TABLE - 20
                     Crop Enterprise Analysis, 2003          
        North Dakota Farm Business Management Education Program 
                              State Report          
                      (Farms Sorted By Net Return)  
                        Corn Silage on Cash Rent    
                                       Avg. Of 
                                      All Farms     Low 20%    High 20%
Number of fields                             39          10           6
Number of farms                              30           6           6
Acres                                     57.48       34.16       48.33
Yield per acre (ton)                       6.91        4.07       13.24
Operators share of yield %               100.00      100.00      100.00
Value per ton                             16.32       16.76       15.36
Other product return per acre              0.39        1.64          - 
Total product return per acre            113.15       69.85      203.25
Miscellaneous income per acre             15.91        4.33          - 
Gross return per acre                    129.06       74.18      203.25
Direct Expenses
  Seed                                    20.07       28.68       21.52
  Fertilizer                              18.82       22.18       19.02
  Crop chemicals                          13.94       19.31        9.47
  Crop insurance                           6.01       12.72        4.99
  Fuel & oil                               9.19        5.75       11.00
  Repairs                                 14.72       14.52       12.86
  Custom hire                              6.12       13.57        2.61
  Land rent                               25.21       24.08       29.98
  Operating interest                       2.79        1.13        5.36
  Miscellaneous                            0.69          -           - 
Total direct expenses per acre           117.55      141.95      116.81
Return over direct exp per acre           11.51      -67.77       86.44
Overhead Expenses
  Hired labor                              5.91        4.42        3.10
  Machinery & bldg leases                  0.65        1.61        1.33
  Farm insurance                           1.77        1.31        1.51
  Utilities                                1.36        1.22        0.73
  Interest                                 4.62        2.82        4.52
  Mach & bldg depreciation                 9.67        8.17        6.78
  Miscellaneous                            2.77        1.73        1.11
Total overhead expenses per acre          26.75       21.28       19.08
Total dir & ovhd expenses per acre       144.30      163.22      135.89
Net return per acre                      -15.24      -89.04       67.36
Lbr & mgt charge per acre                 16.14       15.36       16.90
Net return over lbr & mgt                -31.38     -104.41       50.46
Government payments                        9.83        9.78        9.80
Net return with govt payments            -21.55      -94.63       60.26
Cost of Production
Total direct expense per ton              17.01       34.88        8.83
Total dir & ovhd exp per ton              20.88       40.11       10.27
With labor & management                   23.22       43.89       11.54
Total exp less govt & oth income          19.44       40.02       10.80