TABLE 4
              PROFITABILITY AND LIQUIDITY MEASURES, 2003                             
        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                           431          86          87
PROFITABILITY (assets valued at cost)
  Net farm income                      65,687      -7,197     191,203
  Labor and management earnings        44,748     -16,239     143,219
  Rate of return on assets              8.1 %      -2.3 %      13.6 %
  Rate of return on equity             10.8 %     -18.2 %      18.3 %
  Operating profit margin              19.2 %      -7.5 %      27.6 %
  Asset turnover rate                  42.0 %      31.2 %      49.2 %
  Interest on farm net worth           20,940       9,042      47,984
  Farm interest expense                17,324      16,195      22,508
  Value of operator lbr and mgmt.      28,287      19,189      44,786
  Return on farm assets                54,724     -10,192     168,926
  Average farm assets                 676,875     434,133   1,241,416
  Return on farm equity                37,401     -26,386     146,418
  Average farm equity                 346,707     145,116     799,740
  Value of farm production            284,558     135,480     611,023
                                     Avg. Of                         
                                    All Farms     Low 20%    High 20%
Number of farms                           431          86          87
LIQUIDITY (cash)
  Net cash farm income                 60,346      15,466     142,642
  Net nonfarm income                   21,011      27,349      20,673
  Family living and taxes              40,524      30,335      60,928
  Real estate principal payments        8,955       7,934      12,304
  Cash available for interm. debt      31,878       4,546      90,083
  Average intermediate debt           117,749     107,280     151,317
  Years to turnover interm. debt          3.7        23.6         1.7
  Expense as a % of income               79 %        91 %        75 %
  Interest as a % of income               6 %         9 %         4 %
LIQUIDITY (accrual)
  Total accrual farm income           307,891     164,774     635,141
  Total accrual operating expense     222,140     157,297     404,188
  Net accrual operating income         85,752       7,476     230,953
  Net nonfarm income                   21,011      27,349      20,673
  Family living and taxes              40,524      30,335      60,928
  Real estate principal payments        8,955       7,934      12,304
  Available for intermediate debt      57,284      -3,444     178,394
  Average intermediate debt           117,749     107,280     151,317
  Years to turnover interm. debt          2.1          **         0.8
  Expense as a % of income               72 %        95 %        64 %
  Interest as a % of income               6 %        10 %         4 %