Women Managing Farm Finances Course Offered in Des Moines County this March and April

West Burlington, Iowa – Women Managing Farm Finances, a four-week course designed especially to help farm women explore the concepts of managerial accounting and practice using financial statements to analyze the farm business, is being offered by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach – Des Moines County.

Online registration is available at https://go.iastate.edu/SPDEKP or at the Des Moines County Extension office. Classes will be held at Des Moines County Extension Office on Thursdays from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. beginning March 23 and continuing March 30, April 6 and April 13. A complimentary meal will be provided at 5:30 p.m. The cost is $75.00. Deadline to register is March 16.

Farm women participating in Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Women in Ag courses become better business partners and owners by learning to manage and organize critical information for their own farms, while establishing networks with other farm women and agriculture business professionals. Women Managing Farm Finances is taught in the tradition of Annie’s Project.

According to ISU Extension and Outreach farm specialist Charles Brown, Women Managing Farm Finances helps women better understand farm finances.

“Our goal is to provide a program that gives women hands-on experience exploring the concepts of managerial accounting, as well as practice using financial statements to analyze the farm business,” Brown said. “In addition, guest speakers share their experiences and knowledge to help women become better business partners and owners,” added Brown.

During the four-week course, participants will gain an understanding of how to complete a balance sheet and calculate key financial measures like the current ratio and the debt-to-asset ratio. Other topics covered include the Income Statement, the Cash Flow Statement and Budgeting/Benchmarking.