Photo Highlights from the 2010 User Conference

"Accounting? Crop Records? We can help anyone do them successfully," according to FBS Technical Services Manager Sarah Dixon.

Networking with "neighbors" from around the nation.

Gary Davis displays the "must-have" gadget of 2010.

Paul Hey provides a "sneak preview" of the Version 10 user interface.

Gary Donley from Carthage Veterinary Service (center) confers with conference speakers John McNutt and Jim Marzolf.

Don Konz conducts a technology tour of the latest offerings from DTN/Progressive Farmer, which also sponsored the Awards Banquet.

Back at work in the Blackhawk classroom.

Incorporating FBS Data Into Risk Management Decisions

This year's U.C. keynote was delivered by Moe Russell, president of Russell Consulting Group. Moe is bullish on agriculture, yet points out that "the attitude, skills knowledge and profit gap among producers is getting farther apart, by the day. Everyone is downloading risk to the farmer."

Many of Russell's clients are experiencing better ROAs and ROEs than leading Fortune 500 companies through such strategies as win-win relationships with suppliers and neighbors, better utilization of technical and human resources and establishing and executing business and marketing plans.

FBS SeRVware is now available through the Russell Consulting Group's network of 34 Associates, who can help incorporate FBS's cost accounting data into profitable risk management decisions. For more information on the Russell Consulting Group, go to their website: http://www.russellconsultinggroup.net or call 1-877-333-6135.

Q&A of the Month--Selling Grain Out of the Field

Q. How do I record an accounting grain sale directly from a field?

A. This has to do with the Integration Sub Type, which is accessed through Setup Accounting Ledger Accounts and clicking on a crop sale account.

1= Always No = Sales out of storage bin, which affects storage bin inventory but does not record a field as harvested.

2= Always Yes = Creates a field harvest record that matches the sale record but will not affect storage bin inventory.

3= Default to No= Normally is sale only but can select harvest record by selecting "Yes" during data entry.

4= Default to Yes = Normally sale includes a harvest but can be changed to a "straight" sale by selecting "No" during data entry

So if you might be either selling from a field or the bin choose option 3 or 4 (depending on what you will be doing the majority of the time). If you know you sell exclusively out of the field or exclusively out of storage bin, choose option 1 or 2.

You can also create two crop sale ledger accounts: one that's "Always No" for bin sales and a second that's "Always Yes" for field sales.

Special note for E.CLIPSE users: Because your crop sales are required to go through marketing centers, you cannot record a simultaneous harvest and sale so use the "Always No" option.

2010 User Conference Financial Panel

The 2010 FBS User Conference drew a record number of participants to Moline, Illinois, to hear financial and technology experts describe how to leverage data generated by FBS into effective and profitable management decisions.



Panel members Jim Marzolf, John McNutt and Steve McWilliams offering financial guidelines.

The featured panel--Do You Need a Controller/Are You Ready for a CFO?--brought together three financial professionals with in-depth experience in production agricultural and FBS software.

Jim Marzolf, M.B.A.,
LarsonAllen, New Ulm, Minnesota

John McNutt, M.B.A.,
Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth, Tipton, Iowa













Steve McWilliams, M.S.,
McWilliams Agribusiness, Inc.

More and more farming operations have grown to the scale where they need the services of either a controller or a chief financial officer, but most are hesitant to commit to full-time positions. It was estimated that operations with $3-5 million in sales could justify a controller, while $15-20 million in sales would be required to put a CFO on staff.

The practical alternative, then, is to outsource these services, which not only reduces employment risks, but also enables a more objective view and relationship with management. As panelist John McNutt cautions, "Sometimes the CFO has got to deliver bad news."

Jim Marzolf adds, "The big decisions is not whether to hire or outsource, but whether to do anything."

FBS Users in the News

Kevin Huguson, Granada, Minnesota, appears on the cover of the July 15, 2010 National Hog Farmer and throughout the magazine as a member of the World Pork Expo New Product Review Panel. The four-person panel critiqued new products introduced to the pork industry within the past year.

Ohio corn and soybean grower Ken Davis describes how he spreads sales and risks "Day by day, bit by bit" in the August 2010 issue of Corn and Soybean Digest.

Farm manager Ryan Aupperle, Heartland Ag Group of Decatur, reports that "landowners can boost revenue by 20% to 40% with a single wind turbine" in the August 2010 Praire Farmer cover story, "Blown away."

South Charleston, Ohio pork producer Chuck Wildman was pictured in the July 26, 2010 edition of Feedstuffs accompanying the story, "Ohio ag urged to give compromise a chance." The headline refers to compromise agreement made between the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) regarding sow gestation stalls, veal crates and cage housing for hens. Wildman, an Ohio Pork Producer Council director, believes the compromise is "probably a good thing" by going through the board room rather the expense of a costly ballot initiative. FBS users Jean Bell and Dave Heisler also serve as directors on the OPPC