Download - Record Keeping for Fruit Farm Businesses
Record Keeping for Fruit Farm Businesses
Developed by: Alison M. De Marree
Cornell Cooperative ExtensionLake Ontario Fruit Program, Winter 2014
Adapted by: Virginia CarlbergCornell Cooperative Extension
Chautauqua County
Why Keep Records?Required by law and government agency regulations
IRS, DEC, DOL, Organic Certifiers, Food Safety (GAP) Certifiers
To PROTECT your business against government agency audits (non-compliance fines) and lawsuits.
To increase profits, efficiencies, return on investment by monitoring labor use and expense as related to the income generated by various enterprises.
To evaluate progress by comparing set standards from one year to the next
For insurance reasons (to make claims)To obtain a loan – required by financial institutions
Two Categories of RecordsProduction Records:
Items that relate to quantities of inputs and levels of production by enterprise and/or by resource type: yields per acre, varieties planted and harvested, pounds or bushels sold
Two Categories of RecordsFinancial Records:
Justify or prove farm income or expense transactions: Product sales, operating expenses, equipment purchases, accounts payable, accounts receivable, inventories, depreciation records, loan balances and price information.
Production and Financial Records are put together for a complete picture of your farms’ performance.
Financial Record-Keeping2013 Income ExpensesDate Description Strawberri
esBlueberries
Fertilizer Fuel
5/1 Sold 100 quarts strawberries at Farmers Market
$500
6/1 Sold 200 pints blueberries at Farmers Market
$900
10/21 Purchased 5 ton fertilizer
$5000
11/20 Filled Fuel Tank $2000
Enterprise Record-KeepingIncome Expense Strawberry Blueberry Livestock
Date Description
Strawberries
Blueberries
Fertilizer
Fuel Income
Expense
Income
Expense
Income
Expense
5/1 100 qts. strawberries
$500 $500
6/1 100 pints blueberries
$900 $900
10/21
5 ton fertilizer
$5000 $5000
11/20
fuel tank $2000
$1000 $1000
Types of RecordsPaper
Account booksElectronic Records
Use of spreadsheets (& smart phones)Summarizing daily records on spreadsheetsQuickBooks, Quicken, Red Wing & Other
Accounting SoftwareBack Ups!Keep Hard Copies & Physical Receipts in
Files
QuickBooks
VersionPayroll featuresPrint ChecksChart of AccountsAssistance with getting started
Cornell Farm Account BookPaper- classic (green)Excel
What do you use?
What tools do you use to record production data?
What do you use to record labor information?
• Labor is often the largest expense for farm operations
• Are you gauging how well your labor force is performing?
• What data can you have your field help gather for you?
Employee TimecardsHoursJobField/OrchardVarietyYield/Quantity
Food Safety: Traceability RecordsIncreasing regulatory environmentTraceability- from field to forkGood Agricultural Practices (GAP)
CertificationPackaging labels
SummaryRecord-keeping is important for various
external and internal factorsFinancial Records and Production RecordsMany tools available, paper and electronicConsider labor logsConsider food safety records and traceability