Basic Accounting: Guidance for Beginning Farmers

Good bookkeeping is critical to financial well-being for any business. It allows the business owner (the farmer) to see whether the business is profitable, set and monitor progress toward goals, and, above all, plan for the financial stability of the farm. The purpose of this publication is to make basic accounting approachable for people with little or no accounting experience and encourage new farmers to develop good recordkeeping habits at the outset.

NOTE: This is not a full-length book. Rather, it is a technical paper produced by the National Center for Appropriate Technology’s (NCAT) ATTRA project, which provides high-value information and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, Extension agents, educators, and others involved in sustainable agriculture in the United States. For more information, visit www.attra.ncat.org.