1989 Annual Report for LW89-015
Total Resource Budgeting of LISA (SARE) Farm Enterprises
Summary
Enterprise budgets are useful planning tools to help producers make resource allocation decisions. Traditional enterprise budgets do not account for all resources and they are not always appropriate to use when decisions include adopting new technology. This project developed a consistent format and methodology for developing enterprise budgets that allows valid comparisons between alternative enterprises, especially those enterprises using non-traditional practices. A variety of crops, cropping systems and livestock enterprises was included.
Objectives
(1) Develop a standardized format for enterprise budgets that will be compatible with the needs of the "LISA Farm Decision Support System" (FDSS) national project, with consistent guidelines so that comparisons of budgets between states and other regions are valid.
(2) Develop a minimum of five enterprise budgets per state, on low-input or alternative enterprises and systems, based on data from the best sources available in individual states, including research plots and individual farm case studies.
(3) Include costs and returns data and other relevant information needed by producers to evaluate potential impacts of alternative enterprises and technologies on expected revenues, whole-farm risks and sustainability of their farming operation.
(4) Compile enterprise budgets developed by individual states into a Western Regional Extension Publication and distribute this both within the Western Region and to all Land Grant Institutions and cooperating agencies.
(5) Provide copies of budgets developed under this project to the LISA FDSS so they can be incorporated into the decision framework.