jared: When I think about the future of the family farm, I picture my children, whom I want to support in whatever they choose to do. If one of them decides to carry on the farm, I will try to show them the way – just as well as my father once did for me.

The Vis Farm

On the road worldwide. Always closeby.

All farmers have their own character - which is reflected in their way of life, philosophy and the form of farming and livestock breeding. We visited our farmers around the world and wanted to know what makes them successful, what they stand for and what challenges they have to face. A journey across five continents.

More insights about our farmers

A farmer sits on a chair in a barn, wearing a cap and a blue shirt, with farming equipment visible in the background.

Todd, Jared and Cole Vis, USA

“My wish for the future of the family farm is that it will still be run well in the fifth, sixth, and seventh generation.”

A man and a baby are sitting in a blue tractor, surrounded by logs and trees. The scene depicts a rural setting.

Arco Van Triest, Netherlands

“This farm has been running since 1900, and now my children are here.“

A man smiles while holding a young boy on his lap. They are seated outdoors with greenery in the background.

Adem Biçici, Turkey

“When I go out into the fields with my grandson, I see myself reflected in his curiosity.“

Two men examining a leafy plant in a large green field. The landscape features rows of crops under a clear sky.

Brian Ryberg, USA

“I think the feeling of being part of something greater has always been important to me.“

Portrait of a man with a short beard, wearing a black polo shirt with yellow accents, sitting at a wooden table indoors.

Šandor Sabo junior, Croatia

“Whatever problems we are facing, we solve them together. For me, family is all about cohesion.“

A man with glasses sits on a wooden bench in front of a brick wall. A small decorative item is placed on the table beside him.

Atila Sabo, Croatia

“Every morning, my brother and I agree what we want to do during the day, what our duties are. So we share the work and have passed on this structure to our children in the same way.“

A family walks together along a path in a field, surrounded by crops and trees. They wear matching shirts and hats.

Carla, Fábio and José Rossato, Brazil

“I never had any doubts; I never wanted to be anything but a farmer.”

Dimitar sits in an office chair, smiling while wearing a white shirt and green overalls. Papers and a calculator are on the desk.

Dimitar Vukudinov, Bulgaria

”Working with your own father means that you always have a wiser man with you to support you and look up to.”

Portrait of a middle-aged man with short hair, wearing a black shirt, smiling softly against a softly lit background.

Rodolfo Cura, Argentina

“The farm is everything to me. Working in agriculture is the greatest way to do what I love. For me, the farm means freedom.”

Heidi, a farmer from Belgium, sits in a bright room with a bouquet of roses on the table behind her.

Heidi Verschelde, Belgium

"I think the next generation is showing a keen sense for the importance of nature."

A farmer interacts with a wooden gate in a garden, while another person stands behind him near a car.

Ievhenii Bondarchuk, Ukraine

"If you want to be a farmer, you can’t learn that in an institute. It’s something you have to be born with."

A man and a woman smile at each other while holding tomatoes in a greenhouse filled with plants. They appear to be enjoying their time together.

Luigi Torri, Italy

“I hope my sons will pass on the love and respect for the earth and all the values I taught them.”

A hand reaches out to touch ripe wheat stalks in a field. The golden grains are ready for harvest.

Paweł Strzemiecki, Poland

“This love of farming, of the farming tradition, goes back generations in our family.”

A woman with long hair smiles while standing in front of a blue vehicle in a garage setting.

Emma F., UK

“It would be great if one day the sixth or seventh generation of our family runs the farm.“

Aerial view of Rowles Farm, featuring buildings, vehicles, and surrounding green fields. The landscape includes trees and pathways.

Peter Carlisle, UK

“Teamwork is the most important thing on our farm. Everyone does a little bit of everything. If we weren't a team, our business wouldn't be as successful as it is today.“

Young man in a brown hoodie stands in a field with dust clouds from farming equipment in the background.

Henning & Arne Beecken, Germany

“The feeling of wanting to continue the work on the farm has grown day by day since childhood.“

A cornfield with neatly arranged rows stretches towards a distant tree line and houses under a clear blue sky.

Emanuele Bortoli, Italy

“Reliability and respect form the foundation for how we deal with one another. These are values I`ve always held in high esteem.“

Farmer Francis stands beside a blue agricultural machine in a grassy field. The tractor is equipped for planting or cultivating crops.

Francis Bapst, Switzerland

“For me, the most important values are respect for nature, understanding our consumers and food production.”

Hands examining a plant with roots and leaves in a field. The focus is on the interaction between two individuals.

Toni & Daniel Peterhans, Switzerland

”Spirit and passion are what leads to success, whether it's in farming or on the football pitch.”

A child holds hands with an adult in a barn, carrying a small tool. Cows are visible in the background.

Riccardo Casarotto, Italy

”Independence is a dream that we should all cultivate and pursue. Dreams are there to come true and to help you progress.”

A blue tractor is parked near a large brick farm building with multiple roofs and a landscaped area. The setting is rural and well-maintained.

Stephan Jansen, Belgium

”I look forward to waking up every day and being able to work with nature.”

A woman stands in a cornfield, surrounded by tall green plants and a mountainous landscape in the background.

Gizem Anar, Turkey

”People should love what they do, and I love farming. I enjoy looking after animals, plants and nature and try to feel connected to them!.”

A close-up of a calf with an ear tag, surrounded by other cows in a pasture. The calf has a calm expression.

Adrian Knuchel, Switzerland

”For me, team spirit means being able to live and work together. It means ongoing exchange, taking each other, mutual ideas and suggestions seriously.”

A man holds a ginger cat while standing next to a tractor in a farm setting. The scene conveys a connection between the farmer and his pet.

Gürkan Ilhan, Turkey

”People who work in agriculture, cultivating crops, rearing livestock and working on the land, accumulate positive memories day after day.”

Aerial view of a farmhouse surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges and a garden, with a driveway leading to the property.

René Vermue, Netherlands

”Team spirit and reliability are hugely important in both my personal life and my working life – be it with colleagues, employees, or in dealings with other farmers.”