Post on 18-Dec-2015
University of Maryland Extension
Computer Training for Farm Businesses
Jenny RhodesShannon Dill
University of MarylandExtension Educators
Agriculture & Natural Resources
University of Maryland Extension
Jenny Rhodes Queen Anne’s County
Shannon Dill Talbot County
Nan Stenzel UME Regional IT Coordinator
Local Community College
Local Accounting Firm
TEAM
Why?
Computers are an important tool for farm business management.
In a recent survey from the USDA farm computer use continues to rise (USDA NASS 2011).
In Maryland about 60% of farms have access to computers but only 34% use computers for farm business.
Using Computers for your Farm3 hour traininghands on workshop – each attendee had their own
computerLearned how to:
manage your filesset up foldersback up important fileslook at software that could be beneficial to your
farming operation
Excel Spreadsheets for your Farm Business
3 hour trainingHands on application with Microsoft Excel
each attendee had their own computerLearned how to:
navigating the software set up a spreadsheet insert formulas and calculations.
Participants practiced with spreadsheet templates
Each received a USB with farm based spreadsheets
Excel Spreadsheets Budgets: 2011 Field Crop Budgets with Cover Crops -
spreadsheet 2011 Field Crop Budgets – PDF 2011 Field Crop Budgets – spreadsheet 201 November Field Crop Budgets- spreadsheet Custom Rates Input Prices Fall 2011 ONVC Spreadsheet - A calculator to estimate the
value of manure when compared to commercial fertilizer - Personal Monthly Budget – spreadsheet - Very important to have a household budget when
making financial decisions - Personal Budget - spreadsheet - Vegetable Enterprise Budgets - spreadsheet
USB Flashdrive Contents
USB Flashdrive ContentsFarm Business Planning: Business Planning Resources Includes various business planning templates,
information and a case study to see how a business plan should be written
Financial Statements: Blank Worksheets Includes cash flow, balance sheet and income
statement Crop Worksheet Fixed Cost Allocation Spreadsheet to help determine actual fixed costs
instead of using custom rates
USB Flashdrive ContentsGrain Marketing: Basis Charts Grain Marketing Spreadsheet showing how to keep marketing records. Maryland Corn Basis Misc: Fax Cover Letter Hormel Card - Remember these livestock judgers –
Excel will place classes with cuts in no time Invoice MCE Address Book Keep important addresses and contact names in an
excel spreadsheet i.e. – landlords, employees etc. Purchase order Sales Receipt Weekly Time Sheet
USB Flashdrive ContentsProduction Info: Corn Calculation This spreadsheet dries corn bushels to 15.5% Nutrient Management Manure Record Keeping
Sheet Nutrient Management Sample Fertilizer-Manure
Application Records Nutrient Management Yield Record Summary Nutrient Management Poultry Removal Record Pesticide Application Records Production Records
Agriculture Websites to Bookmark and Applications
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/This is the UMD, College of Ag website. This is the portal to find Extension Fact Sheets, meetings, workshops and the home and garden information center (www.hgic.com) http://www.mdgrainmarketing.umd.edu/Website listing budgeting, marketing, lease agreements and more. Go here to download spreadsheets and farm management documents. http://www.mredc.umd.edu/ This site is a one-stop-shop for the latest and most successful business development innovations and support for Maryland's agriculture and natural resources enterprises. If you are currently, or would like to be, an agricultural/ natural resources entrepreneur, we invite you to explore this site. http://extension.umd.edu/publications/EB237online/
Grain FarmerBalance SheetTransaction Detail by AccountIncome StatementAccount ListingProfit & LossProfit & Loss by ClassStatement of Cash Flows
QuickBooks Reports
QuickBooks For Farm Businesses
BeginnersWorked through tutorial setting up
QuickBooks – hands on – each had their own computer – 3 hour trainingSetting up Vendors Setting up AccountsWriting ChecksEntering Deposits
QuickBooks For Farm Businesses
AdvancedCertified QuickBooks ProAdvisor
Local Account Firm Creating ReportsCreating InvoicesReconcile bank statementChanging Preferences Tips of the tradeDiscussion
Class Participation Totals
12 Using Computers for Your Farm 165 Excel148 QuickBooks – Beginners20 QuickBooks – Advanced 324 Individuals participated in the
program
Evaluations
Using Computers for your Farm92% report understanding file management 100% will use websites suggested 83% will use the USB 92% will back up their files
Evaluations After Classes Excel for Farm Businesses
100% of participants plan to incorporate Excel Spreadsheets into their farm for recordkeeping system.
QuickBooks for Farm Businesses 100% report implementing QuickBooks on their
farm, tracking enterprise expenses and creating end of the year financial reports
Follow up Survey from all Classes taught
Will
use Quick
Books on th
eir fa
rm
Will
track
expen
ses fo
r farm
entre
prises
Will
use Quick
Books to cr
eate
financia
l state
ments
91%92%93%94%95%96%97%98%99%
Impacts
Impacts
N=59
Increase
computer
use on th
e farm
Increase
reco
rdke
eping o
n the f
arm
Feel
more co
mfortable
using c
omputers a
nd applica
tions92%
93%
94%
95%
96%
97%
98%
99%
100%
Impacts
Impacts
Follow Up Survey
Questions
Contact information:
Jenny Rhodes – jrhodes@umd.eduShannon Dill – sdill@umd.edu