21 November 2008 Lincoln manual 'tremendous budgeting help'

Lincoln University's popular Financial Budget Manual, a leading source of financial information for farmers, growers and consultants, is available now through the University.

"The manual is an excellent investment," says new editor Tony Chaston.

"It provides detailed information on thousands of farm and horticultural expenses and product prices, so it is a tremendous help when budgeting.

"It also contains profit comparisons for numerous farm enterprises and data on rural taxation and gift duty. It is a 'must' for the farm or horticultural office, or the consultant's practice."

The manual is available in book or CD format at $59.90 per copy, or if both book and CD are required the cost is discounted to $75.90 for the set. Prices include GST, postage and packing.

It can be purchased through the "Manual Sales" office in Lincoln University's Agriculture and Life Sciences Division. The postal address is PO Box 84, Lincoln University, Lincoln
7647, or orders can be made by phoning (03) 3253859.

The book runs to over 675 pages and covers costs and other data on everything from A for Animal Expenses and Apicultural Product prices, B for Baling and C for Crop costings
through to V for Vegetable Levies, W for Weed Control, Y for Yard Fees and Z for Zucchini Seed Costs. There are numerous items under every letter of the alphabet, all grouped in logical and readily referable categories and sections.

Tony says his first time as editor of the manual involved a "huge learning curve" but he was encouraged by knowing that the book provides a valuable service "not only to students but to the whole farming community."

He was a manual user himself when farming and has been gratified with the response of users to the latest edition.

"It has been a very worthwhile project," he says, "and one that carries on in the footsteps of Elizabeth Burtt, who developed the manual over the past 20 years."

Now retired from farming, first in the Catlins and then at Windwhistle in Canterbury, Tony also runs the web site Agridata and assists with some tutoring and lecturing at Lincoln University.