Category: Management

General Farm Management Strategy and Structure

  • Buying Farmland: A Farmer’s 3-Part Strategy

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]1a
    listen here
    [smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/cashcowfarmer/EP_001-_Buying_Farmland-_A_Farmers_3_Part_Strategy.mp3″ social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ]

    Farmers are always interested in what’s going on in farmland sales, for good reason. It’s a competitive realm: you’re not only competing with the people who farm around you, you’re competing with investors. There are doctors in my area who don’t farm, but they sure are interested in renting it out.
    Since it’s an eternally hot topic, I wanted to go over a three-part strategy to buying farmland that I believe can be very useful for anyone looking to make the best land purchase possible.

    1) Farm Strategy
    Your farm strategy is your business strategy. Farmers usually form their strategy alone—but that’s never the path of the wise.
    All good businesses have a board of directors.  You need to get at least four people involved anytime you’re thinking about a big equipment or a land purchase:

    1. Your banker or bankers, (hopefully, you have more than one.)

    2. Your accountant, (the person most familiar with your finances)

    3. Your tax advisor,

    4. Your estate planner, (It’s not always the best idea to purchase the farm yourself; you may want your son or daughter to purchase it with you.)

    Some of these may overlap; your tax advisor may be your accountant, and so on. The point remains: it’s always best to consult the people in all four of these roles before major purchases. They’ll keep you from going broke.
    But there is an even more important part of a farm strategy: knowing the purpose of the purchase. How does that piece of land fit into your operation?

    1a

    Let’s say, for example, that the quarter of land is contiguous with your own is for sale. You could probably pay a little more for it than most people because of how conveniently it will fit into your operation. It could be a matter of just knocking a fence down, leaving you with a full mile run for field operations. The longer you can drive without turning around, the more you can get done.
    Farm strategy is about evaluating how the land you’re considering is going to add value and synergy to your operation. If there isn’t a clear reason you should buy it, you shouldn’t. In fact, you should have multiple good reasons before you purchase.
    And again, your four advisors should all give their approval before you pull the trigger. This is classic “checks and balances.” You’re the President of your operation—but those advisors are your Congress or board of directors.

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]

    2) Income Projections
    You need to figure out what your income is going to be—which is tricky.
    A lot of farmers bought land back around 2012 thinking they’d make $800 an acre in income and pay off the land in 12.5 years, no problem. But that’s not the case anymore.
    Realistically, you need your income statement to project a land’s income over the last 10 years—the good, the bad, and the cringe-worthy.
    You should also take into account what land is renting for, but realize that even rental prices can be misleading.
    Likely, if you’re a good farmer who’s financially forced to rent, you’re not alone. Many others will be renting too, driving down the price of rent. The price you thought you’d get renting your land may not be very good.
    1a

    So when doing an income projection, you can’t just base your forecast off the “golden years.” Remember that farming is cyclical: golden years are surrounded by a lot of mediocre and hair-graying years.
    Your advisors will help you with this, too. Your tax person in particular will know your farm’s income for the last 10 years. Lean on that estimate.

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”TRY CASHCOW FARMER FREE FOR 30 DAYS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]3) Pricing & Financing Strategy
    What should I pay for a piece of land? What can I afford to pay?
    These questions are really at the center of buying farmland, aren’t they? Yet, there’s no simple formula for answering them. So what should you do?
    For starters, talk to your advisors; it should be clear by now that they are essential to every part of your buying strategy.
    Beyond that, you need to look at your cash flow and balance sheet. The balance sheet will tell you how much cash you have and if you can pay for a given property.
    Keep in mind that paying in cash is never a good idea for farmland; cash is worth more than the land, and it always will be. Cash is always king.
    If you buy land for a million dollars in cash, you just lost a quarter of a million dollars. Yes, that land will appreciate, but it’s only valued at 70% of the market value, as far as your net worth goes.
    1a

    You take a big hit when you buy an illiquid asset; liquidity gives assets huge value. Cash probably has 1.5 times its borrowing value. One million dollars in cash translates to a one and a half million dollar loan.
    But if you have one million dollars in farmland, the bank might lend you $600,000-700,000. That’s it.
    Pricing and financing strategy go hand in hand.

    A note on interest rates
    Interest rates are an important part of the price of land. If you’re buying a lot of land and you don’t have a fixed interest rate, a rising interest rate can balloon your payments in the future.
    Looking at your financing strategy, let’s say your interest rate is at 4.25% for 20 years. You purchase land for $1,000,000.
    Payment will be around $75,000. You have to plan to pay that every year when you’re forecasting. You have to show that your profit will far exceed that payment in order to buy that piece of land. That’s how you figure out what you can afford to pay.
    Again, don’t use your cash; you’re going to need it if interest rates go up and you have to pay off loans overnight. The cash is a safety net for the unexpected.

    Conclusion
    Every farmer’s situation is personal. Some work with multiple operators, and others run the whole enterprise alone. Some are exclusively renting, while others own a fair amount of land. There are dozens of variables involved.
    But if you follow our advice and consider these three main factors—farm strategy, income projections, and financing strategy—you can go into an auction sale with your top price in mind and your confidence running high.
    Add the blessing of your four advisors, and you’ll be about as safe as a farmer can be buying farmland. Notice the wordadvisors popping up and in blue a lot???  That was intentional…
    Do you already own land that won’t seem to yield a profit? Learn how to make every field profitable here.

    Please leave a comment of some helpful things you have experienced in purchasing land.[/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]DON’T LET THE MARKETS WIN…SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SESSION TODAY![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

    SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SESSION TODAY!

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  • How to Save $50,000+ in Annual Farming Expenses

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It took me a really long time to figure out how to streamline the financial efficiencies on our farming operation.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]1a

    It took me a really long time to figure out how to streamline the financial efficiencies on our farming operation.
    But here’s the amazing thing about the world today: I can take lessons I’ve learned over most of my life, package them into a blog post or a podcast episode, and deliver them to you free of charge.
    The lesson in this case is how to save a lot of money in annual farming expenses. To help you trust that I’m qualified to teach the lesson, you need to know how I came to learn it.

    My Story…
    I was born and raised in South Dakota, in a small farm town of 99 people. My father was a farmer, as was my grandfather before him; so I’ve been riding in tractors and inhaling the sweet, yeasty smell of corn since I was a kid.
    About 30 years ago, my dad invented some farm equipment; he called it the Anderson Opener. It allowed farmers to put their small grains and fertilizer down in one pass. It was technology that really helped farmers, and it inspired me early on to develop something equally helpful some day.
    I went to college at the University of Nebraska, where I became interested in finance. I had stars in my eyes over the stock market, publicly traded investments, and the way the captains of industry in the late 1800s and early 1900s made fortunes investing in stocks and speculating in futures and exchanges.

    1a

    When Warren Buffett and Bill Gates came to my university for a Q&A, it was a tipping point for me. If a guy like Warren Buffet from Omaha could make it on Wall Street, so could Scott Anderson from Andover, South Dakota.
    After college, I was fortunate enough to have contacts who connected me to a job in New York—on Wall Street no less, working in investment banking. During that time, I continued to expand my finance education. I took a CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) level one exam and went to Switzerland for a month to study finance at the Swiss Finance Academy.
    I learned enough to totally change the lens through which I saw farming when I returned to South Dakota a few years later. Farming, and really all commodities at that time, were on their way to record highs.  Anyone could make money farming. Unfortunately the music had to stop and the tide went out revealing those who were swimming without bathing suits. But my fortunate string of financial education had prepared me to weather the new challenge.[/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”TRY CASHCOW FARMER FREE FOR 30 DAYS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]

    The Creation of Cash Cow Farmer
    Back in South Dakota, I took over the farm operation and started to figure out the most efficient way to grow crops in our area. Most importantly, I wanted to determine precise production costs. Each field has a different productive capacity, and I wanted to know the cost of every bushel of corn and every soybean in our farm’s inventory.
    On Wall Street, I had used spreadsheets to model out corporate finance such as mergers and acquisitions; I could analyze what a company looked like at the time and how their efficiencies would change if they merged with a given company.
    So I used that experience to build spreadsheets for the farm. I would first build a budget and then record our actual production costs, and I discovered some very valuable information.
    We’d been renting 600 acres for 25 years from a certain woman. She had just increased our rent, and I realized that the fields were not in ideal locations and didn’t fit our operation well. My spreadsheet told me we were paying $150 an acre in rent, but only making $10-20 an acre.

    1a

    We cut those 600 acres, which is unthinkable for many farmers. But for me it was economical. Yes, our operation will be 600 acres smaller, but we were losing money in those fields, so retaining them wasn’t worth it.
    By the fall of 2014, the value of corn and soybeans had dropped by 30%. Everybody was losing money on their books. People were nervous, locally and around the world. So I thought I should share my spreadsheet, because one of the most comforting things for a farmer (or any business owner) is knowing exactly where you are financially.
    But for many people, the spreadsheet was too complex to be practical. It was 27 pages long and had to account foreverything. It was intimidating. I wished I could hide all the calculations so that a farmer could simply input what they paid (from their receipts) and applied (from their maps and controllers.)
    It was time to upgrade the spreadsheets.
    Around this time I went to Startup Weekend, a startup entrepreneurial event. The concept is that you pitch an idea for a business. If it’s selected by the audience, you can build a team, build your minimum product by Sunday, and present it in front of a panel of judges who are successful entrepreneurs.
    I pitched Cash Cow Farmer on Friday night. Out of 30-40 ideas, twelve were picked, including Cash Cow.
    I picked my team of 6 people, and we built a prototype and presented it. It was a hit, and we launched in December of 2014. The software is based in the cloud, accessed from a phone, tablet, or computer. We’ve found that when we present the idea to farmers, they realize it’s exactly what they need.

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]1a

    My own farming has benefited tremendously from Cash Cow, especially as I prepared for 2015. I knew how much my operation had spent in 2014, and I used that data in Cash Cow to determine what I could afford to pay in 2015. I could present that information to the people I wanted to buy from and work out the best deals for our farm.
    Our billing procedures were also transformed by Cash Cow. In day-to-day billing, so much activity gets written down, shuffled around, and misbilled all the time.
    If, say, I get billed for $22 for Roundup when I’ve pre-payed $19, I can pull up my price sheet on Cash Cow and locate exactly what I negotiated for the product. So much money would slip through the cracks without the Cash Cow software to reference.
    It helped me again when we had a recent spike in commodity prices for corn and soybeans. I knew it would cost me $2.95 cents to grow a bushel of corn, and the cash price to sell it came out to about $3.60. I determined that I might as well sell; the profit margin took all the emotion out of the decision.
    Farmers try to call the top of the market, but that’s a dangerous game to play. Not many people can call the top, but you never go out of business selling at a profit.

    1a

    How to save $50,000+
    Now to deliver on the promise of the title: how can you save $50,000+ in annual farming expenses?
    The answer is simple and probably obvious by now: By using Cash Cow Farmer!
    And the sweetest part of the deal is that little plus you see after the number. Our farm saved at least $50,000 just by calling out billing mistakes. Since that’s only one small part of what Cash Cow does, you could potentially save hundreds of thousands of dollars or more after applying it across your operation.

    Conclusion
    Farming is the toughest job in the world, in my opinion. During the majority of the year, it’s the riskiest and one of the most labor intensive jobs in existence.
    Last weekend, we had a hail storm that wiped out several crops. Another time, we had both a drought warning and a flood warning in the span of a single week.
    Farming is really hard, but Cash Cow makes it easier. Most farmers aren’t fortunate enough to have the financial training that I have, which is why I’ve taken that training and created a tool for the everyday farmer.
    You can try a free trial of Cash Cow Farmer for 30 days. I guarantee that if you do, you’ll be able to see how the software can save you piles of cash and utterly transform the efficiency of your farming operation.

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]DON’T LET THE MARKETS WIN…SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SESSION TODAY![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

    SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SESSION TODAY!

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  • Farm Finance: Repair Regulations & Depreciation on Your Farm Assets

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Whether you’re a farmer, a banker, or a hot dog salesman, cash is always king.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]1a

    Whether you’re a farmer, a banker, or a hot dog salesman, cash is always king.
    But farmers have their own unique challenges when it comes to maintaining the best cash position. When farmers purchase or improve assets, it’s not always apparent whether they should buy with cash or finance those items.
    So how do you make the decision between using cash and financing to buy an item?
    It depends on what the expense does to the asset. Let me explain: 

    Expenses vs. Capitalization
    The main factor in the decision between paying cash and financing is how it’s deducted from your income.
    Past tax laws were kind to farmers. Under Section 179 accelerated depreciation allowance, farmers could deduct up to $500,000 of expenses per year.
    These terms expired last year, and under the 2015 version of Section 179, farmers can only deduct $25,000 per year at an accelerated pace. While this is certainly a game changer, and limits what farmers can buy and deduct, the principle for how to buy items remains:

    If you have to capitalize the expense, you’re better off financing it.
    Let’s say you spend $50,000 on precision planting machinery for your planter. The planter worked all right before, but this new technology will make your planting more precise and improve your yield.
    This expense can’t be deducted, since it’s an asset improvement. If you get audited, the IRS will say it needs to be capitalized.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]This is another text box. Paste your written content here or delete this section by hovering over it and clicking the trashcan icon. No formatting necessary.[/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]1a

    In this case, it’s better to finance the technology, especially with current interest rates where they are. You’ll have a liability on your balance sheet, but your cash position will remain strong. And remember, interest is 100% deductible.
    If you spend $50,000 in cash, your balance sheet will reflect improved assets of $50,000, but the bank might calculate that value at $25,000 because of mark-to-market accounting laws. As with driving a new car off the lot, your technology immediately depreciates. So in this case your net worth would be lowered by paying cash instead of financing.
    Your cash is worth more than that asset. Cash is more liquid. Cash has the highest value on your balance sheet, so you want to keep your cash position strong by financing the item that can’t be entirely depreciated or expensed.
    But in another scenario, let’s say your combine breaks down and won’t run, and $10,000 later it’s fixed. That’s a repair expense. Not all repair expenses can be deducted in the same year as the repair, but a repair that brings your machinery from a non-working to a working condition—as in this case—can be deducted 100%.
    That’s exactly the type of purchase for which it’s better to use cash, or an operating line of credit. This expense will decrease your income tax liability.

    1a

    To be sure, this stuff is tricky because it doesn’t always make sense. Taxes are a big expense, but If you’re paying a lot of taxes, find out why. If you had a profitable year, you’re going to pay taxes—so be it.
    But don’t buy $500,000 worth of machinery to save yourself $100,000 in tax liability. That’s not good for your net worth: it decreases it.
    Another thing to take into account as you acquire an asset is the item’s depreciation schedule.

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    Depreciation Schedules
    There are many lengths of depreciation schedules, depending on what the purchased item is.
    A land improvement, for example, has to be depreciated over 15-20 years. Let’s say you put drain tile on your farms. That expense can’t be deducted that year; it has to be depreciated over 15-20 years, legally.
    You can try to depreciate it, but if you get audited, the IRS will charge you taxes, fees, and interest. And because of high interest rates, you can expect to pay 2-3 times what you would have originally paid if you’d done everything properly.
    If you want to know more about the depreciation schedules, google the Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System. MACRS is the current tax reference used in the U.S. to depreciate capitalized costs of tangible property.
    But the #1 rule for farmers is to get a good accountant who can reference the system for you.

    1a

    Take a look at the chart for a 7-year MACRS. It’s complicated, down to the hundredth decimal percentage place, which is why the accountant is so important. That savings you think you got can come back and cost you a lot of money.
    There are a lot of farmers who go to a land auction and buy land from a farmer who’s retiring or has financial problems, only to realize the IRS has a lien against the land because that farmer owes so much in back taxes.
    When farmers get caught up trying to minimize income tax, they run the risk of using up their cash position. And, if they don’t do their taxes correctly, it can cost them huge fees from the IRS later.
    The moral of the story? A good accountant is absolutely worth it. 

    Two Extra Tips
    1) Pay your taxes– You’re better off paying your taxes and hoarding your cash. You don’t want to burn cash to pay down debt. Debt is actually a pretty useful tool for offsetting income down the road.
    2) Talk to your banker– Bankers know what you can get for credit; lean on them for information as you purchase items.

    Conclusion
    Established farmers may already have land and machines paid off. But young farmers—ones who have farmed 15 years or less—will really need to focus on making good decisions about financing vs. cash, and being aware of depreciation schedules.
    Whatever your age or experience, you have to understand your cash position. And you shouldn’t just have cash sitting in the bank either. You want your cash working for you, whether through stocks or some other investment suggested by a money manager.
    For further help: EideBailley has developed a useful flowchart on how to treat expenditures related to tangible property. Follow it step-by-step to learn whether expensing or capitalizing an item will give you the best cash position.

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”MAXIMIZE PROFITS WITH CASHCOW FARMER!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]POWERFUL FARM FINANCIAL SOFTWARE THAT IS AFFORDABLE & EASY TO USE![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE 30 DAY TRIAL” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

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  • Planting Season Is Over: 3 Ways To Use the Data You Just Collected

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    Planting is the most important part of the farming process.

    [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]1a

    Planting is the most important part of the farming process.
    And with the passing of June 10, planting season is now over for much of the Corn Belt. It was a brutal time, battling Mother Nature. In my area, we even went from drought warnings to flood warnings in a week’s time.
    All that pushing—it’s temporarily over. But now you’re looking back to figure out what just happened. Which seeds did you plant where? How do you make sense of it all?
    You have a heap of data from planting season: from your tractor, field notes, and so on.
    But most farmers only use that data to track the plant date and planted acres of each field. You might not know that what you do with your data makes a tremendous impact on your entire operation.
    Follow the three steps below and turn your planting data into valuable insights that will make you more efficient (and profitable) during your next planting season.

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]

    1) Measure Your Efficiencies
    How many acres did you plant every day, on average? What was the most (and the least) you achieved in a day?
    When you look at these metrics, you can start to identify what caused your low-production days.
    For example: On a day that you only planted 200 acres (when your average is 500 acres), it might have been because you were scrambling around for seeds or parts you didn’t have on hand. If that’s the case, then you weren’t adequately prepared for planting season.
    So when the next planting season rolls around, you’ve made a mental note to stock up on the resources that you scrambled for last season. Without measuring your data, you’d never know to make this adjustment for the next season.
    People may think it’s a waste to go back through all their data from planting season and draw conclusions. But in this day and age, the “Wal-Mart” farmers, meaning the low-cost farmers, are the ones that survive.
    Think about it: Wal-Mart moves into town and drives down all the prices, putting local stores out of business. It’s the same in farming: the farmers who track and measure everything produce at a lower cost than old-fashioned farmers who don’t.
    Measure your efficiencies, and you won’t have to worry about getting shoved out of the way.

    Production costs = time it takes to farm the field + used inputs

    1a

    2) Record Your Actual Planting Production Cost
    If you’re like me, you have an estimate of what you’re going to plant on every field.
    But estimates only go so far. Your actual production costs will help you make key decisions.

    1: Time it takes to farm the field
    When it comes to time spent, the size of a field means very little; the shape is much more important.
    To measure efficiency, look at your planting coverage map. Are you planting in a perfect square or does your field look like swiss cheese because of all the wet spots?
    It’s like mowing the lawn: when you’ve got a bunch of trees in your yard, you have to put a headland around each tree which can take a lot of extra time to mow. Productivity is extremely important!
    After looking at your data, if you see that one field took an entire day to farm…you may be better off custom hiring someone to farm it. They’re going to charge you by the acre, not by time.
    If hiring someone isn’t an option, then find another source of production: if you rent it, stop renting. If you own it, make it a pasture or square it with CRP.

    2: Used inputs
    If that field that looks like swiss cheese, there’s a good chance you’re planting seed on ground that you’ve already planted. You’re putting valuable inputs on top of other seed, and it’s a major inefficiency.
    But there’s a solution: invest in sectional control.
    Technology like Precision Planting’s RowFlow will map the ground you’ve already planted. RowFlow keeps your tractor from spreading inputs on ground that’s already been planted, ultimately saving you a lot of money on seed and fertilizer.
    Put #1 and #2 together, and you’ll have your actual production cost.
    Cash Cow Farmer makes it easy to input your planting data. The tool allows you to easily see the entire season’s production costs (down to the penny) at a glance on each individual field, each crop and the whole farm.

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”TRY CASHCOW FARMER FREE FOR 30 DAYS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]

    3) Determine Your Harvest Plan
    Every seed has a maturity date. There are long-season and short-season corn varieties. Since they’re so different, you can’t harvest them effectively without a plan.
    Most farmers will plant 3-6 varieties. So it’s important that they harvest the shorter date corn first.
    Let’s look at the farmer who hires out his labor. If his workers don’t know the seeds’ maturity dates, they may harvest one crop that’s ready and move on to another that isn’t. All the while, they may miss another crop that’s now over-dry because it passed maturity.
    Farmers need to explain the harvest plan to every worker; and to explain a harvest plan, you have to have one. (Click to Tweet)
    Cash Cow stores data for the farmer, so the farmer can see what seeds they planted on every field and when. With this data at your fingertips, you can easily create a harvest plan.

    Conclusion
    Planting season is like taking the SAT standardized test. It’s tempting to pay all your attention to the grade, but if you don’t look at the questions you got wrong, how will you improve?
    Take time to measure your efficiency, and adjust your operation accordingly. We love Benjamin Franklin’s quote: “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.” (Click to Tweet)
    You invested a lot of your time during planting season, so why not learn from it?
    Start your free trial of Cash Cow Farmer today, and start using your planting data to make your farming operation more efficient.

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]DON’T LET THE MARKETS WIN…SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SESSION TODAY![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

    SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SESSION TODAY!

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  • S.D. farmboy – turned investment banker – creates farm management program

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    S.D. farmboy turned investment banker creates farm management program

    [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Original Article By Tracy Frank

    1aAfter growing up on a South Dakota farm, Scott Anderson became a Wall Street investment banker.
    But when his dad retired, he moved back to the family farm near Andover and brought some of his Wall Street wisdom with him.1a
    He created a spreadsheet to help manage the fields and calculate his costs to grow each bushel, field by field. When he tried sharing his spreadsheet with other farmers, however, he found it was too complex.
    “There were so many formulas and algorithms that it was unusable by anybody but me,” he said.
    Still, he knew there was something valuable in what he had done, so in September he pitched his project at a startup event in Minneapolis for technology entrepreneurs.
    His was one of 12 projects chosen out of 40 presenters for further development. He met with a team of developers and salespeople, and they created the management and marketing program, CashCow Farmer, which they released in December.
    “It’s been going really well,” Anderson said. “Farmers are really interested in signing up, mainly because the pressure on margins this year is really bad.”
    Bankers also like the program, he said, because it’s a true financial statement for farms.

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”TRY CASHCOW FARMER FREE FOR 30 DAYS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]”Farmers don’t always sell within that calendar year, so their income is always fluctuating greatly based on when they sell,” he said. “This tells the banker and the farmer what they can expect to make on that crop.”
    Anderson was in Fargo recently to talk about CashCow Farmer at a Progressive Ag marketing seminar.
    1a “Farming is so  capital-intensive,  we’ve got to be real  savvy to make it  work,” he said.
    The program, he  said, is user-  friendly and allows  farmers to manage  each field like a  separate business by measuring what it costs to produce a bushel of grain on  each field. It helps them understand which fields are making money and  which are not so they can make informed farm management decisions, he said.
    “It simplifies the process so the farmer just has to think about those things that change in his production,” Anderson said. “If the yield changes, how is that going to change my income? If I don’t do a certain application of fertilizer or if I buy a certain chemical at this price, how is that going to change my income?”
    The farmers he talks to, he said, typically use Excel spreadsheets or pencils and paper.[/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]Nate Yourchuck of Minneapolis, the program’s main developer and chief technology officer, said most people appreciate the program’s simplicity.
    1a“It’s very easy to enter in the numbers and it steps them through a process of building on a price sheet, seeing how much money they paid for fertilizer, how much they paid for seeds,” he said. “Then they enter in their fields, how big each field is, how many seeds they’re planting in each field, how much fertilizer they’re applying, and the program does all the calculations for you to tell you how much money you’re going to make on each field.”
    CashCow farmer costs $750 to $1,500 a year, and can be purchased through Progressive Ag or at https://cashcowfarmer.com.
    “In farming and in any sort of business, luck favors the prepared, those people who are most prepared to take advantage of opportunities when they come,” Anderson said.[/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”MAXIMIZE PROFITS WITH CASHCOW FARMER!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]POWERFUL FARM FINANCIAL SOFTWARE THAT IS AFFORDABLE & EASY TO USE![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE 30 DAY TRIAL” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

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  • Farm Software: 5 Tools Every Farmer Should Be Using

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]When I first started farming, my dad told me: “You have to know what every field costs to produce that crop”.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

    My experience working on Wall Street taught me that to measure profits, I needed to keep good records—I needed some kind of personal farm software.
    I found that most farmers use pencil and paper for record-keeping, and often the hassle of digging through the mess isn’t even worth the attempt. So I started using spreadsheets. Soon, I was using those spreadsheets for almost every decision on the farm.
    Since then, I’ve found some incredible farm software that puts simple spreadsheets to shame. Farming precision has never been more achievable.
    Here’s the must-have farm software that helps us grow profitability on our farm. I know these tools can work for you too…

    1a

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”TRY CASHCOW FARMER FREE FOR 30 DAYS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]

    1) Cash Cow Farmer
    What does it do? It measures the cost of your production, helps you manage each field separately, and reveals which sites are actually making (or losing) money. It also lets you manage your marketing contracts and track your profit on each field.
    Spreadsheets are cumbersome; Cash Cow Farmer simplifies the financial side of farming and ensures an efficient operation.
    Cash Cow Farmer gives you the most return on your time invested. If your goal is to make money, this is the most important farm software you’ll use.

    2) Quickbooks
    Quickbooks is easily the next most important software for maximizing your money. You can pay all your bills, and you can categorize every expense right as it happens. You’re also able to compare how you did this year with past years.

    3) Ag PhD Mobile Apps
    Ag PhD has developed a handful of mobile apps that the farmer can use while scouting fields.
    These are great for preemptive scouting: identifying problematic weeds, nitrogen checks, etc. You can also see how many plants are actually growing and forecast your potential yield.
    And the apps are very easy to use. User-friendly and free is always a welcome combination.

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]

    4) Climate Corp
    Climate Corp is a very handy farm software. There are two versions—basic and pro—but the basic alone is considerably helpful.
    You can determine what your field soil moistures are and predict the weather over your fields. You put the field into their website or app by the county legal descriptions, and you’re ready to handle whatever weather may come.
    This is especially useful if you have fields that are dozens of miles apart. Weather, as you know, can change drastically from one mile to the next.

    5) Growers Edge
    Growers Edge has great weather data too, though it’s not field-specific. The main draw here is its help with commodity prices.
    It will aggregate local prices and email them to you. The farmer can go to one location and have all prices worked out in front of him.
    The farmer then has access to a great source of competitive buyers, allowing him to make the most sound business decision.

    Conclusion
    The bottom line for a farmer is the cash he takes home. Farmers love making an impact on the world, but it’s nerve-racking work. The business side is vital.
    Farm software automates a lot of the work, giving farmers time to be in the field. It makes the operation more profitable, so the work can continue and expand.
    What software are you using to help increase profits on your farm? Leave a comment below and let us know!

    Some other useful reads are:

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”MAXIMIZE PROFITS WITH CASHCOW FARMER!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]POWERFUL FARM FINANCIAL SOFTWARE THAT IS AFFORDABLE & EASY TO USE![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE 30 DAY TRIAL” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

    NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED. START TODAY!

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”10″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”10″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”15″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]DON’T LET THE MARKETS WIN…SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SESSION TODAY![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

    SCHEDULE YOUR FREE SESSION TODAY!

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”10″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”10″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”15″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • 7 Proven Strategies to Overcome Low Commodity Prices

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]I don’t need to tell you that farms are under a lot of financial pressure right now…[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

    I don’t need to tell you that farms are under a lot of financial pressure right now…
    You’re well aware that there’s a huge supply of grain and a great harvest worldwide, and because of that…commodity prices are low. Real low.
    But there’s hope…
    There are ways to lean up your farming, and we’re about to show you how. We’ve compiled a list of seven proven strategies to help you come out on top, even when commodity prices are low.
    At the very least, it’ll make your banker happy  🙂

    [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]cash1[/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]

    1) Preserve Working Capital:
    Current assets minus current liabilities—that formula equals your working capital. It’s the most important figure that bankers use to know if a farmer will be able to cash flow their operation.
    Debt on the books is a liability. Your cash today, not including your equipment, is an asset.
    The idea is to put yourself in a good position, that is, on top of a fluffy financial cushion.

    2) Reduce capital expenditures:
    This includes any new machinery purchases or other shiny things.
    There are really good deals out there. But the farmer needs to ignore those deals unless the cost of restoring the old is greater than buying the new.

    3) Pay your taxes:
    Farmers like to offset tax liability by capital expenditures and prepaying inputs.
    You might get next year’s fertilizer now, but that means next year you won’t have any expenses, and you can say hello to a ton of tax liability.
    When you have income, pay the tax bill. It’s worth it in the long run, and you’ll protect yourself against the tag-team of taxes and low commodity prices.[/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”TRY CASHCOW FARMER FREE FOR 30 DAYS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]

    4) Restructure debt with longer-term loans:
    Currently, there are lots of short-term loans available, but they are at a variable rate and they come with large annual payments which will put pressure on cash flow.
    You can extend your payment plan on machinery. This decreases each year’s payments, leading to the most important thing during a low-priced commodity storm: increased cash flow.

    5) Lock in interest rates on debt, and restructure if possible:
    It’s a low interest rate environment right now. So your task is simple: take advantage of low long-term interest rates by locking them in for good.
    This might take you an afternoon of phone calls, but believe me…it will be well worth it.

    6) Reduce family living expenses:
    Family living expenses for farms have skyrocketed based on high commodity prices from years past. Beach trips, snowmobiles, and new trucks are great, but too much high-expense living is devastating for the farm.
    So hold off on large family purchases for now.
    As Dave Ramsey says: “Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.” (Click to Tweet)

    7) Understand your farm break-evens, and make sure every field is profitable:
    This is where Cash Cow Farmer becomes your best friend. You’ll need to know your production costs on every field: how many acres to produce soybeans as opposed to wheat or corn, and so on.
    Also, remember that farmers don’t sell acres: they sell bushels. So you need to know your break-even cost per bushel, which is exactly what Cash Cow is made to help you do.
    You can even input your family expenses, literally tracking the financial state of your entire farm.

    You can get through it
    For the short-term, the golden years in farming are over. Commodity prices are not in our favor. We need to focus on the business side of farming and make sure we’re going to make money, or at least not lose it.
    At the end of the day, the lean farmer wins. And, as Mr. 100-Dollar Bill himself said, “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” (Click to Tweet)
    Are you struggling to gain financial momentum during the tough pricing season? Sign up for a 30-day free trial for Cash Cow Farmer today and let us help you make it out.

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”MAXIMIZE PROFITS WITH CASHCOW FARMER!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]POWERFUL FARM FINANCIAL SOFTWARE THAT IS AFFORDABLE & EASY TO USE![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE 30 DAY TRIAL” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

    NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED. START TODAY!

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”10″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”10″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”15″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • How To Make Your 10 Year Old A Multi-Millionaire by 40 and a Multi-Billionaire by 70

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As parents, we are role models for our children and one of the most important lessons we can teach our kids is the value of saving and the art of compounding interest. Whether you’re a farmer like me, doctor, single parent or anything else; I want to share the following conversation I had with my son about this extremely important lesson.

    Stanley Steam Car At Rollag MN

    The other day I was explaining to my 10 year old son about saving his money and the art of compounding.  I told him that if he could make $100 per week he should save half of that money and invest it.  He was not excited about this, of course, but his eyes lit up when I showed him how this $50 per week sacrifice could make him a Multi-Millionaire by the time he was 40 and a Multi-Billionaire by 70.

    Our conversation went a little like this:

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]Dad: Son, you like playing Call of Duty and your computer right?

    Son: Yeah

    Dad: Well, Activision (ATVI) which makes those epic games; and Intel (INTC) which makes the processor for your computer are public companies, which means anyone can purchase shares and own a little piece of those companies,  They even pay dividends which is part of the profit they make when you and your buddies buy games and new computers.

    Son: Really?

    Dad: Yeah, so if you help uncle Nick at the restaurant and me on the farm, you could make around $100 bucks per week. Then you can set aside half of that and buy shares of those companies.

    Son: Or I could buy the new Call of Duty game and a new mouse for my computer…

    Dad: How much do you think that $50 per week will be worth by the time you’re 40?

    Son: I don’t know, a hundred thousand dollars…

    Dad:  Well, there are 52 weeks in a year and you’re 30 years from being 40. Fifty dollars each week for 40 years for 1,560 payments.

    Son: That’s not even a hundred thousand dollars when you take 1,560 multiplied by $50.  That’s not much for saving for 30, years dad.  I still think I should buy the new game.

    Dad: Well we haven’t figured the interest and how it compounds over time. Let’s say those companies will grow your money by 10% per year on average which would include the dividends. You can leverage that by two with most brokerage accounts which will bring your annual return to 20%. Let me get the financial calculator and plug it in.

    • Interest = 20% per year or .3846% per week. We are working in weekly payments so we will use the weekly interest rate
    • Periods = 1,560 since there are 52 x 30 periods
    • Payment = $50 each period which is weekly
    • Present Value = 0 since we are starting with the first payment next week

    What do you think the future value is with the interest???

    Son: I don’t know, two hundred thousand?[/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”TRY CASHCOW FARMER FREE FOR 30 DAYS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]Dad: $5,171,560.73 Yeah, that’s well over 5 million dollars.

    Son: NO WAY!!!  That’s not possible!

    Dad: Yes it is son. That’s the art of compounding.

    Son: That’s Crazy! I’d be RICH!!!

    Dad: Yeah! Do you want to save $50 bucks a week now?

    Son: What if I saved $75???

    Dad: That would be almost 8 million at $7,757,341.09; and if you held it until you turn 50 it would be worth $57,223,988.93 over 57 million!

    Son: WHAT???

    Dad: If you invested $75 per week, at 70 years old your investment would be worth over 3 billion dollars.

    Son: What! How is that possible? That’s so much money! I’ll start saving now!

    Dad: Good plan son!

    The art of compounding is a beautiful thing, especially when a great deal of time is given to let it build.  Teaching our children about saving and financial discipline is one of the most important lessons we can pass down to them.  Imagine how much savings could be earned if the weekly payment was increased as the earning potential grows…  Check out Cash Cow Farmer and see how you can increase your profits and start building your billion dollar nest egg…[/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”MAXIMIZE PROFITS WITH CASHCOW FARMER!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]POWERFUL FARM FINANCIAL SOFTWARE THAT IS AFFORDABLE & EASY TO USE![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE 30 DAY TRIAL” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

    NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED. START TODAY!

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”10″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”10″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”15″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • How to Determine if Commodity Prices are too Low to Market Grain

    How to Determine if Commodity Prices are too Low to Market Grain

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Knowing whether or not the present commodity prices are too low for your farming operation is key to avoiding grain marketing mistakes.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]How low can you go?

    Knowing whether or not the present commodity prices are too low for your farming operation is key to avoiding grain marketing mistakes.

    The first question you need to answer is: What Are My Production Costs? 

    With variable rate seed and fertilizer programs as well as ever changing farm programs; these production costs can change greatly from field to field.  Some fields may cost $50 per acre for fertilizer while others cost $150 greatly altering the breakeven price for that field.  Fertilizing and planting technologies have made the production costs vary greatly from field to field.  Tilled vs no-till fields will also greatly change the breakeven commodity price on your farming operation.  Do you know what that tillage pass is costing you in fuel, labor, depreciation, maintenance, etc.?  It won’t be the same as another field that doesn’t require tillage.

     

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”TRY CASHCOW FARMER FREE FOR 30 DAYS” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]The formula is simple right?

    Production costs = (planted acres * (planted population / 80,000 x cost per unit of seed)) +  (planted acres x (average pounds of fertilizer per acre for each type / 2,000 x cost per ton of each fertilizer)) + (planted acres x (average chemical ounces per acre for each chemical type x price per ounce)) + (planted acres x average overhead costs per acre) + (planted acres x all the other stuff broken down per acres x the price of that other stuff) 

    This needs to be done on every field on the farm to make the big grain marketing decision.  Each field has to validate is production costs in order to stay in production.

    Clearly this can become very complicated and confusing.  That’s why we created  Cash Cow Farmer where all these complicated formulas and conversions are done in the backend of the website and your productions costs are easily calculated for you.

    Here are some other resources for farmers to get production costs:

    [/vc_column_text][ult_buttons btn_title=”SCHEDULE A FREE GRAIN MARKETING STRATEGY SESSION” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2Fmarketing-strategy||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-small” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][vc_column_text]    What if commodity prices are below my costs of production?

    • #1 Rule of Marketing: Don’t sell below the cost of production!
    • Be patient
    • Decrease costs by knowing which fields raise your average cost of production
    • Make a marketing plan
    • See a consultant
    • Utilize tools such as Cash Cow Farmer to improve your marketing decisions and manage your farming operation efficiently

     

    grain marketing, farm management software

    In Summary:

    The best and most profitable farmers manage their farming operation like Warren Buffett manages his investments.  Each field is looked over carefully to determine what the best plan of action to take on that field will be.  Occasionally there are a few losses but the majority of losses can be avoided when taking the time to analyze your operation like Buffett.[/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”40″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”40″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”30″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”20″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row dfd_row_config=”full_width_content” dfd_row_parallax=”off” dfd_row_responsive_enable=”off” dfd_enable_overlay=”off” css=”.vc_custom_1470889834038{background-color: #2d2d2d !important;}”][vc_column width=”3/4″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][ultimate_heading heading_type=”customizable” heading_tag=”h3″ heading_content=”MAXIMIZE PROFITS WITH CASHCOW FARMER!” main_heading_default_weight=”400″ main_heading_color=”#ffffff” subheading_type=”customizable” subheading_tag=”h5″ sub_heading_default_weight=”400″]POWERFUL FARM FINANCIAL SOFTWARE THAT IS AFFORDABLE & EASY TO USE![/ultimate_heading][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”25″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”25″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”15″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″ column_responsive_mobile_classes=”dfd-remove-right-padding” column_responsive_mobile_resolutions=”dfd-apply-mobile” css=”.vc_custom_1470810100672{padding-right: 2% !important;}”][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”0″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”0″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”0″][bt_animation animation_type=”_flipX” duration=”2″ repeat=”2″ allow_margins=”yes” scroll_offset=”5px” no_hide=”yes”][ult_buttons btn_title=” FREE 30 DAY TRIAL” btn_link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fcashcowfarmer.clickfunnels.com%2F30daytrial||target:%20_blank” btn_align=”ubtn-center” btn_size=”ubtn-large” btn_title_color=”#ffffff” btn_bg_color=”#00ab61″ btn_hover=”ubtn-fade-bg” btn_bg_color_hover=”#ffffff” btn_title_color_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_icon_pos=”ubtn-sep-icon-at-left” btn_border_style=”solid” btn_color_border=”#ffffff” btn_color_border_hover=”#00ab61″ btn_border_size=”2″ btn_font_size=”18″][/bt_animation][vc_column_text]

    NO CREDIT CARD REQUIRED. START TODAY!

    [/vc_column_text][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”10″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”10″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][dfd_spacer screen_wide_resolution=”1280″ screen_wide_spacer_size=”15″ screen_normal_resolution=”1024″ screen_tablet_resolution=”800″ screen_mobile_resolution=”480″ screen_normal_spacer_size=”15″ screen_tablet_spacer_size=”10″ screen_mobile_spacer_size=”10″][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • 5 Key Steps To Run Your Farm Like A Fortune 500 Company

    5 Key Steps To Run Your Farm Like A Fortune 500 Company

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][smart_track_player url=”http://traffic.libsyn.com/cashcowfarmer/5_Key_Steps_To_Run_Your_Farm_Like_A_Fortune_500_Company_Master.mp3″ title=”38: 5 Key Steps To Run Your Farm Like A Fortune 500 Company” social=”true” social_twitter=”true” social_facebook=”true” social_gplus=”true” ][/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Something like 90% of businesses fail within the first two years.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text] The main reasons? Structure, strategy, and accountability.
     When you’ve got millions of shareholders you have to report to (like Apple, for example), Wall Street analysts break down your company and try to out-predict you, and you’re on a whole other level of business. Most small businesses don’t have that same pressure to perform, though, which can be both good and bad.
     With my background on Wall Street, helping businesses raise money from investors, I’ve learned a lot of strategies that Fortune 500 companies use. In this post, we’re going to apply those to the common farm.
     You can take these five steps to whatever level you want, but they’re essential to maximizing your business. (more…)