Compass Tools Program
John maintains a library of decision support tools that help producers calculate cost of production and evaluate the profitability of farm products, market channels, and enterprises. These tools span specialty crops, grass-based livestock, and agronomic crop rotations. John supports producers and farm service providers in using the tools and offers educational webinars and workshops based on demand and funding. Most of the Compass Tools are downloadable Excel spreadsheets. Currently, John is working with the University of Arkansas to create an on-line database-driven cost of production tool with funding from the National Science Foundation.
FARM VIABILITY
Research, tools, and information on how farmers can build and maintain an economically viable farm business.
Compass Tools help farmers with data-driven decision-making to become more profitable and sustainable. The CIAS Compass Toolbox contains a suite of whole farm profit management spreadsheet tools to help farmers understand their costs of production, identify what products and markets are best for them, and identify ways to improve profitability. Compass Workshops help train farmers and service providers to use these tools.
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OGRAIN COMPASS
OGRAIN Compass is a relatively new tool and there will be updates and improvements over time. We need to be able to alert users if corrections or new improved version…
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PASTURE-BASED BEEF ENTERPRISE COMPASS
The Pasture-Based Beef Enterprise Compass helps a user estimate the financial outcomes and land needed for a prospective pasture-based beef production system. The tool is structured to examine results of beef production…
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FRUIT & NUT COMPASS
The Fruit & Nut Compass is a farm business planning tool to help both new and experienced producers project the financial costs and returns from an enterprise focused on perennial…
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LIVESTOCK COMPASS
Livestock Compass is a decision support tool designed to help diversified livestock farmers understand their costs of production and evaluate the profitability of their various animal enterprises. It a free,…
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VEGGIE COMPASS
Veggie Compass is a decision support tool to help diversified vegetable farmers understand their costs of production and evaluate profitability by crop and by market channel. It was first developed…
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HEMP COMPASS
Hemp Compass is a decision support tool designed to help you evaluate the financial feasibility of hemp as a farm business enterprise. It is one of a suite of Compass…