NEW RECORD-KEEPING PROGRAM HELPFUL FOR MISSOURI FARMERS

A new, improved Management Information Records (MIR) program from University Extension will help many Missouri farmers make better business decisions.

"The MIR program has evolved from a mail-in records program that served hundreds of farmers each year from computer centers on our University campuses," said Norlin A. Hein, University Extension agricultural economist at the University of Missouri-Columbia. "Now we have put computer record keeping and report production on farms and in Farm Business Centers closer to the farmer."

The MIR program is especially effective for the farmer who has his own computer. "The farmer with his own computer can use the programs we provide to do his management records and print out reports," Hein said.

"It will also work better than mail-in records for farmers who don't have computers," said Hein. "They can send their records to the nearest extension-operated Farm Business Center to be entered in the center's computer. The turnaround time on monthly, quarterly or yearly reports will be faster, and more information for analysis and decision-making can be provided."

Annually, all those cooperating in the program will get reports on how the performance of their farm businesses compare with state and regional averages. The MIR program will provide these and other year-end reports more quickly than the mail-in records program.

Farm Business Centers are now open in Carrollton and Sedalia. Others will be on line soon in Bowling Green, St. Joseph and Lebanon. Centers may be added in other areas of the state later.

Each Farm Business Center will be staffed by a coordinator, who will supervise data entry and develop educational programs on financial management, accounting, taxes, farm planning and business organization for participating farmers and an educational assistant, who will enter data from farm cooperators into the computer, help farmers understand accounting and reports, and refer cooperators needing planning, management or financial counseling to the Farm Business Center coordinator or other extension farm management specialists.

University Extension farm management and other extension specialists around the state will enroll interested farmers, explain software and program procedures, and show them how to interpret and apply the data in making management decisions.

University Extension farm management specialists, center coordinators and educational assistants have just completed training in use of the MIR program and are now enrolling clients.

Information on enrollment can be obtained by contacting any county University Extension Center.