AGRICULTURAL PERSONNEL
MANAGEMENT PROGRAM
NEWSLETTER

This is to ask for your help in my research on educational and services needs, and information sources, in both personnel and business financial management among agricultural business operators, operators of (broadly defined) ag-related businesses and organizations, and their "key administrative employees." (Sounds like everyone on this list.) This assessment (newsletter pages 2 and 3) will help steer the content of future newsletters, fact sheets, and workshops prepared by this, and other advisors, in cooperation with various agencies and organizations.

Your confidential responses will be summarized in a report you will receive. And, as a measure of appreciation for completing this survey (and attaching you name and address), I'll send you selected publications related to employment standards compliance. Send your completed 2-page survey to: Steve Sutter, 1720 S. Maple Ave., Fresno, Ca 93702, or fax (209) 456-7575. Please respond before or by October 1, 1998. I thank you.

Worker Protection Standard Double Header... In California, ag employers must assure that fieldworkers assigned to work in a "treated" field have received prescribed general pesticide safety training within the last 5 years, BEFORE they can begin work. A treated field is one that has been treated with a pesticide or had a restricted entry interval in effect within the last 30 days.

Generally, FLCs, foremen, and company safety coordinators must attend an approved "instructor training program" to become qualified to instruct fieldworkers. I'll conduct two such instructor training programs, in English, at Cooperative Extension Office in Visalia (August 27) and San Luis Obispo (September 1). To pre-register for these free half-day classes, call Yolanda Murillo or Steve Sutter on (209) 456-7285.

Train-the-Trainer classes in Tractor Safety... The Agricultural Safety Institute, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and the CSUF Center for Ag Business, will conduct workshops aimed to train ag supervisors in presenting correct information about tractor safety. The English sessions, instructed by Richard Cavaletto, Director, Agricultural Safety Institute, are Tuesday, September 1, at the UC Kearney Ag Center in Parlier, and Wednesday, September 2 at the UC West Side Research and Extension Center in Five Points; both classes run 8:30 to Noon. The Spanish classes, taught by Gabe Lorente, Safety Consultant, are the same dates and locations, but run from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m. To register send $70 per participant, payable to: "Cal Poly Foundation"; specify the training date and language. For information, call (805) 756-2384.

ASSESSMENT OF MANAGEMENT EDUCATION NEEDS
OF FARM BUSINESS OPERATORS

A SURVEY prepared by STEVE SUTTER

This is to ask for your help by completing the following survey assessing the business management education and services needs of selected farm operators in financial, personnel, and production management. I'll summarize confidential responses in a newsletter.

Assessment of Farm Business Management
Education Needs

1. Sex:   ______ Male  ______ Female
2. Farm Business is:
      ______ Sole Proprietorship    ______ Partnership    ______ Corporation
      ______ Other: ______________________________________
3. Business Owner?    ______ Yes   ______ No
4. If not owner, job title: _________________________________________
5. Estimated business revenue for 1999 is less than $250,000?    ______ Yes   ______ No
      (This is USDA's Small Farm Definition)
6. Farming principal occupation?    ______ Yes   ______ No
      (50% or more of your working time)
7. Number of years you have farmed   ______________
       (If partnership, number for each partner -- separate by commas)
8. Generation farming (first, second, etc.) ______________
9. Total acres farmed ______________ or square feet under protection: ______________
10. List up to 6 commodities or services you currently produce:
       (1) ______________  (2) ______________  (3) ______________
       (4) ______________  (5) ______________  (6) ______________
    
11. Financial recordkeeping system:  _______ Manual   _______ Computerized
12. Internet and/or e-mail access?  _______ Yes   _______ No
13. If a business owner, goals include: ______________________________________
       ___________________________________________________________
       ___________________________________________________________
       And check below if goals also include:
       _______Control of a larger business   _______ Maximize profit
       _______Avoid low returns or profit   _______ Reduce borrowing needs
14. Does your business hire employees directly?  _______ Yes   _______ No
15. Does your business contract for labor?   _______ Yes  _______ No
16. Number of directly hired workers expected to be hired 150 days or more this year:   _______
17. Estimated direct-hire labor expense for this year is less than $100,000?   _______ Yes   _______ No
18. Do you currently have written employment policies?   _______ Yes   _______ No
19. Do you have written job descriptions?   _______ Yes  _______ No
20. My greatest educational and service needs in financial, personnel, and production management are:
        __________________________________________
        __________________________________________

        Other comments _____________________________
        __________________________________________
        __________________________________________
    

Although many of the topics below are important business functions, I ask that you RATE on the lines below (using alpha codes A, B, etc.) the IMPORTANCE TO YOU of information and services in the subject areas listed.

Rating Scale:  A = Extremely Important  B = Very Important   C = Somewhat Important  D = Not Too Important  E = Not At All Important

1. _____ Farm Accounting/bookkeeping principles & production recordkeeping
2. _____ Computerized accounting/financial statements
3. _____ Computer information (internet, e-mail)
4. _____ Preparing financial statements & total business analysis
5. _____ Business & contingency plan development, cash flow projection
6. _____ Enterprise cost/return analysis & budgeting
7. _____ Managing credit, credit sources & costs of debt
8. _____ Economics of land & equipment investment or lease
9. _____ Business organization (sole proprietor, partnership, corporation)
10. _____ Income tax planning, update & business return preparation
11. _____ Business insurance (crop, liability, equipment)
12. _____ Personal insurance/social security, retirement & estate planning
13. _____ Marketing & commodity-specific market news & outlook
14. _____ Production technology, cultural practices & pesticide recommendations
15. _____ General farm or workplace safety information
16. _____ Managing the payroll system & payroll tax update
17. _____ Computerized payroll
18. _____ Managing unemployment insurance taxes, including appeals
19. _____ Managing workers' compensation & disability insurance costs
20. _____ Employee compensation, incentives & benefit programs
21. _____ Wage/hour laws, posting, recordkeeping & child labor rules
22. _____ Immigration regulations, employment eligibility verification
23. _____ Labor relations & antidiscrimination regulations
24. _____ General OSHA safety & training requirements
25. _____ EPA pesticide use requirements & safety training for employees
26. _____ Employee recruitment, selection, training, appraisal & motivation
27. _____ Preparing & maintaining employment handbooks
28. _____ Preparing & maintaining job descriptions
29. _____ Employee discipline/termination and employee relations
30. _____ Management development and supervisor training

Yes, please place me on your list to receive a summary of this survey and other information and notices related to your education-research project.

Name: ____________________________________________________
Address: __________________________________________________
City: ____________________________ State: ______ Zip: _________
Phone: _____________________________
Fax: _______________________________

Return survey in the pre-addressed stamped envelope provided.