TABLE 4
              PROFITABILITY AND LIQUIDITY MEASURES, 2004 
        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                           434          86          87
PROFITABILITY (assets valued at cost)
  Net farm income                      57,988     -12,059     163,031
  Labor and management earnings        34,074     -22,388     109,962
  Rate of return on assets              6.2 %      -3.6 %      10.5 %
  Rate of return on equity              7.2 %     -20.9 %      13.5 %
  Operating profit margin              15.4 %      -9.6 %      25.0 %
  Asset turnover rate                  40.0 %      37.3 %      42.1 %
  Interest on farm net worth           23,914      10,330      53,069
  Farm interest expense                17,810      16,905      25,340
  Value of operator lbr and mgmt.      29,499      22,007      43,701
  Return on farm assets                46,298     -17,161     144,670
  Average farm assets                 749,675     480,609   1,375,829
  Return on farm equity                28,489     -34,066     119,330
  Average farm equity                 396,218     162,991     884,480
  Value of farm production            299,804     179,397     579,086
                                     Avg. Of                         
                                    All Farms     Low 20%    High 20%
Number of farms                           434          86          87
LIQUIDITY (cash)
  Net cash farm income                 73,289      22,896     166,035
  Net nonfarm income                   20,419      29,359      15,070
  Family living and taxes              45,019      38,401      62,865
  Principal due on long term debt       8,735       7,377      14,399
  Cash available for interm. debt      39,954       6,476     103,841
  Average intermediate debt           126,099     120,742     170,262
  Years to turnover interm. debt          3.2        18.6         1.6
  Expense as a % of income               77 %        89 %        71 %
  Interest as a % of income               5 %         7 %         4 %
LIQUIDITY (accrual)
  Total accrual farm income           322,430     199,825     607,838
  Total accrual operating expense     242,123     193,184     406,372
  Net accrual operating income         80,307       6,641     201,466
  Net nonfarm income                   20,419      29,359      15,070
  Family living and taxes              45,019      38,401      62,865
  Principal due on long term debt       8,735       7,377      14,399
  Available for intermediate debt      46,973      -9,779     139,272
  Average intermediate debt           126,099     120,742     170,262
  Years to turnover interm. debt          2.7          **         1.2
  Expense as a % of income               75 %        97 %        67 %
  Interest as a % of income               6 %         8 %         4 %
  ** Income insufficient to meet debt servicing requirements