Module: Farm Business Management

Module details

  • Module code

    1120

  • Module leader

    Mike Draper

  • Module Level

    4

  • Module credits

    15

  • Min study time

    150 hours

  • Contact hrs

    36 hours

  • Teaching Period

    Semester 2

Module content

This module introduces the different types of farming and land based business and leads into the process of enterprise analysis, determining variable and fixed costs, developing gross margin analysis, simple profit and loss statements, cash flows, resource appraisal and the use of management tools to help support decision making within the farming business. 

Module outcomes

To achieve credit for this module, students must be able to:

  1. Explain the process of undertaking a resource appraisal for a farming business and why it is crucial to a farm business plan
  2. Assess the performance of a business against industry standards
  3. Demonstrate an understanding of the use of business planning in order to support decision making

Assessment

Assessment Description Weighting
Coursework Individual Report - Resource Appraisal 60%
Coursework Group Report - Enterprise Plan 40%

Key texts

Students should be familiar with the content of at least one of the following:

  • Agro Business Consultants (annual). Agricultural Budgeting and Costing Book. Agro Business Consultants.
  • Barnard, C.S. and Nix, J.S. (1979). Farm Planning and Control. 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press.
  • DEFRA (2004). Getting Started in Farm Management Accounting: Part 1: Using the Farm Accounts to Point the Way. (PB; 8916A). Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
  • DEFRA (2004). Getting Started in Farm Management Accounting: Part 2: Mapping Out a Farming Future. (PB; 8916B). Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
  • Turner, J. and Taylor, M. (1998). Applied Farm Management. 2nd edn. Blackwell Science.