Farm Budgets: Planning now for Profits

Mar 11, 2021

By Jon LaPorte

Every farm starts the year intending to be profitable. Farm managers carefully plan their production activities to reach yield goals and generate revenue for their businesses. But farm profitability isn’t just about what you make, but what you keep when the bills are paid.

How do the costs of your production activities impact your ability to keep the revenues you have earned? Do you know how profitable one production area or enterprise (i.e., corn, soybeans, wheat) is from another? Is the farm business as successful as similar farms in the industry?

On March 30, 2021, Michigan State University Extension educators will hold a webinar session to discuss how farm managers can use the latest industry data to answer these questions. Topics will include:

Finding the cost of production for your farm
Farm records - IRS taxes vs. production year
How to use industry benchmarks to improve your farm
Decision tools available from MSU Extension
Why paying attention to details is a MUST in this business

Whether you are just starting a farm or a seasoned farm manager, we hope you’ll join us to discuss farm budgets and plan for profits. One MDARD pesticide recertification (RUP) credit (Private or Commercial Core) and one continuing education credit (CEU) for Certified Crop Advisers will be available for those who attend the live event. Attendance is free, but registration is required at: https://www.canr.msu.edu/events/farm-budgets-planning-now-for-profits.

Source : msu.edu

Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.