Production agriculture is an evolving career that encourages the need for continued education to increase farm profitability and sustainability. It is critical for farm owners and managers to assess their own farm business operations on an annual basis to determine strengths and opportunities that lead to success.
Courses offered in the advanced farm management track will revolve around three main areas: livestock, financial, and crop management. Courses in all three areas will be offered in one year, however, with a different emphasis. Farm producers will be able to learn the latest research, technology, and management tools that will aid in making every day management decisions.
Class locations are offered throughout the Southwest Tech district. Current class sites are:
Some classes are offered in the evenings between the months of November and March to accommodate farm producers and their farming schedules.
Individual farm assistance is available as part of enrolling in these courses. Our instructors will meet with you individually to assist in activities that require more specific attention to your farm's needs. Individual assistance is set-up by appointment with the instructor.
Resources
Financial Assistance Opportunities
To learn about FBPM scholarships, contact a program instructor.
The following links are helpful resources related to FPBM:
This course will assist producers with understanding how crop trait selection can increase their profitability. Participants will examine various research trials, seed variety data and yield performance of hybrid plants. Utilizing local farmer test plot data combined with industry yield results, participants will evaluate their farming operations to improve overall crop management decisions.
Crop Management - Diseases & Pests
Students will learn how to identify crop pests and diseases of crops. Management strategies will be developed to reduce the harmful effects of diseases and pest of crops, and will include using cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical methods to reduce the damage caused by crop pests. The economic thresholds of major crop pests will be calculated and treatment decisions will be evaluated by using integrated pest management techniques.
Crop Management - Economics of Technology
Students will examine how data collection can assist in decision making when producing crops. Students will discuss the data collection technologies such as yield monitors, maps, precision planting, and more. Students will understanding economic return of implementing technologies such as seed coatings, seed variety, and precision agriculture equipment.
Crop Management - Land Management and Conservation
This course will cover crop production and management techniques for common Wisconsin field crops. Information will be provided on crop seed selection, crop fertilizers and crop responses to fertilizer, crop pest management, and crop production management decision making. Soil and water conservation topics will include conservation tillage methods, crop rotations, land management practices, cover crops, and equipment selection and setup. The course goal is to improve crop yields while sustaining the soil and water resources of southwest Wisconsin farms.
Crop Management - Managing Inputs
Students will examine inputs of crop production and assess innovative ways to control input costs when producing crops. Students will analyze the value added from data collection technologies, yield response in research trials, seed variety selection, and custom harvest vs. owned equipment.
Crop Management - Nitrogen Management
Students will identify key objectives to nitrogen use on the farm, nitrogen cycle in crop production systems, nitrogen sources, irrigation & nitrogen management, nitrogen budgeting and future resources. All competencies will be assessed using the students' farms or with simulations established by the instructor.
Crop Management - Soil Health & Farm Wealth
Producers will study all aspects of crop production, management, and economics. Specific topics related to variety, selection planning, pests control, harvesting, storage, safety, and marketing are covered. Crop rotations and tillage methods will be discussed in relation to nutrient management plans. The farm cropping program is an integral part of the total farm business management plan. Risk management will be addressed through the use of crop insurance and marketing strategies. Crop management emphasizes the analysis of the farm business and planning of cropping practices and strategies. All competencies will be assessed using actual farm financials or with simulations established by the instructor.
Crop Management - Soils
Students are provided instruction on how to prepare and implement a land use plan, and on taking and understanding soil testing procedures and reports.
Students will receive instruction on how to evaluate fertilizer recommendations, manure and chemical applications, as well as soil health management and soil conservation practices. Soil management emphasizes the analysis of the farm business and the planning of cropping strategies. All competencies will be assessed using the students' farms or with simulations established by the instructor.
Financial Management
Students will study the intricacies of farm financial management.
Students will complete a farm business financial and enterprise analysis, in which detailed and accurate financial record keeping is a critical component. Current analysis data is compared to historical data in making future farm business planning decisions. A systematic method and financial ratios are used to assess farm business strengths and weaknesses based on the analysis. This course examines whole farm, enterprise, balance sheet, and inventory trends and applies these trends to future farm business management decisions. All competencies will be assessed using the students' farms or with simulations established by the instructor.
Financial Management - Farm Asset Management
Students will be provided information focusing on asset management within the farm business.
This course is designed to provided information focusing on asset management within the farm business. Students will analyze asset acquisition, owning versus leasing versus custom hire; understand financial ratios that incorporate asset values; discuss methods of protecting assets through insurance policies; and discuss methods of transferring assets. All competencies will be assessed using the students' farms or with simulations established by the instructor.
Financial Management - Benchmarking Labor Costs
In this course, producers will understand the cost of labor on their farms. Each participant will be able to compare his or her labor costs and hours to other similar operations. This benchmarking will allow management personal to utilize labor in the most cost effective way and increase overall performance of the farm.
Financial Management - Planning for Changing Markets
Producers completing this course will be able to evaluate and implement financial record programs, evaluate sources of credit, construct budgets, comply with financial rules and regulations, prioritize capital expenditures, formulate an insurance plan, complete a business analysis, implement tax management strategies, adopt an estate plan, and compile a financial plan summary. Production and financial decisions will be made based on your farm business analysis. All competencies will be assessed using actual farm financials or with simulations established by the instructor.
Financial Management - Cost Management
This course is designed to assist producers with understanding cost containment, profit margins, profitability ratios, costs of production, and feed costs.
Students will discuss actions needed to prosper during times of commodities' price down turn. Students will examine management methods that will assist them in improving their operation's profit margins.
Livestock Management - Recordkeeping
This course is designed to assist producers with understanding record keeping related to crop inputs, crop yields, feed inventory records, livestock reproduction, genomic records, and accounting systems. Students will examine management methods that will assist them in improving their financial record keeping systems and be introduced to several financial record keeping options to improve operation's profit margins.
Financial Management - Risk Management
This course is designed to provide training on operational and strategic risks present on the modern agriculture farm. Producers will be able to define both operational and strategic risks and identify these risks on their own farms. Producers will discuss and analyze management tools available to mitigate risks on their farms. Individual on-farm assistance will be provided to help students complete a year-end financial analysis and risk management plan for their farm.
Guidelines for Farm Succession
This course will provide farm producers with the information they need to make decisions on their farm succession plans.
Farm producers will identify generational differences, determine how to plan and conduct farm family meetings, discuss balance sheet preparation and analysis, identify family needs: financial and non-financial, participate in a Strength Finders 2.0 assessment, learn techniques of farm family communication for the entering and exiting generation, identify what retirement may look like, explore financial planning for retirement, discuss how to prepare for your farm's annual financial analysis, defining common business structures used in farm succession, discuss how to transfer assets and management, and network with other farm families and industry professionals.
Livestock Management - Animal Comfort & Housing
Students will be provided the most current information in animal comfort and housing.
This will include discussing optimal structures and environments for animal growth and comfort; heating, cooling, ventilating principles and equipment; animal housing design; common bedding materials; and waste management practices. All competencies will be assessed using the students' farms or with simulations established by the instructor.
Livestock Management - Economics of Technology
Students will examine new and emerging technologies in livestock production. Students will discuss technologies such as rumination collars/ear tag IDs, implants, cameras, Moocall tail clips, embryo transfer, production records analysis, repro synchronization/protocols, robotic milking, and automatic calf feeders. Students will analyze cost effectiveness of implementing such technologies into their farming practices.
Livestock Management - Farm Animal Welfare
Producers will acquire the skills, techniques, and concepts necessary for sound feeding management; determining feed values - economics of feed; nutritional terminology and requirements; feed consumption of livestock; understanding feed tag labels for protein, energy, minerals and vitamins; evaluation of base feed and feeding programs; and metabolic disease of lactating livestock. All competencies will be assessed using actual farm financials or with simulations established by the instructor.
Livestock Management - Feed Management
Students will examine issues ranging from harvest timing, harvesting methods, storage of feedstuffs, sampling, feed analysis interpretation, inventory management, cost associated with feedstuffs, feed out strategies, and quality control of animal feeds. Students will analyze cost effectiveness of implementing such feed management strategies into their farming practices.
Livestock Management - Nutrition
Students will be provided the most current information in livestock nutrition.
This will include updates on techniques; feeding management; feed values and analysis; nutritional terminology and requirements; feed consumption of livestock; evaluation of base feed and feeding programs; and metabolic disease of lactating livestock. All competencies will be assessed using the students' farms or with simulations established by the instructor.
Livestock Management - Replacement Management
This course will focus on understanding the cost of raising young stock. Participants will manage inventory of animals and focus on needed replacements to grow or stabilize their farms. Topics will range from feed costs to housing to genetics. Participants will analyze how to improve the overall financial impact of managing replacement animals on their farms.
Livestock Management - Reproduction
This course will include updates on breeding techniques such as embryo transfer, artificial insemination, female/male selection, cloning, sex semen, and mating systems. Methods of improving reproductive performance and ethics of using reproductive technologies will be assessed using the students' farm or within class discussion.
Livestock Management - Veterinary Feed Directive
Students will be provided the most current information on livestock veterinary feed directive.
Students will review the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) Regulation. Students will discuss the process for authorizing use of VFD drugs identified for animal use. Students will differentiate the producer responsibility and veterinary responsibility in regards to implementing the VFD rule on their farms. Students will write their standard operation procedures specific for their farm that will incorporate the new VFD regulation
QuickBooks
Learn how QuickBooks Accounting Software can be used to accommodate your farming operation.
Topics discussed will include (but may not be limited to):
Basic Accounting Terminology and Financial Statements
Setting up your farm business in QuickBooks
Structuring your Chart of Accounts to accommodate Schedule F tax form
Entering customers and creating invoices
Managing Accounts Payable by using the “Enter/Pay Bills” feature
Recording deposits to reflect milk assignments and other deductions
Balancing your checkbook, using the reconcile feature
