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University of Wisconsin-Extension
Articles > Risk Management

Using farm financials to make informed decisions

Written by Kevin Bernhardt and Katie L Wantoch
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A farmer might be mulling over a change in their farm business. Should I invest in robots, on-farm storage, new or used machinery, etc.? What is holding the business back in our expansion plans? A farmer might also be seeking information to assist with financial planning. How sensitive is the business to changes in prices and costs? Why is the profitability low in the business? Do I have too much debt? What is my breakeven cost of production?

Join Kevin Bernhardt, Extension Farm Management Specialist, and Katie Wantoch, Extension Farm Management Outreach Specialist, as they share financial tools and analysis methods to aid in answering these questions and making informed decisions. From financial statements, financial ratio analysis, DuPont analysis, and partial budget analysis, Bernhardt and Wantoch will discuss tools and methods that farmers can use to generate data-driven facts and information that will assist with “better planning – better decisions!”

Additional resources

Costs of production: Which costs of production? part 1

Costs of production: Handy tool for marketing, finance, and farm management part 2

Costs of production: How to calculate part 3

Partial budgeting

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