The Rural Voice, 1989-01, Page 11COMPUTERS: KEEPING
UP WITH THE FUTURE
As another year begins and farm
work is dormant for most farmers, it is
time to think about buying a computer
for the farm. Many (most?) farmers
keep books only for tax purposes.
This is not good enough anymore, as
farm management specialists have
pointed out now for years. The main
reason for keeping records should be
to analyze the operation and find
which parts of the farm business are
producing best.
The big advantage of a computer is
that complicated analyses can be done
with little loss of time. As professor
George Brinkman of the University of
Guelph has noted: "I see the oppor-
tunity for viable Canadian agriculture
but one that is based on high levels of
sophisticated management."
The price of machines, and that's
all they are, machines, has come down
considerably in recent years. An IBM
compatible computer can be had for
$1,000 to $1,500. Add a printer for
$250 and you are almost in business.
Almost, because now you need a
program that fits your farm operation.
The price of these programs depends
on the size and diversity of the
operation.
In my own case, I bought a book-
keeping program that satisfied my
accountant. (Consult him or her first
before buying.) I also used a record-
keeping program for my sow herd.
Once a week this program was fed
information: what sow was bred or
farrowed, how many piglets were born
live or dead, how many died from
what sow, and the boar responsible for
the births.
Once a month I punched a button
and the printer provided a complete
analysis of how the herd was perform-
ing. It allowed me to cull any less
productive sow or boar.
For my fields I had a program that
gave me information on which crop
was most profitable. An hour feeding
the computer with input prices for two
different crops gave me a bottom-line
figure on which to base my decision.
One thing that scares off many
farmers is the jargon used by compu-
ter buffs. Forget it. You don't have to
know how a tree grows to put a fence
post in the ground or to know how an
engine works to drive a vehicle.
The changing times will force
farmers to use computers. Just as herd
analysis becomes more important as
profits shrink, so field analysis will be
necessary to keep the cost of chemi-
cals to a minimum.
This can be done with a sharp
pencil, but is it? Not likely; it takes
too much time and effort. A computer
does the work effortlessly and without
mistakes — if the information you put
in is correct.
Many farmers have been forced off
the land in the past 10 years. Many
more will go in the next 10. Anyone
who doesn't want to belong to the new
group has little choice but to join the
computer age. Many farmers have
already. They are the survivors of the
future.
These forward-looking people have
formed clubs to exchange information
on getting the most out of their com-
puters. As true farmers do, they share
their discoveries. A number are able
to generate their own programs and
offer them for sale. But most farmers
begin by buying programs off the
shelf, as I did.
An added benefit is that the •
machine can be used for home
entertainment. If the kids (or Dad)
want to shoot down alien space ships,
your computer will oblige when not
in use for the business.0
Adrian Vos, from Huron County, has
contributed to The Rural Voice since
its inception in 1975.
1 -ELI -71\11 L s
COMPLETE LINE OF
ANIMAL FEED
— Hog — Beef
— Veal — Poultry
— Dairy — Pet
treleaven's
feed mill ltd.
box 182, lucknow, ont. NOG 2H0
519-528-3000
1-800.265.3006
JANUARY 1989 9