Spring 2019 Course Syllabi

At the end of the financial year the farm/ranch will have completed an accurate set of farm/ranch business records, be prepared to use those records in completing a farm/ranch whole farm analysis and be developing the skills needed in using the information to make sound management decisions. Tentative Course Outline: A. Introduction to Farm and Ranch Business Management Education. B. Taking and recording accurate inventories. C. Record keeping systems. D. Importance of complete records. E. Record book closeout procedures. F. Farm/ranch business, family and personal goals. G. Farm/ranch business analysis interpretation—whole farm and enterprise. H. Benchmarking analysis with local and regional averages. I. Making management decisions using information provided by the business analysis. J. FSA Farm Program decisions K. Marketing Decisions General Education Goals/Objectives: Goal #3: Demonstrates the ability to convert, calculate, and analyze a variety of mathematical problems. Objective 2: Applies practical application of mathematics to everyday life. Skill 2: Defines and demonstrates the use of decimals, percentages, and fractions. Skill 4: Applies mathematical knowledge in personal life, such as keeping track of a checkbook, identifying rates of interest, etc. Objective 3: Employs problem solving and critical thinking skills in order to solve a variety of different problems. Skill 2: Analyzes materials to determine their validity. Skill 3: Draws conclusions from information collected. Relationship to Campus Theme: Farmers and ranchers enrolled in the Farm Management course continually deal with nature and technology while managing their farms. The major use of technology in teaching the course is in the use of computer programs for keeping business records and then using computer technology to analyze the farm/ranch businesses. The information gleaned from the records and analyses helps farmers/ranchers determine where their business is at presently and that information then helps the students determine what direction they should go with their business in the future. In applying these management decisions farmers and ranchers are continually struggling with the dynamics of what new technologies to use and how those technologies with effect the natural resources that they use continually in their business. Classroom Policies: Individualized instruction with satisfactory/unsatisfactory grading system. Academic Integrity: Students are strongly encouraged to be completely honest when supplying information to the instructor, to their lending institutions, and everyone they do business with. The instruments used to help the students with their management decisions include numerous accuracy checks that help the student and instructor find inaccuracies and correct them. Disabilities and Special Needs: If you have a disability for which you need accommodation, contact the Learning Center to request disability support services. Thatcher Hall 1104; phone (701) 228-5477 or toll-free 1-888-918-5623.