Farm Pulse: Financial Management and Analysis is a self-paced online course for farmers interested in learning how to use farm financials to explore their farm business decisions. This course will help farmers evaluate their finances, take the pulse of their farm business, and set goals for the future of their operation. The Farm Pulse – Financial course is available on demand, allowing participants to work through the course at their own pace and on their own time.
Course participants will learn how to:
- Identify which records to collect for their farm business.
- Compare and contrast financial strengths and weaknesses.
- Organize financial information into financial statements.
- Define the structure of balance sheets, income statements, statements of cash flow, and statements of owner equity.
- Interpret financial statements for the analysis of a farm’s financial position and financial performance.
- Illustrate their farm’s plan to communicate with their lender.
Participants will follow along with a conventional dairy case farm, a livestock and grain case farm, or an organic dairy and grain farm throughout the series of eight modules. After completing the course, participants will be able to transfer these skills from the case farm to their own farm businesses. Instructors will be available throughout the course to provide technical support and a one-on-one financial review.
The course is open to anyone involved in agriculture. In particular, farmers or farm managers may be interested in developing farm financial statements to explore and make informed financial and production decisions on a farm business. Farm Pulse – Financial does fulfill education requirements for USDA Farm Service Agency loan borrowers in Wisconsin.
For more information on the Farm Pulse course, contact farms@extension.wisc.edu.
Go to go.wisc.edu/farmpulse to find out more and to register!
For upcoming events and learning opportunities, see farms.extension.wisc.edu
