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Description:
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The primary purpose of the study was to quantify the parameters of successful agricultural producers . Through the use of the Financial and Risk Management (FARM ) Assistance database , this study evaluated economic measures for row -crop producers , livestock producers and diversified producers (farms which can not be classified as primarily crop or livestock ) . The sample population for this study was agricultural producers (N=196 ) who had participated in the Texas Cooperative Extensions FARM Assistance program in the years 2002 to 2004 . Financial performance was determined by several financial measures , such as net cash farm income , ending cash reserves , return on assets (ROA ) , equity growth and working capital . In addition , information gathered about the FARM Assistance clientele was used to examine the relationship between their demographic backgrounds and their financial success . SPSS was used to calculate frequencies , percentages , means , standard deviations , and administer one -way analysis of variance and independent sample t -test . The major findings of the study showed that the average age of the FARM Assistance participants was 51 years old . A large number of the participants (41 .90 % ) in the FARM Assistance program had a Bachelor of Science degree . This study also revealed that the mean net cash farm income for the 196 operations was $91 ,970 with a range from negative $152 ,990 to $822 ,610 . Row crop producers had a statistically significant higher ProScore index , net cash farm income , and net cash farm income per acre than livestock farms . Producers who started as farm employees had a statistically significant higher ProScore index than producers who started on their own , partnered with a family member , or those who selected other . Finally , producers who had fulltime , off farm employment had a statistically significant lower ProScore index than those producers who had part -time employment or those who did not have an off farm job . |