TABLE 4
              PROFITABILITY AND LIQUIDITY MEASURES, 2000                             
        North Dakota Farm Business Management Education Program             
                             State Report                                  
                  (Farms Sorted By Net Farm Income)
                                        Avg. Of                         
                                       All Farms    Low 20%    High 20%
Number of farms                             475          95          95
PROFITABILITY (assets valued at cost)
  Net farm income                        54,022      -7,487     142,437
  Labor and management earnings          36,397     -15,801     108,163
  Rate of return on assets                8.5 %      -1.3 %      14.3 %
  Rate of return on equity                9.9 %     -22.2 %      19.0 %
  Operating profit margin                20.9 %      -3.8 %      30.7 %
  Asset turnover rate                    40.8 %      33.2 %      46.4 %
  Interest on farm net worth             17,625       8,315      34,274
  Farm interest expense                  20,928      23,523      25,440
  Value of operator lbr and mgmt.        25,177      21,575      33,653
  Return on farm assets                  49,773      -5,539     134,223
  Average farm assets                   582,750     442,002     941,781
  Return on farm equity                  28,845     -29,061     108,783
  Average farm equity                   290,974     130,803     571,229
  Value of farm production              237,688     146,741     437,296
                                        Avg. Of                         
                                       All Farms    Low 20%    High 20% 
Number of farms                             475          95          95
LIQUIDITY (cash
  Net cash farm income                   45,172      12,837      90,816
  Net nonfarm income                     18,472      24,675      13,279
  Family living and taxes                37,498      29,712      49,190
  Real estate principal payments          7,390       6,206      10,199
  Cash available for interm. debt        18,756       1,593      44,707
  Average intermediate debt             105,045     113,826     131,505
  Years to turnover interm. debt            5.6        71.4         2.9
  Expense as a % of income                 80 %        92 %        78 %
  Interest as a % of income                 9 %        13 %         6 %
LIQUIDITY (accrual)
  Total accrual farm income             254,320     164,082     472,852
  Total accrual operating expense       187,240     157,426     312,751
  Net accrual operating income           67,079       6,656     160,101
  Net nonfarm income                     18,472      24,675      13,279
  Family living and taxes                37,498      29,712      49,190
  Real estate principal payments          7,390       6,206      10,199
  Available for intermediate debt        40,663      -4,587     113,992
  Average intermediate debt             105,045     113,826     131,505
  Years to turnover interm. debt            2.6          **         1.2
  Expense as a % of income                 74 %        96 %        66 %
  Interest as a % of income                 8 %        14 %         5 %
** Income insufficient to meet debt servicing requirements