Farm Management

All Farm Management Content

Owners of a specialty crop farm smiling at each other in a small on-farm market as a customer shops in the background.

Resources to Stay Safe on Specialty Crop Farms

When was the last time you’ve thought about safety on your farm? View a collection of science-based safety resources for small and medium-scale commercial specialty crop farms from the field to the market.

Two ranchers participating in beef quality assurance training at a cattle facility.

Certified South Dakota BQA Trainers

Certified South Dakota BQA Trainers may assist producers with completing voluntary on-farm assessments. View a list of certified trainers throughout the state to get started today!

Tractor with a series of digital icon overlays representing aspects of smart farm technology.

The Growing Threat of Cyber Attacks in Agriculture

The with growing digitalization of our food production systems, everyone should take an active role in preventing the threat of cyber-attacks.

pair of hands reviewing a budget sheet with a calculator and pen

Budgeting With an Irregular Income

If you are a business owner, farmer, rancher, earn based on sales commissions, or are seasonally employed, you may not have consistent income from month to month.

A man reviewing an information packet on creating a last will and testament.

End of Life Documents You Should Have in Place

COVID-19 infection and mortality rates fill the news programs. Across South Dakota and the nation, people are have made changes to their lifestyle and the way they accomplish many everyday activities. In response to this illness and the potential for long-term hospitalization and even death, individuals over 18 should also ensure their end of life documents are up-to-date.

Graduation table display with photos, awards, and keepsakes. Courtesy: Matthew Beckler [CC BY-SA 2.0]

Graduation Presents

With graduation season upon us, consider gifting your high school or college graduate with the necessary medical, financial and legal paperwork they're need for the next stage of their lives.

A pen and calculator sitting next to an accounting binder.

Bookwork, The Missing Management Component: Consistency of Financial Records

Consistent record keeping will allow for accurate ratios and trend analysis. While operations will change, grow, or contract, having a standard operating procedure will allow for analysis and decision-making.

A male with three female farm administrators reviewing a binder of financial records. Courtesy: USDA

Bookwork, The Missing Management Component: Balance Sheet Valuations

The financial crash of the 1980’s has been attributed to changes in producer’s balance sheets, due to a decline in land prices. After this time, a two-column balance sheet was developed to help prevent that type of balance sheet collapse from occurring in the future.

Farmer sitting inside the cab of a green tractor parked inside a machine shed.

Bookwork, The Missing Management Component: Depreciation Determination and Use

Another component of determining net income is depreciation. This is one component of the Schedule F that many understand the least. Typically, the most use it gets is to minimize income tax through accelerated tax depreciation under section 179.

IRS Schedule "F" Form, Profit or Loss From Farming

Bookwork, The Missing Management Component: Farm Income Determination

Many ag producers do not like bookwork. Many times this job gets pushed to the side, until a bill is due or taxes need to be filed. It is also fair to say it is a missing component to the management of most operations. A missing component that could lead to the collapse of the operation.