1 Full day

See our website for future dates

Day one is to teach the producer how to set up a chart of accounts, business setup, tax rates and
supplier lists for their business.

195 for classroom training

245 for one to one training in our classroom

1 Full day

See our website for future dates

Registration and paper work

• Introductions – 30 minutes
• Welcome & Introduction of Instructor
• Introduction of AgExpert – Division of Farm Credit Canada
• Introduction of Participants
• Overview of Agenda & Housekeeping Details

Chapter 1 – AgExpert Analyst

• Review basic & advanced features of AgExpert Analyst

Chapter 2 – Software Installation

• Installing & registering AgExpert Analyst

Chapter 3 – Creating a Data File

• Review setup information checklists
• Create a new data file
• Create a backup of a data file

Chapter 4 – Completing the Setup of a Data File

• Complete the options listed in the Setup Menu

LUNCH BREAK 

 

Chapter 4 – Completing the Setup of a Data File (continued)

• Complete the options listed in the Setup Menu

COFFEE BREAK

Chapter 5 – Introduction to Transactions

• Review cash & accrual accounting methods for Canada Revenue Agency and AgriStability reporting purposes
• Review features of the Transaction Entry, Inventory Adjustment, General Journal and Point of Sale Windows

Chapter 6 – Daily Entry Transactions

• Learn how to enter basic transactions
• Basic Book keeping tips
• Wrap Up & Evaluations

195 for classroom training

245 for one to one training in our classroom

teach the producer how to set up a chart of accounts, business
setup, tax rates and supplier lists for their business

2 years

6 courses

Hourly rate includes travel time

Course exams done on internet.

Physical books to read

Bookkeeping

· 

·         Between each session FLC has created a forum for FLC and the instructor to respond to registrants’ questions to ensure thorough understanding of the workshop content.

·         Each individual registration allows two parties to participate in the course (husband/wife, father/son, father/daughter, brothers, etc.) as long as they are farming together.

  Each workshop will include:

·         Each session is 90 minutes

·         Workshop days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

February workshop dates are; February 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, March 1, 6, 7, 8.

  Mr. Cassidy has worked for line companies and Government of Alberta and then created his own company that sells for individual and organizations and provides training.

Using futures tools such as puts and calls or options can provide a farmer with more income by allowing them to deliver their product earlier to avoid product deterioration and to obtain a higher price in future months, again through the futures market.  This workshop will educate producers how to track future prices on commodity markets.  “Managing Risk” will educate producers on current cash contracts, how to put the tools together and how to analyse the market in terms of data and trends.  They will also have the skills require to achieve final prices above their cost of production and therefore realize a profit. 

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         Brief development of futures

·   margin process

o         Importance of off-setting

·Using Futures to Hedge

·         Why hedge

·         Short hedge

·         Rolling hedges

·Basis

·         Basis as a cost

·         Freight and basis

·         Calculating basis

·         Basis and basis trading

         What is an option?

·         Types of options--PUTS and CALLS

·   time value

o   at-the-money

·         Using options to establish

o   example

·<span style="\&quot;font-family:" 'courier="" new';="" mso-fareast-font-family:="" new';\"="">o         Guaranteed Min/Max Price contracts

·         Production Contracts

·Pulling It All Together

·         What do you honestly believe the markets could do?

·         Can you cash flow your operation if you chose to wait out the market?

·         Are you limiting your exposure to the market place?

         CD (valued at $100.00)

·         Course manual

·

  FLC has provided this training (face to face and on line) for 5 years and found that more than one individual is involved in marketing for the farm.Secondary audience is any individual who is servicing the agriculture industry (e.g. feedlot operator/owner, feed mill, etc.).

"

  Attendance will be tracked for each session as well as monitoring access to the archives.

"

         On-line

·         Mr. Cassidy will use PowerPoint, on-line whiteboard and appropriate website locations for the information relevant to the topic being covered in each session.

·         On-line forum will be established to answer questions between each session.

·         Each registrant has the ability to access the archives to review any or all sessions at a time convenient for the registrants and as often as they require.

"

Objective 1: Understanding futures terminology to creating a working knowledge of futures.

Objective 3Objective 4: Having producers investigate various contracts and price risk measures and determine what will suit their needs and exposure levels re margin calls (cash), etc.

"

·         Advanced Managing Risk workshops can be accessed on-line from the Farm Leadership Council. 

·         Each session is recorded so registrants can review the content of each day at their convenience as often as they require.

·         Between each session FLC has created a forum for FLC and the instructor to respond to registrants’ questions to ensure thorough understanding of the workshop content.

·         Registrants will be able to access the recorded version for a minimum of six months after the course is completed.

·         Each individual registration allows two parties to participate in the course (husband/wife, father/son, father/daughter, brothers, etc.) as long as they are farming together.

On-line Advanced Managing Risk workshop will be offered on January 17, 2012 and March 20, 2012.  Each workshop will include:

·         6 sessions

·         Each session is 90 minutes

·         Starting time is 10:30 a.m. CST

·         Workshop days are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

January workshop dates are: January 17, 18, 19, 24, 25, 26.

March workshop dates are: March 20, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29.

Producers must understand their cost of production by commodity and have completed Intermediate Managing Risk workshop or have at least 2 years’ experience of active involvement in using options in their risk management program.

The instructor is Paul Cassidy, Mitcon Inc., from Lethbridge, AB who has been involved in the grain industry for more than 25 years.  Mr. Cassidy has worked for line companies and Government of Alberta and then created his own company that sells and consults for individuals and companies and provides training.

Using futures tools such as puts and calls or options can provide a farmer with more income by allowing them to deliver their product earlier to avoid product deterioration and to obtain a higher price in future months, again through the futures market.  Farmers can avoid selling their product in order to meet immediate cash commitments when other farmers are also selling at the same time and therefore depressing prices. 

This workshop will:

·         Uncover more of the terminology of options

·         Processes and mechanics of how to develop or write an option

·         Hedging strategy using options

·         Various price signals and how to interpret

An in-depth understanding of fundamental and technical analysis.

Over the course of 6 sessions, the following topics will be covered.

Market Risk

·         Understanding market risk and its various components.

Futures Market

·         Quick review of margin process, terminology, the futures contract, the margin process, long and short positions, importance of arbitrage, types of orders and managing the futures position, EFP’s and basis integrity.

·         Terminology of such issues as notice day, delivery day, standardization of the contract, long, short, spreads, rollovers will be explained throughout the course.

Strategic Hedging Strategies

·         A quick review of hedging and the mechanics of hedging using futures. In depth look at managing the hedge desk and balancing positions and hedge placement strategies based on analysis of carrying charges vs. current market structure and technical and fundamental outlooks. Hedge roll strategies.

Options on Futures

·         A quick review of options terminology and exercising options. Main focus will be on writing options and understanding the Greeks (Delta, Theta, Gamma and Vega).

·         Options volatility measures, historical and implied volatility and theoretical values will also be discussed ( Black-Scholes Model). Option hedging strategies will be looked at in detail including writing of options and the risk/reward analysis of such.

Fundamental Analysis

·         The study of supply and demand basics and their influences on price direction.

·         How to analyse a market - what’s important, what’s not.

Technical Analysis

·         This section looks further into some of the concepts of technical analysis such as trends, support and resistance, gaps, reversals and various types of moving averages.

Workshop is being provided online and therefore registration cost includes:

·         Workshop

·         Course manual

·         Access to archives to review Advanced Managing Risk sessions for a minimum of 6 months following completion of the workshop.

Primary target audience is farming couples/partners – those individuals who are involved in marketing their crops or livestock.  FLC has provided intermediate Managing Risk workshops (face to face and on line) for 5 years and found that more than one individual is involved in marketing for the farm.  Each registration allows 2 parties to participate when involved in the same operation (husband/wife, father/son, father/daughter, partners, etc.).

During the course of those initial (intermediate managing risk) workshops, FLC noted a need among registrants to explore, in more detail, options from a practical and theoretical perspective.  This workshop will reveal to all registrants how to write, exercise and predict, with more accuracy, the potential price expectations.   

Secondary audience is any individual who is servicing the agriculture industry (e.g. feedlot operator/owner, feed mill, etc.).

Upon completion of the course, a certificate will be sent to the registrants.  Attendance will be tracked for each session as well as monitoring access to the archives.

Advanced Managing Risk will be provided:

·         On-line

·         Paul Cassidy will be the instructor for all sessions

·         Mr. Cassidy will use PowerPoint, online whiteboard and appropriate website locations for the information relevant to the topic being covered in each session.

·         Registrants can interact by phone, computer microphone or by posing questions through their keyboard that all individuals (registrants, Mr. Cassidy, FLC) can see.

·         On-line forum will be established to answer questions between each session.

·         Mr. Cassidy provides questions during each session to ensure registrants understand the topic being covered

Each registrant has the ability to access the archives to review any or all sessions at a time convenient for the registrants and as often as they require.

Advanced Managing Risk will be provided during the winter months as farmers have a little more time to be involved in a course or workshop. 

Registrants can access the archives during and after the workshop has been completed.

Goal: Educating producers to understand the difference between price speculation and price management, to learn how to use the tools to lower their price risk on commodities (crops and cattle) produced on their farms, and thereby enhance their final realized prices in the marketplace.

Objective 1: More in-depth understanding of futures terminology to creating a working knowledge, developing or writing, and utilizing futures.

Objective 2: To be able to track, document and interpret technical prices and understand the implications for current and future prices through understanding what is happening in the global supply and demand situation, to develop a reasoned future price expectation, and how to utilize that information to realize a profitable price.

Objective 3: Create a working knowledge on exercising options, options volatility and options strategies.

Objective 4: In-depth review of fundamental and technical analysis to determine critical information, their source and how to interpret charts and graphs to maximize final commodity returns.

Description of Six Day Holistic Management Course - 6 days

Day One:

Following the introduction to H M we go through a series of motivational slides. People are encouraged to shift their paradigms. There is always time for dialog, people are encouraged to contribute.

People then use the insights gained in the exercises to write a personal mission statement. A personal mission statement focuses on what you want to be & do over a long period of time. It is based on each person's individual values & principles.

The next step is to involve the group in a brainstorming exercise. The idea is to be creative & come up with as many ideas as possible. The topic is what are  

The final part of the holistic goal is to write a detailed description of how you would like your farm & your community to look 50 years from now under ideal conditions.

The day ends with a closing circle. This helps to build community.

Day two begins with an opening circle. People are invited to share their goal from day one. I then move into holistic financial planning. The first step is to point out what might be different from what people have done in the past. The main differences are:

2. 

3. We have a method to sort our expenses & spend our money more wisely.

People are introduced to gross profit analysis. This is based on determining the income per unit of production. The income minus variable expenses is the gross profit. Variable expenses are those directly related to the level of production. The combination of all the gross profits from the various enterprises must be adequate to cover the overhead expenses & allow for a profit. Gross profit gives people a quick simple way to compare enterprises & select those most likely to be profitable.

The weak link is used to allow us to sort our expenses into 3 categories:

These 3 categories are:

I expenses ….Inescapable …those that are a fixed amount & must be paid.(ie. death & taxes)

Using the above ideas & human creativity we are able to increase W expenses, which strengthens our business. We will have a short list of I expenses. M expenses are cut to allow for profit.

1. A beginning net worth.

3. Setting the profit we desire for the year.

5. Planning & sorting expenses using W, I, M categories.

7. An ending net worth.

If this plan produces the profit we desire the plan is implemented. All income & expense items are monitored monthly so that the planned profit is achieved. If

the original plan is not profitable we do a second, third or fourth plan to produce the desired results. These re plans are done with a different mix of enterprises, a reduction in expenses or whatever is required to be profitable.

The day concludes with a closing circle.

DAY THREE:

The video  

There is a closing circle at the end of the day. There is a break of one or two weeks between the three days sessions.

DAY FOUR:

The testing questions are:

1. Cause & effect.

2. Weak link.

3. Marginal reaction.

4. Gross profit analysis.

5. Energy / money source & use.

6. Sustainability.

7. Society & culture.

By the end of the day people have a good grasp of how to use the testing questions to make decisions that are socially, environmentally & financially sound. Decisions are always made towards the individual's holisticgoal. The day ends with a closing circle.

DAY FIVE:

Day six begins with an opening circle. There is a short review of grazing planning & the eco system building blocks. A good portion of the day is spent developing your own plan for the up coming growing season. At the end of the day time is taken to form a management club. The first meeting is set etc. A management club is a very powerful tool to help people implement what they have learned & to continue to make positive change in their lives. 

H M takes a long term view. Long term sustainability requires success in people, land & finances simultaneously. This is exactly what H M offers people. People finish the course with a written 3 part goal. There is input & buy in from all the people involved. The goal deals with people, land & finances. People have better communication & team building skills. They have the knowledge to work with nature & improve their land. They have the financial planning skills to plan for a profit.

H M has the potential to be life changing.

Blain Hjertaas

"

Opening circle and introduction

Short overview of H.M.

Introduction to goal setting

Writing a personal mission statement

Writing a three part Holistic goal

Opening circle & review of day one                   The principles of Holistic Financial Planning

Gross profit analysis

Weak link analysis

Understanding W, I, M expenses

Day Three:

Day Four:

and financially sound

Opening circle & review of day four                    Steps to financial planning

A.B.C. ranch…(hands on detailed financial planning)

Opening circle & review of day five                   Principles of planned grazing

Using grazing charts

Creating your land plan

Forming a management club                    Closing circle

"

1500 per couple/farm unit for program - all included, meals not included

Certificate of Completion

Holistic Management

Home based study                                               January 23 - April 16, 2012                                   Mondays

Books/materials range between $120 to $150.

Your studies will focus on an introduction to financial accounting designed to provide you with accounting skills to handle business transactions.  The course will include bookkeeping techniques, accounting for a merchandising concern and an introduction to accounting for current assets.  ACCT 122 is a companion to ACCT 125 (Introductory Financial Accounting 2) which continues the study of basic financial accounting.

Home Based Study                                                  April 25 - June 27, 2012                                         Wednesdays

Books/materials range between $120 - $150.

Home Based Study

The course is designed to familiarize you with how an economy is analyzed and how economics policy is used to prevent or ameliorate potential economic problems faced by modern economies.  Your studies will focus on national income accounting, consumption and saving, government spending and taxation, interest rates and investment, the role of money and the banking system, and foreign trade.

Home Based Study                                                 April 26 - June 28, 2012                                           Thursdays

Books/materials range between $120 - $150.

Home Based Study

Your studies will focus on an introduction to conflict resolution, designed to provide you with interest-based conflict resolution models and primary interpersonal skills to handle workplace conflicts.  The course is not only an introduction to developing skills in managing conflict, but also provides organizational leaders with skills to manager conflict.  You will obtain insights and be educated in conflict theory, negotiation strategy, needs grounding related to basic interpersonal communication and management skills, such as rapport building, empathetic listening, behaviour modelling, reframing, problem solving and decision making.  You will develop conflict resolution skills through a combination of lecture material, in-class assignments, role-plays and demonstrations, reading assignments and problem-solving challenges.