Twelve Steps to Ag Decision Maker

Cash Flow Budgeting File C3-15

H
ow much financing will your farm business 3. Estimate feed requirements for the proposed
require this year? When will money be needed livestock program, as shown in Example 2. Some typical
and from where will it come? A little advance feed requirements are contained in ISU Extension
planning can help avoid short-term shortages of cash. publication FM 1815/AgDM B1-21, Livestock
One useful tool for planning the use of capital in the farm Enterprise Budgets for Iowa. Your own past feed
business is a cash flow budget. records are also a good guide.

A cash flow budget is an estimate of all cash receipts and Adjust feed requirements if livestock will complete only
all cash expenditures that are expected to occur during part of the feeding program during the budget year. It
a certain time period. Estimates can be made monthly, also is helpful to divide requirements for homegrown
bimonthly, or quarterly, and can include nonfarm feedstuffs between the periods prior to harvest and
income and expenditures as well as farm items. Cash flow following harvest.
budgeting looks only at money movement, though, not at
net income or profitability. 4. Estimate feed available, as shown in Example 2.
List beginning inventories prior to harvest and expected
A cash flow budget is a useful management tool because new crop production after harvest. Remember to exclude
it: grain transferred to the landlord under a cropshare lease.
• forces you to think through your farming plans for the Finally, estimate the quantity of feed purchases needed,
year if any, and the quantity available to sell. Once your feed
supply and feed requirements are estimated, you may
• tests your farming plans, such as if you will produce want to adjust the livestock program to fit them.
enough income to meet all your cash needs
• projects how much operating credit you will need and 5. Now you are ready to start with the actual cash flow
when budget.

• projects when loans can be repaid First estimate livestock sales, based on production and
marketing plans, as shown in the top line of Example 3.
• provides a guide against which you can compare your
actual cash flows • Start with livestock on hand, then add livestock to
be produced during the year. Exclude animals to be
• helps you communicate your farming plans and credit carried over to next year or held back for breeding
needs to your lender stock.
• Include sales of breeding stock that will be culled.
Getting Started
Developing a cash flow budget for the first time will not • Include livestock product sales, such as for milk or
be easy. Following a step-by-step approach can make the wool.
task less difficult, though. The pages at the end of this • Use your best estimate of selling prices based on
publication contain a format for completing your plan, outlook forecasts or marketing contracts.
although other forms can be used. There also are many
personal computer programs available for developing cash
flow budgets. Or, you may want to develop your own. In Example 1. Production plans for the year.
any case, the following steps can be applied. Crop production plans:

1. Outline your tentative plans for livestock and crop 500 acres of corn
400 acres of soybeans
production for the year, as shown in Example 1.
50 acres of hay
2. Take an inventory of livestock on hand and crops in
Livestock production plans:
storage now. If a recent financial statement is available,
information found under the current assets section can be 224 litters, farrow to finish swine
used.

FM 1792 Revised April 2014

Page 2 Twelve Steps to Cash Flow Budgeting

Example 2. Determining feed required (corn)

Bushels needed Total bushels Before After
Enterprise No. of units
per unit needed harvest harvest
Farrow-to-finish 224 litters 105 per litter 23,520 17,640 5,880
Bushels Before After
Enterprise No. of acres Yield per acre
available harvest harvest
Corn beg. inventory 42,500 42,500
Corn 500 acres 165 bu. 82,500 82,500
Needed to buy 0 0
Available to sell 24,860 76,620

• Reflect expected seasonal price patterns when 8. Project crop expenses and other farm operating
appropriate, rather than using the same price all year. expenditures.
• Stay on the conservative side. If your plan will work at • Last year’s expenditures are a good guide. Adjust for
conservative prices, it also will work at better prices. changes in price levels.
• Some producers prepare budgets at two or three price • If cropping plans will be different this year, detailed
levels for the major products they sell. This helps them field-by-field production plans or field maps can be used
identify the amount of price risk they face. to estimate expenses.

6. Plan sales of nonfeed crops and excess feed. • Expenses that are determined by contract, agreement, or
law can be estimated directly from contract terms, unless
• Consider crops in inventory at the beginning of the year rates are expected to change. These include property
as well as crops to be harvested during the year. Plan to taxes, property and liability insurance premiums, and
carry over grain for feed for next year plus other crops fixed cash rents.
normally sold in the following year.
• Expenses should be spaced through the year based on
• Plan timing of sales according to your normal marketing your best judgment. Some will fall mainly during certain
strategy. In Example 3, the farmer plans to sell old-crop seasons, such as machine hire, part-time labor, and crop
soybeans in March and hold new-crop soybeans until expenses.
after January 1 of next year.
Remember to place these expenses during the period of
• Follow the same guidelines as in step 5 for estimating payment, not the period of use. Some expenses will be
crop prices. Look at outlook forecasts, consider seasonal spread through the year but will have definite seasonal
price patterns, and use conservative price estimates. peaks. Fuel, machinery and equipment repair, and utilities
• Multiply quantities to sell by anticipated prices and are examples. Other expenses may be spaced evenly
carry the totals to the budget form. through the year, such as vehicle operating expenses,
livestock health and supplies, and purchased feed.
• After the initial cash flow budget is completed, you may
want to revise your marketing plans to meet capital 9. Consider capital purchases such as machinery,
needs throughout the year. equipment, land, or additional breeding livestock. Major
machinery expenses such as a tractor overhaul also can be
7. Estimate income from other sources, including:
included here, as well as construction or improvement of
• USDA farm payments buildings. Example 3 shows that the farmer is considering
• custom machine work income trading for a new combine for a cost of $50,000. This
amount is entered under the “Purchases of Capital Assets”
• income from off-farm work, rental property, or other section. Show only the cash difference to be paid when a
business activities trade is involved.
• interest, dividends, patronage refunds, etc.
You may want to complete the rest of the cash flow budget
Last year’s additional cash income listed on your income first to see if major capital expenditures will be feasible
tax return is a useful guide.
Twelve Steps to Cash Flow Budgeting Page 3

this year. If a portion of the item will be financed by • $61,078 for repayment of borrowed funds plus interest.
borrowing, then include the anticipated loan amount in • $50,000 for trading combines.
the “Financing” section.
• $458,720 for operating expenses.
10. Summarize debt repayment. Much of this A cash flow budget only indicates whether or not the
information can be taken from your most recent net farm business will produce enough cash income to meet
worth statement. Include only those debts that you all demands for cash. It does not estimate net income
have already acquired at the beginning of the budgeting or profit. Remember that net farm income also includes
period. Calculate the interest that will be due at the time non-cash items such as depreciation and changes in crop
the payment will be made. Remember, the net worth and livestock inventories, and that net farm income can
statement may show only interest accrued up to the date of be positive even when net cash flow is negative, and vice
the statement. versa.
11. Estimate nonfarm expenditures.
Annual Adjustments
• Adjust last year’s living expenses for changes in family The first step in analyzing cash flow is to add cash on hand
circumstances and inflation. Remember to allow for to net cash flow. If the total projected net cash flow for the
possible purchases of vehicles, furniture, appliances, or year is still negative, some type of annual adjustments
major repairs, and contributions to retirement accounts. must be made. Alternatives include:
• A tax estimate made at the end of the year for tax • Sell more current assets (crops and livestock). Be careful
management is helpful for projecting income tax and here, though—reducing inventories may solve the cash
Social Security payments to be made for last year’s flow squeeze this year, but could result in even more
income. Your estimate can be revised when your actual severe problems next year.
tax returns have been completed.
• Carryover operating debt to the following year.
12. Sum total cash inflows and total cash outflows.
• Finance capital expenditures with credit, or postpone
• Add total projected cash inflows for the year and for them until another year. Anticipated borrowing for
each period, as shown in the sample budget in Example capital assets can be included in the financing section
3. Add the total inflows for each period to check that under cash inflows.
they equal the total projected inflows for the year.
• Reduce the size of intermediate and long-term debt
• Add total projected cash outflows for the year and for payments by lengthening the repayment period or
each period. Add the total outflows for each period to adding a balloon payment at the end.
check that they equal the total projected outflows for the
• Convert short-term debt to intermediate or long-term
year.
debt by refinancing it as an amortized loan.
• Subtract total cash outflows from total cash inflows to
• Reduce nonfarm expenditures or increase nonfarm
determine the net cash flow for each period. Add the net
income.
cash flows for each period to check that they equal the
total net cash flow for the year. • Sell intermediate or long-term assets to raise cash.
In the example, financing 50 percent of the $50,000
If the estimated net cash flows for the entire year and for
combine trade with a lender ($25,000) would leave
each period are all positive, you have a feasible cash flow
a positive net cash flow for the year of $41,989. The
plan. If the net cash flows for some periods are negative,
$25,000 would be entered as new borrowing in the period
some adjustments may need to be made.
when the purchase was projected (July through August).
Analyzing Your Budget Seasonal Adjustments
In the example, the farm business will have a net cash flow Even when the yearly net cash flow is positive, sizable
of $16,989 for the year as a whole. The projected cash deficits can occur in some months. This is due to the
outflows include: seasonal nature of expenses in farming and the tendency to
• $36,000 for family living expenses and $23,000 for sell large quantities of a product at one time. Some types
nonfarm investments. of enterprises, such as dairy, produce a more constant cash
flow than other types.
Page 4 Twelve Steps to Cash Flow Budgeting

Shorter term adjustments can be made when projected net • If the projected ending credit balance for any period
cash flow is positive for the whole year but negative for exceeds the credit limit, adjustments to cash flow can be
certain months. These include: made as discussed previously.
• Shift the timing of some sales.
Monitoring Cash Flows
• Shift the timing of some expenditures. Review your cash flow budget from time to time during
• Increase short-term borrowing in periods with negative the year. Prices and costs may differ from your estimates,
cash flow, and project repayment in periods with or production plans may change. Monthly bank statements
positive cash flow. Remember to add interest charges to and canceled checks are a good source of cash flow
payments. information against which your budget can be compared.
This will help you anticipate changes in your needs for
• Delay the due date of fixed debt payments to match cash and credit later in the year. You may even need to
periods with positive net cash flows. prepare a revised budget for the remainder of the year.

Operating Loan Transactions Developing a cash flow budget for the first time will
In Example 3, cash on hand at the beginning of the year not be easy. Close communication with your lender is
is $6,146. Enter this in the January-February column, important. By planning where you are going financially,
as well. Then work through the remaining periods to you can increase your chances of arriving there safely.
determine the amount of additional new borrowing Cash flow budgeting is an essential part of sound financial
needed in each period. management.

The farmer in the example wishes to plan for a cash Budgeting Major Investments
balance of at least $1,000 at the end of each period. The A cash flow budget also can be very helpful in evaluating
cash flow can be balanced by planning to borrow $20,000 major capital investments or changes in the farm business.
in operating capital in January, $5,000 in April, $11,000 Examples are purchasing land, building new hog facilities,
in June, and $22,000 in October. The operating loan or expanding a beef cow herd. Often it will be necessary
balance ($60,000) can be repaid in December, however, to develop two budgets: one for a business year after the
plus interest. investment or change in the business is complete, and one
Some farmers operate with a line of credit from their for the intermediate or transition year (or years).
lender, with a maximum borrowing limit, instead of As an example, a beef cow-calf producer decides to expand
borrowing funds in fixed amounts. The cash flow budget the herd by buying heifer calves. The producer should
also can be used to test if the need for operating capital develop a total cash flow budget for the operation as it will
will exceed this limit, as shown in the lower part of be after the expansion is complete. However, the greatest
Example 3. cash flow problem may be in the transition year. The
• Add the outstanding balance on the line of credit at expenses will increase because there will be more cattle in
the beginning of each period to the amount of new the herd but income will not increase until calves from the
borrowing in that period. If operating debt will be new heifers are sold.
repaid instead, subtract the amount to be repaid to
arrive at the ending credit balance for that period. Do Expansion of a livestock enterprise through construction
not include new borrowing to be repaid over several of new facilities can often create cash flow problems in the
years (such as for the combine) if the borrowing limit construction year, even if the facilities are financed with
applies only to short-term capital. an intermediate or long-term loan. This is especially true
if it will take some time to expand the enterprise up to
• In this case we are concerned only with the amount of the capacity of the facility. In the meantime, the producer
principal borrowed and repaid, not interest. will have to meet the loan payments on the facility, as well
• In the example, the farmer started the year with an as pay for additional labor and feed. A set of cash flow
annual operating loan balance of $203,200. The loan budgets could help select the best alternative in terms of
balance was projected to drop to $201,200 by the end of financial feasibility.
the year.
Twelve Steps to Cash Flow Budgeting Page 5

Example 3. Cash Flow Budget

Name: Mayer Farm Year: 2013
Cash Inflows Total for January March May July September November
Operating Year February April June August October December
Livestock income 233,587 38,931 38,931 38,931 38,931 38,931 38,931
Sales of crops 380,800 31,909 152,891 34,364 0 0 161,636
Other crop income 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
USDA payments 18,000 9,000 0 0 0 9,000 0
Custom hire income 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Farm rents, interest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Other 6,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Sales of Capital Assets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Financing
New short-term loans to receive 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
New long-term loans to receive 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Non-farm Income 7,400 400 400 2,900 400 400 2,900
a. Total Cash Inflows 645,787 81,240 193,222 77,195 40,331 49,331 204,468

Cash Outflows Total for January March May July September November
Operating Year February April June August October December
Seed 49,050 16,350 16,350 0 0 0 16,350
Fertilizer and lime 84,500 21,125 42,250 0 0 0 21,125
Chemicals 20,200 0 20,200 0 0 0 0
Crop insurance 10,700 0 0 0 0 10,700 0
Drying fuel 16,600 0 0 0 0 16,600 0
Custom hire or machine rental 1,750 0 0 438 875 437 0

Purchased crops 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Purchased livestock 11,200 1,867 1,867 1,867 1,867 1,867 1,867
Purchased feed 78,400 13,067 13,067 13,067 13,067 13,067 13,067
Health and veterinary 5,600 933 933 933 933 933 933
Marketing 6,720 1,120 1,120 1,120 1,120 1,120 1,120

Real estate taxes 11,000 0 5,500 0 0 5,500 0

Cash rent 80,000 0 40,000 0 0 0 40,000
Hired labor 30,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000
Repairs and upkeep 13,000 2,889 1,444 1,444 1,444 2,889 2,889
Fuel and lubrication 25,000 2,500 5,000 5,000 2,500 5,000 5,000
Other fixed expenses 6,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000
Equipment lease payments 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Miscellaneous operating costs 9,000 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500 1,500
Purchases of Capital Assets 50,000 0 0 50,000 0 0 0
Financing
Accounts payable 23,523 23,523 0 0 0 0 0
Short-term notes due 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Long-term loan payments 37,555 7,511 22,533 0 0 0 7,511
Installment contract payments 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Non-farm Expenditures
Family living expenses, taxes 36,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000
Non-farm investments 23,000 2,000 13,000 2,000 2,000 2,000 2,000
b. Total Cash Outflows 628,798 106,385 196,764 89,369 37,306 73,613 125,362
Page 6 Twelve Steps to Cash Flow Budgeting

Example 3. Cash Flow Budget (continued)

Total for January March May July September November
Summary
Year February April June August October December
c. Net Cash Flow (a - b) 16,989 (25,144) (3,542) (12,174) 3,025 (24,282) 79,106
d. Beginning cash balance 6,146 6,146 1,002 2,460 1,286 4,311 2,029
e. New operating loan received 58,000 20,000 5,000 11,000 22,000
f. Repayment of operating loan 60,000 60,000
g. Interest paid on oper. loan balance 18,589 0 0 0 0 0 18,589
Ending cash balance (c + d + e - f - g) 2,546 1,002 2,460 1,286 4,311 2,029 2,546

Operating Loan Balance

h. Beginning loan balance 203,200 203,200 223,200 228,200 239,200 239,200 261,200
Ending balance (h + e - f) 201,200 223,200 228,200 239,200 239,200 261,200 201,200
Twelve Steps to Cash Flow Budgeting Page 7

Cash Flow Budget

Name: Year:
Cash Inflows Total for January March May July September November
Operating Year February April June August October December
Livestock income
Sales of crops
Other crop income
USDA payments
Custom hire income
Farm rents, interest
Other
Sales of Capital Assets
Financing
New short-term loans to receive
New long-term loans to receive
Non-farm Income
a. Total Cash Inflows
Cash Outflows Total for January March May July September November
Operating Year February April June August October December
Seed
Fertilizer and lime
Chemicals
Crop insurance
Drying fuel
Custom hire or machine rental
Purchased crops
Purchased livestock
Purchased feed
Health and veterinary
Marketing
Real estate taxes
Cash rent
Hired labor
Repairs and upkeep
Fuel and lubrication
Other fixed expenses
Equipment lease payments
Miscellaneous operating costs
Purchases of Capital Assets
Financing
Accounts payable
Short-term notes due
Long-term loan payments
Installment contract payments
Non-farm Expenditures
Family living expenses, taxes
Non-farm investments
b. Total Cash Outflows
Page 8 Twelve Steps to Cash Flow Budgeting

Cash Flow Budget (continued)

Total for January March May July September November
Summary
Year February April June August October December
c. Net Cash Flow (a - b)
d. Beginning cash balance
e. New operating loan received
f. Repayment of operating loan
g. Interest paid on oper. loan balance
Ending cash balance (c + d + e - f - g)
Operating Loan Balance
h. Beginning loan balance
Ending balance (h + e - f)

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Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension William Edwards,
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of Agriculture. Cathann A. Kress, director,
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Cooperative Extension Service, Iowa State
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University of Science and Technology, Ames,
Many materials can be made available in alternative store.extension.iastate.edu/
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