Management Publications from NRAES

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By Gordon Groover of the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Virginia Tech

Virginia Cooperative Extension is now a member NRAES (Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service). NRAES is an interdisciplinary, issue-oriented program sponsored by the cooperative extension directors of the member state universities. NRAES is focused on providing publications and support materials to farmers and educators.

The mission of NRAES is to assist faculty and staff at member universities in increasing the availability of research- and experience-based knowledge to improve the competitiveness and sustainability of agriculture and natural resources enterprises, increase understanding of processes that safeguard the food supply, and promote environmental protection and enhancement.

NRAES produces a number of publications in the management area. List below are a selected listing of publications and their explanations from the NRAES WWW site. These publications could be a valuable source of information to your extension program. A complete listing of NRAES publications can be found at http://www.nraes.org.

Farming Alternatives: A Guide to Evaluating the Feasibility of New Farm-Based Enterprises NRAES-32 ($8.00). Farming Alternatives by Nancy Grudens Schuck, formerly of Cooperative Extension, Cornell University; Wayne Knoblauch, Agricultural, Resource, and Managerial Economics, Cornell University; Judy Green, Farming Alternatives Program, Cornell University; and Mary Saylor, Extension Education, The Pennsylvania State University.

This book is written to assists rural and farm residents who are considering alternative enterprises. The case study and workbook format helps in evaluating personal and family considerations, resources, market potential, production feasibility, profitability, cash flow, and all factors combined. The guidebook also offers research sources for enterprise ideas. Each chapter includes exercises, self-tests, checklists, and worksheets that allow the reader to analyze an enterprise idea

Workforce Management for Farms and Horticultural Businesses: Finding, Training, and Keeping Good Employees NRAES-117 ($15.00). This publication is the proceedings from the conference "Workforce Management for Farms and Horticultural Businesses: Finding, Training, and Keeping Good Employees," which was held January 13-15, 1999, in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Included are fourteen papers presenting concepts and practices related to creating a work environment that motivates employees and is productive, profitable, safe, and worker-friendly. Papers address fundamentals of human resource management that apply to all types of farms and horticultural businesses. Individual papers focus on topics including the value of good employees, learning to be a better manager, implementing people-oriented management, enhancing the employer's reputation, communicating the business's mission, rewarding employees, managing a multicultural workforce, performance feedback, recruitment and hiring, getting the most from employees, leadership skills, hiring with or without a contract, elements of an employee contract, discrimination, essential regulations, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency worker protection standard, developing a safety training program, and others. The proceedings will be of interest to owners and managers of farms, horticultural businesses, and agribusinesses and to professionals who advise them.

Fixed and Flexible Cash Rental Arrangements for Your Farm NCR-75 ($4.00). This publications addresses whether a fixed cash-rent lease arrangement should be used; discusses how to develop a fair fixed cash rental rate; provides information on setting rent for cropland, pasture, and buildings; outlines advantages and disadvantages of flexible cash-leasing arrangements; and discusses the importance of developing a written lease agreement. A sample lease form-Cash Farm Lease Form, NCR-76, 4 pages, is included.

Crop-Share or Crop-Share/Cash Rental Arrangements for Your Farm NCR-105 ($4.00). This publication helps tenants and landlords develop fair crop-share arrangements and assists them in making sound decisions based on a fair evaluation of resources. It addresses the relative advantages and disadvantages of crop-share leases and explains how to deal with buildings, pasture, and other cropland in arranging a crop-share lease. The publication includes a sample lease form--Crop-Share or Crop-Share/Cash Farm Lease Form, NCR-77.