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MACS Services

Farm Business Analysis & Management Consulting

Financial & Economic Analysis of Your Farm Business

Production Agriculture exists in an environment of flux: the economic landscape is constantly changing and will continue to do so with increasing volatility. How does your farm business navigate these turbulent economic waters? Your tax preparer / accountant / CPA may be quite adept at providing financial reports beyond your tax return. However, the need exists to tie the financial numbers with production numbers / systems for a management information system (MIS). MACS works with your current accounting and production professionals to develop an MIS tailored to your business / management information needs. MACS provides guidance and "sounding board" advice based upon the data provided by this MIS.

MACS can also assist in economic loss determinations and perform in an expert witness capacity.  

Would a "fresh set of eyes" trained in managerial economics be of value to your farm business? 

Remote Farm Business CFO (RCFO)

Virtual / Remote CFO Services for Your Farm Business

Farm businesses have grown significantly in physical / economic size and complexity. With increased economic size comes increased economic risks. Farmers have become quite adept at outsourcing expertise in production / technical areas e.g. crop consultants and precision ag specialists. But what about financial expertise? Some Farm Businesses have outgrown the time / expertise of the farm operator(s) but aren't of a size that can afford a full-time CFO. Sound familiar?  

MACS can help develop / streamline your farm accounting system for compliance (providing financial records accurately and efficiently to your tax preparer) and financing (using guidelines established by the Farm Financial Standards Council in preparing financial statements for lenders). Additionally, MACS can develop an Management Information System (MIS) tailored to your farm business / management needs.  

Perhaps the most valuable component of MACS vCFO services is compiling / analyzing / summarizing data from financial records and presenting in "management-centric format".

Is your farm business a "tweener" that has need of specialized financial expertise but a full-time CFO is not currently feasible?

Farm Peer Advisory Group (FPAG)Facilitator

Organize / Facilitate Farm Peer Advisory Groups

Many business management advisors agree that belonging to a peer advisory network is one of the essential management practices for a farm to succeed in today and tomorrow’s agribusiness environment. A Farm Peer Advisory Group (FPAG) essentially operates as a reciprocal advisory board. Its members gain access to a network of advisors composed of like-minded producers who have "skin in the game" without the governance authority nor fiduciary liability of traditional corporate boards. FPAGs are typically comprised of 8 to 10 producers geographically dispersed enough not to be in direct competition and who do not have a conflict of interest. The scope of how a FPAG operates is largely up to its members, up to and including benchmarking analysis. 

Would your farm business gain from the intensive networking a Farm Peer Advisory Group provides?

Farm Board of Trusted Advisor (BoTA)Facilitator

Organize / Facilitate Farm Board of Trusted Advisors

A farm advisory board - more formally a Board of Trusted Advisors (BoTA) - is typically a small group of people who meet regularly to offer input to the management of a farm business. BoTA's provide a structured format for farm management to discuss key business management decisions such as finance, expansion / contraction and business structuring / restructuring. BoTA's differ from Boards of Management in that they are constructed to provide advice only - the management decision-making is retained by the farm owners / operators. BoTAs offers the opportunity to "pick the brains" of selected people with expertise / experience that can help sustain / grow the farm business. Therefore, a BoTA can perform whatever strategic purpose management deems significant.

Would periodic round-table discussions with a group of selected professionals be a useful management aid for your farm business?

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