And all farmers have to grapple with the weather; droughts and storms alike can wreak havoc on your inventory. Just this August, a derecho event destroyed an estimated 200–400 million bushels of crops in Iowa alone, reducing the state’s projected yield by up to half. For accounting purposes, crops are treated differently than livestock.

In the agriculture industry, all accounting must follow the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) guidelines to avoid the aforementioned fees, fines, and criminal charges. GAAP refers to a common set of accounting principles, standards, and procedures issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Under the accrual method, uniform capitalization rules apply to all costs of raising crops, even if the pre-productive period of raising crops is two years or less.

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However, this method is much more convoluted than reporting on a cash basis. Course DescriptionAgricultural Accounting addresses every aspect of the accounting that one might encounter in a farm, ranch, or related business. The intent is https://www.bookstime.com/ to not only explain accounting concepts, but also to provide examples and show how an accounting system can be constructed and operated. In short, this course is an essential desk reference for anyone engaged in agricultural operations.

Wherever your business operates in the supply chain cycle, our professionals can help determine what steps are right for you. Our collaborative approach takes the time to understand your unique business needs and contextualize how they may be impacted by the industry as a whole. Our industry-smart insight into the entire supply chain—from grower to consumer and all points between—provides fresh perspectives designed to help your business thrive.

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And when you postpone the gain, be ready to back up your math. Pull your AG accounting records from past years to show how many animals you’ve sold, how many animals you would have sold without the weather-related conditions, and other proof. Document the weather if it causes you to see or exchange more livestock than you normally would. The IRS lets certain farm businesses postpone reporting the gain from additional animal sales if you can prove that the sale was weather-related.

You can use Schedule J to average your taxable income over the previous three years. That way, you can potentially lower your tax liability if your income is high one year and low in another. Unlike machinery and other types of agricultural accounting property, land does not wear out. Download our FREE whitepaper, Business Guide to Navigating Through Disasters & Emergencies, for overviews and government links. AccountingTools is an IRS Approved Continuing Education Provider.