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.

Who?

Target audience -Farm Businesses OwnersFarmersLand OwnersYoung Farmers

When?

January 2008 – November 2011

First trainings – Annie’s Project

Where?

Classes Offered

Using Computers for Your FarmExcelQuickBooks for Beginners Advanced QuickBooks

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/

QuickBooks For Farm BusinessesShannon Dill

University of Maryland Extension

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

ConclusionsDiversity

Knowledge Age Enterprise

Teaching3 Instructors

Continuation of Classes

Questions

Contact information:

Jenny Rhodes – jrhodes@umd.eduShannon Dill – sdill@umd.edu