"Don't Be "Stuck in the 70's"

Stan and Karmen Mehmen truly make farming a family business. Their farming operation, which includes their son Kyle and daughter-in-law Kerri as the third generation of Mehmens to farm in this location, is a commercial grain operation producing corn and soybeans. The operation also includes several business entities: a trucking company, a seed business, and a pig building construction business.

The Mehmens had used the Farm Bureau accounting program AgMaster® for 17 years, until 2001 when AgriSolutions® bought out that program and introduced them to AgManager®. That changeover was a turning point for the Mehmens, providing the tools needed to improve their bookkeeping and data analysis.

Even more importantly, the Mehmens now are able to use the data and financial reports provided by AgManager® in making vital business decisions. Through training offered by AgriSolutions® personnel, Karmen learned how to arrange the data in its most useful form and what to look for in the reports.  Karmen is quick to explain that "the education provided with the program is one of the most beneficial services provided by AgriSolutions®." Stan and Karmen have also completed two AgriSolutions® classes to expand their knowledge of Asset Management and Debt Management.

Believing that the strategic handling of financial data is vital to competent management of their operation, the Mehmens were part of a pilot group to test the Corn and Soybean Financial Standards in 2001. They promoted the business management concept to agricultural leaders, and they also lobbied in Washington, D.C. for agricultural risk management concerns.

Karmen has kept financial records for the Mehmens' farming operation for 30 years and reports a leap in her ability since their switch to AgManager®. As she says, "Even though I knew in certain years that things were not as good as they could be, I did not know how to analyze the books and find where to target efforts to improve. We were eager to make changes and correct problems, but we did not know where to begin. Now, using the data and reports produced by AgManager®, we can discover our strengths and weaknesses, capitalizing on strengths and correcting our weaknesses. Benchmarking reports in 16 areas help us to see how we are doing compared with other similar operations, and we can identify specific problems. We always look forward to seeing how we compare with our peers, defining our weaknesses and competitive advantages."

Karmen has many years of experience in agricultural bookkeeping and accounting, and has learned much over the years. As she explains, their knowledge of accounting for farming operations has advanced significantly. "In the 1970's, when I started farming, we learned tax accounting. In the 80's, we learned cash flows and balance sheets. In the 90's, we learned financial accounting with 16 areas of financial standards. In the 2000's, we learned managerial accounting. The AgriSolutions® accounting system, AgManager®, will do ALL these things." And she exhorts those who are stuck in the 70's, "For those people who are still doing tax accounting, it is imperative that they know that that type of accounting is NOT enough."

Personal help from AgriSolutions® staff is one of the most important aspects of the AgManager® system. With easy access to help via telephone using the toll-free number, clients like Karmen can find help as frequently as they need it. Karmen explains, "I am not shy about using the help because I want to enter the data correctly and gain the most informative and useful reports that I can. When I have questions or when I need advice for a major business decision, I have access to help from AgriSolutions® staff and even from the CEO himself. And our AgriSolutions® consultant visits our operation on a quarterly basis."

Karmen strongly encourages those keeping books for farming operations to use AgManager®. She says, "Even those people with limited experience and training in accounting can use this tool successfully. Personnel at AgriSolutions® will push you to do more than you think you can, encouraging you to not be satisfied with the status quo or with being less than your best. They give you confidence and encouragement, frequently reminding you, ‘Don't underestimate your skills.'" With their help, anyone can successfully use this incredible management tool.