Farmers face difficult management decisions every day. These decisions directly affect the profitability and viability of their farming operation and are made from planting to harvest, and every step in-between. Iowa State University Extension has the resources and tools to help farmers make informed decisions when it comes to the economic management of their farm business.

Ag Decision Maker has been providing analysis and insight into many of the issues facing modern agriculture since 1996. Today more than 15,000 users receive monthly updates from ISU Extension faculty and farm management specialists through information sheets and decision tools.

These tools had over 1.2 million downloads in 2018, with more than 240 information files, decision tools, voiced media and teaching activity files either posted to or updated on the Ag Decision Maker website during that time.

“We pride ourselves in providing an educational resource for Iowans and for those who have a say in decisions made on Iowa farmland,” says Ann Johanns, program specialist in economics with ISU Extension and Outreach. “Ag Decision Maker is a unique product that is very easy to understand and it’s very easy to find the information to answer specific questions a person might have.”

Management specialists, programs
ISU Extension farm management specialists also provide programming throughout the year to help farmers improve the management of their operations. Twelve Pro-Ag Outlook and Management Seminars will be held across Iowa in November and December, providing information on grain price outlook and global factors to watch, livestock prices and margins and farmland operating margins, outlook and trends. A full list of dates, locations and times is available online.

Additional support is available to farmers through the Farm Financial Planning program, a farm analysis program available through ISU Extension. This confidential, free service provides: one-on-one financial counseling, a computerized analysis of the farm business and referral to other Extension programs or outside services that may be useful.

The Iowa Concern Hotline, which you can find out more about at Iowa Concern, is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day a week free hotline. It provides access to stress counselors and an attorney for legal education. Information and referral services for a wide variety of topics are also available.

Source: Iowa State University