October 6, 2003

Farm Business Management Course Provides Farmers and Ranchers With Needed Business Skills

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“I was pretty proud of my computer illiteracy,” said Bill Gale, an Idaho dairy farmer, one sunny September afternoon while waiting for a feed truck to arrive. “But I realized I needed to keep better track of the business.” So three years ago when Gale’s wife, Carol, brought home a computer, Gale decided it was time to take his business to the next level, using the computer as a tool. He started by enrolling in Farm Business Management, a unique program offered through the Selland College of Applied Technology at Boise State University. “I’d had my eye on this course for a couple years,” said Gale, noting that Farm Credit Services, a Caldwell lending institution for Idaho farmers and ranchers, recommends it. In addition to Boise State scholarships that are available, Farm Credit Services also has provided full scholarships for its customers to attend. “If our customers are successful in their farming enterprise, it makes them better customers,” explained Rod Endow, branch manager of Farm Credit Services. “Our goal is to help them improve their operations.” Endow said farmers who have taken the course have shown improvement in bookkeeping, accounting and in understanding their financial picture. A Course of Action So in November 2000, just as harvest was winding down, Gale began meeting one day a week with other farmers and ranchers on the Boise State campus. The farm management instructor, David Wells, brings 25 years of local farming experience to the classroom. Gale and his classmates learned everything from how to computerize their bookwork to how to make sound capital investments. Not your typical college class, this down-to-earth program is designed by farmers for farmers to be both convenient and relevant to today’s farming community. “I understand the demands pulling for a farmer’s attention,” said Wells, “so we do everything possible to make this course comfortable, easy to attend and highly applicable to the specific challenges each farmer brings to the class.” Wells said the course is designed to give farmers better control over their finances, a clearer understanding of their financial picture, a vision of their family goals, a perspective on global agriculture issues and thorough training on how to incorporate technology into farming. It also helps them learn to mitigate risk and prepare for constant economic and environmental changes. Elisabeth Germain, a Caldwell farmer and recent graduate of the course, says the course taught her and her husband what they needed to run their 800 acres of row crops more efficiently. “David Wells was so helpful and personal with us,” she said. “He really helped us to apply what we learned and incorporate it directly into our own farm. “We thought we had it pretty well together before we took this class,” said Germain, who describes her husband as a “born farmer.” “But farmers — they’re producers, marketers … They’re not really accountants. In reality, you produce and manage better when you have the accounting side. You know where you’re going and you know what you need. I would strongly recommend this class.” The Latest Farm Equipment Boise State incorporates the basics of farm management, as well as the latest farming trends and emerging technologies, into the course. For example, according to Wells, this is the first time in history that the federal government is ahead of farmers in technology with the usage of global positioning systems (GPS). In response, starting this year the course will include GPS training. “The Selland College has a strong commitment to the farming industry,” said Larry Barnhardt, dean of the College of Applied Technology. “Our goal is to be flexible, responsive and market driven.” The course allows up to four members of a farm family or operation to attend so everyone understands the process of managing the business side of a farm, Barnhardt said. The college has access to scholarships, computers, software and support for those who need them. Ready to Grow After completing the Farm Business Management program, Gale noted that the biggest change for him has been saving time. “When I need to find something, I find it,” he said. “Tax time used to be a two- to three-week ordeal — searching for papers, trying to remember who we wrote what check to. It was a major hassle right before Christmas. Now everything is organized every month, and I just e-mail my QuickBooks files to my accountant at tax time. “Probably the less you think you need the class, the more you’ll get out of it,” said Gale, “because you’re probably already a good manager, and these skills will only improve what you’re already doing. But this program would benefit any farmer.” Dan Noble, branch manager at Zions Bank in Weiser, agreed. He has seen Boise State’s Farm Business Management course help more than one of his customers. “I think probably the biggest difference for those who have taken the course is they become much more conscientious of some of the factors that can affect the viability of an operation — things that are within their grasp,” he said. “Particularly in the current economic environment, I think it’s a good idea to have access to becoming a better manager.” How to Register Any farmer or rancher who wants to improve profitability and production levels is encouraged to attend, regardless of previous educational experience. The Farm Business Management course will meet Tuesdays, beginning Nov. 4 through March 9. Up to four people from a farm may attend the course for a total fee of $200 per farm, and most attendees will qualify for a complete scholarship. There are only 17 seats available for the Nampa program and12 seats available for the north Idaho program, which will be offered to Lewiston/Clarkston area farmers via live, two-way interactive video from Boise State. The Lewiston classroom will have a teaching assistant and accountant with extensive farm management experience available at all times. Those interested are encouraged to register quickly. For more information about Farm Business Management, or to apply for admission to the course, call Wells at 208-426-4719 or e-mail him at fdwells@boisestate.edu, or contact Scott Shaw at 208-426-4700 or 1-800-824-7017 ext.4700. About the Selland College The Selland College of Applied Technology at Boise State University offers personal, practical, fast training in dozens of high-demand career fields. Degree programs range from culinary arts to semiconductor manufacturing to automotive repair. The Selland College serves over 1,000 Treasure Valley students in credit programs and offers financial aid programs and classes in both Nampa and Boise, as well as distance-learning programs in some other Idaho locations. The college serves over 9,000 non-credit students throughout the valley. For more information about Selland College training programs, call 208-426-1431 or visit selland.boisestate.edu. -30- Contact David Wells Farm Business Management Selland College of Applied Technology 208-426-4719 fdwells@boisestate.edu Media Contact Sherry Squires communications and marketing 208-426-1563 ssquires@boisestate.edu