Business Resources
The impetus of PRO-DAIRY was a business focus and the Managing for Success program. The Farm Business Management program area has expanded and now impacts farms across the state and includes business analysis, discussion groups and personal growth programs.
Dairy Farm Business Summary Publications

Trend Analyses - NYS Dairy Farms Selected Financial and Production Factors
- Six Year Trend Analysis 2023 (2024)
- Comparing New York dairy farm characteristics, costs, and performance across four quartiles of profitability in 2023
- Performance trends for NY dairy farms from 2018 to 2023 (2024)
- Six Year Trend Analysis 2022 (2023)
- Comparing New York dairy farm characteristics, costs, and performance across four quartiles of profitability in 2022
- Six Year Trend Analysis 2021 (2022)
- Comparison of Selected Measures and Costs by Quartiles of Profitability (2022)
- Six Year Trend Analysis 2020 (2022)
- Six Year Trend Analysis 2019 (2021)
Additional Reports
- Hired labor on New York State dairy farms: Cost, efficiency, and change from 2016 - 2022 (2023)
- Hired labor on New York State Dairy Farms: Cost, Efficiency and Change from 2011 through 2020 - (2021)
- Costs to produce milk in 2020: What is the range? - (2021)
- Factors associated with variations in earnings (2019)
- Understanding your break-even cost of production - (2020)
Historical DFBS Publications
About Dairy Farm Business Summary
The objective of the Dairy Farm Business Summary (DFBS) is to enable producers to: analyze their financial situation, set future goals, and make sound financial decisions. DFBS also allows producers to compare their business to an average of other producers.
Dairy Profit Monitor
The Dairy Profit Monitor is a business management program that allows dairy producers and consultants to enter herd and financial data every month online and at their convenience. With that capability, users get an immediate report back on their business on dairy benchmarks as well as financial parameters.
Reports
- Dairy Profit Monitor 16 years of change - (2024)
- Dairy Profit Monitor Trends July 2023 through June 2024 - (2024)
- Component production per cow per day: Ranges and selected measures - (2024)
- Dairy Profit Monitor Trends July 2022 through June 2023 - (2023)
- Dairy Profit Monitor Trends July 2020 through June 2022 - (2022)
- Dairy Profit Monitor – Year to Date Performance - (2021)
- Key Dairy Production Trends - Dairy Profit Monitor Annual Trend Graphs (2021)
Cost Calculators
A milking parlor is a large investment on farms and the milking labor accounts for over one-third of all labor costs on farms. This calculator is designed to help farms determine the areas of the milking center that are the main drivers in milk harvest and storage costs.
One important aspect of the manure management system is the cost to apply manure. This template is designed to determine the cost of utilizing liquid manure systems.
This template is designed to determine the costs associated with getting dairy animals checked pregnant.

Dairy Replacements Evaluation Tools
Cost calculators, worksheets, and activity analysis to inform decision-making.
Worksheets
Business Reporting Tools
The DuPont Analysis System is a graphical picture of the relationship that operating performance and financial structures have in determining what return on assets and return on equity will be. Developed by the DuPont Corporation to aid in decision making, the model provides a way to analysis the impact different changes may have on returns. The model has been adapted to match how the majority of dairy businesses keep their records and to allow some additional analysis to occur.
An Excel spreadsheet for the economic analysis of capital leases. Version 2.2 can handle different values in each year for tax rates, interest rates and the opportunity cost of capital.
An Excel 5.0 file designed for calculating financial statements for agriculture consistent with the recommendations of the Farm Financial Standards Council (FFSC).
Reports and Analyses
Business Management
- Core Values: What they are and how to establish them
- Core Values: Bringing them to life
- Managing your earnings in 2022: Can we impact 2023 and beyond?
- Basic Income Tax and Equity Effects of a Profits Interest LLC
- Rising Labor Costs: Strategies and Approaches
- Suggested Chart of Accounts for Computer Accounting and What Should Be in Each …
- Culling Rates and Profit - Is there a Management Issue?
- The Five C's of Credit
- Can You Manage Risk?
- Risk Management Part II