From 2026 to 2030: Planning the path ahead

2030 might sound a long way off but it’s closer than you think. Four harvests. A few machinery upgrades. A handful of business reviews or budgets and suddenly, we’re there.

The choices you make over the next few years will shape what your business looks like by 2030.

Having a long-term vision gives context to every short-term decision. It keeps you grounded when the season gets busy and ensures your time, money, and effort are going toward something that matters.

When you know what you want your business to look like in 2030, you can start asking What needs to happen in 2026 to make that possible?

2026 is not just another year on the calendar; it’s the bridge between where you are now and where you want to be by the end of the decade.

Knowing where you’re heading helps you decide what to do next

Setting your sights on 2030 gives context for every decision you make in 2026, whether it’s investing in machinery, hiring staff, or rethinking your succession plan.

One tool I use with clients is the Sustainable Growth Model, a simple, practical way to understand which phase your business is in and what to focus on next:

1.      Expansion: You’re growing: taking on land, investing in tech, diversifying, or scaling operations. The focus is forward momentum, building on solid foundations so you can seize opportunities when they come.

2.      Maintenance: You’re executing your current plan. Operations and systems are humming, and you’re making the most of what you’ve built before shifting gears again.

3.      Consolidation: You’re taking stock. Reviewing what’s working, cutting inefficiencies, and strengthening your base before the next growth phase.

Sustainable growth model

These cycles aren’t about doing everything at once, they’re about timing. Knowing where you are now (and where you want to be by 2030) helps you decide what 2026 should focus on.

Imagine your goal is to double cropping area or transition part of your farm to regenerative practices by 2030. That’s an Expansion goal — but you might need a few years of Maintenance first to strengthen your team, systems, and cash flow, followed by a Consolidation phase to fine-tune before scaling up again.

When you map that path early, every 2026 decision, from hiring to financing, starts working toward your 2030 vision.

The levers shaping your next four years

Between now and 2030, several strategic and operational triggers will shape your direction:

•         Diversification – How can you spread risk and build new income streams that complement your core business?

•         Environmental impact – What steps can you take to reduce emissions, improve soil health, and position for low-carbon opportunities?

•         Succession – If leadership changes are coming, what groundwork can you lay now to make it smooth?

•         Machinery and equipment investments – What equipment will you need to replace or upgrade, and how will that affect cash flow?

•         Financial position – How resilient is your business to market fluctuations, interest rates, and input costs?

•         People and capability – Who do you need in your team to deliver on your goals? Do they know where you’re heading — and how they fit into that picture?

•         External cycles – Political shifts, climate trends, and investment cycles are outside your control but awareness helps you time your moves.

What this means for your 2026 plan: focus on the levers that will have the biggest impact and set the strongest foundations now, so you’re ready to seize opportunities.

Common pitfalls when planning ahead

Planning is one thing. Following through is another. Here are two traps I often see:

1. Trying to control what you can’t.
You can’t change commodity prices, the weather, or the market but you can control how you prepare and respond. That means knowing your costs, setting priorities, managing your people well, and making informed, timely decisions.

2. Avoiding accountability.
It’s easy to make plans in your head yet so much harder to say them out loud and commit. But accountability is where real progress happens. Sharing your goals with family, staff, or an advisor brings support and momentum.

Growth is uncomfortable. It means tough conversations and facing gaps in your systems and that’s what leadership looks like.

Knowing what’s within your control is one thing; acting on it is another.
That’s where having the right support makes the difference. A coach or trusted advisor can help you stay focused, hold you accountable, and guide you through the tough parts of growth.

That’s what we do through AgCelerate. I help key decision makers in farming businesses stay on track, avoid common pitfalls, and turn plans into progress.

A plan that connects the dots

The path from 2026 to 2030 isn’t about predicting the future, it’s about positioning yourself to make the most of it.

When you build your 2026 plan with your 2030 vision in mind, you give yourself direction, focus, and flexibility to adapt as conditions change.

That’s what we’ll be unpacking in the Stop Reacting. Start Executing - The 2026 Strategy Masterclass a free, hands-on session designed to help you create your Plan on a Page for 2026.

You’ll walk away with:

•         A clear 2026 vision

•         Key goals that make your vision possible

•         A practical action plan to get there

If you’re ready to turn ideas into action and make 2026 the launchpad for your 2030 goals, register your expression of interest now.

Because the future doesn’t just happen. You plan for it.