I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Interpreting Trends in Business Planning

2. Course Prefix & Number:
FBMT 2142

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 4

4. Course Description:

This course examines whole farm, enterprise, balance sheet, and inventory trends. Current analysis data is compared to historical data in making future farm business planning decisions. Financial ratios are used to indicate the farm financial structure.

5. Placement Tests Required:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

III. Course Purpose

1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):

Name of Program(s)	Program Type
Applications in Farm Business Management	Certificate

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Analyze and follow a sequence of operations	Analyze selected financial ratio
Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations	Suggest methods to improve ratio

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Revise financial accounting system(s) for effectiveness and accuracy;
• Compare historical farm data with projected cash flow plans;
• Analyze farm financial measures;
• Interpret trend data for farm business decision-making processes;
• Analyze current working capital position and working capital tend history;
• Analyze current debt to asset percentage and debt to asset trend history;
• Refine business goals in the development of cash flow planning;
• Refine family and personal goals in the development of cash flow planning;
• Compare trend data of current inventories to the current year’s balance sheet;
• Integrate risk management and production plans;
• Examine trend data to modify marketing strategies; and
• Utilize the business analyses to improve business organization and efficiency.

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Interpret trend data for farm business decision-making processes
• review farm business trend data
• interpret farm business trend data
• make management decisions based on trend data
2. Integrate risk management and production plans
• review your risk management assessment
• identify areas of business exposed to risk
• adopt a comprehensive risk management plan
3. Analyze historical farm data
• review historical farm data
• interpret historical farm data
• make informed decisions based on historical data
4. Analyze business, family and personal goals
• review business, family and personal goals
• identify goals which are no longer appropriate
• modify business, family and personal goals
5. Analyze working capital and debt levels
• define current ratio
• explain the solvency and liquidity debt ratios
• determine a workable working capital levelD. determine a workable debt level
6. Examine trend data for business, family, and personal goal setting
• review trend data for business, family and personal goals
• interpret trend data to identify strengths and weaknesses
• modify goals based on trend data interpretation
7. Examine trend data to modify marketing strategies
• examine marketing trend data
• interpret marketing trends
• modify marketing strategies if necessary
8. Analyze farm financial ratios
• analyze farm financial ratios
• identify strong farm financial ratios
• identify farm financial ratios of concern
• develop a strategy to maintain strong ratios and improve ratios of concern
9. Evaluate financial accounting system(s) for effectiveness and accuracy
• complete an accuracy check on the accounting system(s)
• utilize your accounting system(s) for enterprise analysis
• utilize your accounting system(s) in your decision making process