The crop planning process is intuitive and the purchasing system is not hard to learn.  Dealers are impressed with the speed we can transfer information from many farms to them, make the purchases, and get checks out before they complete their manual entry forms.

Below are several improvements in effectiveness and efficiency from using ManageTheFarm, a list that will grow as development continues:

• Standardized process that thoroughly covers each step of crop planning.

• Ability to aggregate input needs from several farms into one purchase.

• The purchasing transaction is done with a key stroke.

• Standardized invoices can be easily printed in your office based on the price and quantity of each farm’s share of the total order.

• Your crop planning system is available anywhere you can access the internet - your office, your farm operator, dealers, your home, while traveling.

• Your crop planning information is easy to access and there is no paper filing system to manage.

There are savings to be realized in volume purchasing of inputs.  Seed corn at $7 - $8 less than the company quoted price. Fertilizer was purchased at the best price available from three equal suppliers. Chemicals were purchased from a low overhead supplier who was eager to grow his business with prices below typical suppliers. Based on my first year experience, with the volume generated by one manager, 5-10% savings are available on seed and chemicals, and 0-5% on fertilizer. A moderate size management company could easily spend $3-$5 million on crop inputs. A 5% cost reduction on $3,000,000 is $150,000 of extra profit. This can be accomplished with very little extra effort.

There are several other reasons to use MANAGEtheFARM other than price savings that might be available:

• Standardize company crop planning for easy reference and understanding by other employees.

• Generate company data on inputs used and associated results to identify the most profitable inputs.

• Better crop plan records.

• Less paper to file and store.

• Reference to prior crop plans at your computer.

• Improved company over-site on manager input use.

• Less time used with electronic purchasing and invoicing compared to present systems.

• Database capabilities to audit EPA refuge requirements and find mismatches of seed herbicide resistance traits and planned herbicide applications.