Insulate & Isolate

Identifying potential risks can lead to a desire to avoid them at all costs, but sometimes that isn’t possible.  Understanding the difference between “insulation” and “isolation” can be a critical step in protecting critical elements of your business or personal finances.

That critical component might be:

A great idea – can you develop it and take advantage or public, network and community resources without it being stolen?

Your land – building healthy, vibrant and productive soils, the work that has gone into to building that soil can’t be jeopardized!

Your genetics – Building a bank of seeds or a breeding herd must happen for the long term development of the farm and preservation of the heritage breed, no matter what the short term opportunities

Your nest egg – I love the farm, but I need to pay off my debts and save for a reasonable retirement.

Insulation means to provide a protective, buffer around that critical element.  The buffer can delay or reduce the impact of forces. In a house, insulation slows the absorption or loss of heat, but at some point in time the furnace must be turned on.  Isolation means doing everything possible to remove the element from harm’s way and influences.  Isolation could be a physical distance or a legal one.

Examples of "Insulation and Isolation" can include:

• Keeping farm and personal finances separate
• Using Non-Disclosure Agreements and contracts when dealing with groups or partners
• Ensuring that you have a head start and registering business and web domain names before seeking public help
• Protect your core breeding stock by maintaining a minimum size and keeping new animals and herds separate to guard against disease
• Explore the use of land trusts and other arrangements to keep land in agriculture for the long term

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