Crop Returns enterprise analysis tool

Overview

Crop Returns is available as an Excel spreadsheet template you can download for free on this page. Crop managers can use it to calculate production costs, breakeven selling prices and expected financial returns for a grain farming enterprise.

The partial budget or crop enterprise model provides a framework for farmers to build a base scenario and then analyze that scenario with respect to different commodity prices or changes to production costs and expected yields. Expected profitability can be calculated using the producer’s own production systems and risk sensitivity can be done using alternative price and yield scenarios.

Features

• Crop Returns incorporates your own production systems, and key variables such as fertilizer prices, fuel prices, expected yields and selling prices.
• Crop Returns adds flexibility to the calculation process by allowing user inputs for operating cost items and expected production results. Breakeven selling prices contribution margin, gross margin and return to equity are some key results. All costs are shown in ‘$ per acre’ and ‘total enterprise costs’.
• Crop Returns can assist in comparing the risks and returns from various cash rental and crop share lease arrangements.
• Crop Returns calculates fertilizer costs from user specified N-P-K-S requirements in a separate worksheet. A least-cost blend of fertilizer is calculated using the specified requirements and individual ingredient costs. Other important results are dry blend formulations that show individual ingredient and total applied pounds per acre.
• Crop Returns is designed for quick ‘what-if’ type analyses. For example: What if input prices go up? What if yields or prices don’t meet my expectations? Where should I place selling price orders so that I don’t lose money?
• Users can also do comparative or multi-year analyses by copying an initial worksheet into a new worksheet tab using the instructions provided.
• Crop Returns has example numbers included so new users can quickly see the power of the analysis in just a few minutes. Instructions are included in cell notes for quick reference.

Agreement

By downloading this software, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions of this agreement as set out below. If you do not agree to be bound, do not download this software.

• The software and any written materials that might accompany the electronic version of Crop Returns ("written materials") are proprietary to and all rights except those expressly given herein remain with His Majesty the King in right of Alberta ("Agriculture and Irrigation").
• The software and written materials are protected by Canadian copyright law and international treaty provisions.
• You are hereby authorized to transfer the software to a single system.
• You may not copy written materials.
• You may not rent or lease the software but you may transfer all of your interest in it, accompanied by written materials, if you retain no copies and the recipient agrees to the terms of this agreement.
• You may not reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works from the software.
• In no event will Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation be liable to you for any claims, costs, losses or damages, including without limitation, lost profits or lost data arising out of the use or inability to use the software or any data or any advice supplied therein.

Sign up for updates

• Fill out the online form below to get future updates about the program.
• By clicking the submit button below the form you accept the above terms and conditions.
• All fields are required unless otherwise indicated.

Download software

Step 1. Check system requirements

The estimated Crop Returns file size is 1.8 MB. To use the software, you will need:

• Microsoft Excel

Step 2. Download the file

• Click the button below to download the Crop Returns Excel file to your computer.
• You will be prompted to wave the application file to a folder on your computer.

Download Crop Returns

Step 3. Run Crop Returns

• Double-click the crop-returns-1-0.xls file that is stored on your computer. It will open in Microsoft Excel.
• Enter the information needed to perform your crop enterprise analysis.
• Remember to remove old versions of the Crop Returns file from your computer.

Contact

Connect with the Economics Section:

Phone: 780-422-4056
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]