In this Issue:

Greetings! 

It's Spring!  While you're waiting for your fields to dry, mark your calendars for the first big training event of the year: PORK$HOP.  And check your mail for yourTiMEsavr package.  But beware of collateral damage from your virus protection software!

Most of all remember that when you have a front-row seat on exceptional weather, enjoy the ride!  This pastoral photo was taken on May 13th, 2010.  The corn was all planted so what could be more relaxing and rewarding than to boat and fish on this inviting farm pond.  Except it was the corn field!  It's all a matter of perspective.

                                                               SDG

Question:  What do you do now that the "sky's the limit" for hog prices yet your feed floor is also heaving up violently?

Answer:  You've got to make margin management your #1 priority.  
 The 19th Annual PORK$HOP seminar, sponsored by CPA firm Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth, LLP and FBS Systems, Inc.,willassist you in this daunting task by assembling our favorite experts in economics and market trends, accounting, risk management, finance, and information technology to provide a concise, coordinated overview of the costs, risks and opportunities facing pork producers who strive to thrive in the next decade.

Computer Practices for Measuring and Projecting Margins

The seminar kicks off with an "early bird" session covering how to use FBS integrated production/accounting/budgeting software to increase the accuracy and timeliness of cost of production and margin analysis.  In addition, "best practices" from FBS pork clients will be shared as well as an overview of new versions and options. 

 Costs, Competitiveness and Sustainability 

John McNutt, consultant with Latta, Harris, Hanon & Penningroth LLP

Mark Penningroth, CPA andJohn McNutt, MBA, from the Latta, Harris, Hanon and Penningroth CPA and Consulting firm will begin the first general session by unveiling the LHHP 2010 Cost of Production and Comparative Benchmarks. Composed of over 40 farms, this database breaks down every phase of production and cost category, allowing participants to see the effects of feed, energy, labor, genetics, facility and vet costs over seven years.  This year the LHHP analysis will also review the competitiveness and sustainability of some common pork business models.

Economics and Market Trends

Michael Swanson, Wells Fargo Bank

 Following lunch,Michael Swanson, Vice President and Agricultural Economist for Wells Fargo Bank, will present the keynote address, "Demand Drivers for Pork; Cost Drivers for Feed." 

Swanson will answer these timely questions:

• What's the impact of switching demand from domestic to export markets?
• What's the outlook for feed costs?
• Land:  time to buy or time to sell?

Practical Application of Risk Management

The concluding panel discussion, "Managing the Margin," will provide practical examples of how producers can apply hog and feed price risk management to their own operations.  

David Ward, Senior Risk Manager with Commodity and Ingredient Hedging will demonstrate how the CIH web-based platform provides an interactive decisions support system to evaluate risks and opportunities as well as monitor margins.  CIH client, Adam Hockerof Brenneman Pork, will describe how his firm manages price and feed risks.  Kent Bang, Regional Vice President of Bank of the West will offer a lender's perspective on risk management in 2011.

Kent Bang, Bank of the West

Please join us and other pork industry leaders for this unique, timely, invitation-only event one day prior to and  just 90 miles east of the site of the World Pork Expo. 

For more information or to register, click here or call 800-437-7638 / Extension 1.

There's a wealth of timely information waiting your inspection at our new website. Check them out now by clicking on the image or any of the links below.

• Training Videos
• Integrated Crop and Pork Slideshows
• Training Schedules
• Trade Show Schedules
• Support and web demo contact forms
• Detailed product information and brochures
• Archive newsletters
• Seminar presentations
• "Custom search" content
• User testimonials
• Background info for livestock and crop producers, professional farm managers and accounting/consulting firms
• Links to partner firms and organizations

To start your tour, click on the image above. 

Leave comments or suggestions regarding our website.

 Q.  My Norton Internet Security quarantined some of my FBS files when I scanned my computer, and now I get a Runtime 53 error when I select certain FBS modules.  Is my FBS software infected with a virus?  How do I fix the problem so I can run FBS? 

 A.  Several users have experienced an issue with their security software quarantining FBS files.  It seems that recent updates toNorton Internet Security, Norton 360 and other virus protection programs are looking for files with similar naming formats to the FBS program files.  While FBS itself is not infected, but there is a known virus that is named or mimics FBS and other programs, so to err on the side of caution the security software programs are quarantining these files. 

Sarah Dixon, FBS Technical Services Manager

The fix for this issue will vary depending on the version of security software system installed; therefore, we can't provide specific help in this process.  However, the general goal is to exclude the FBSWIN program file folder from future security scans.  If you don't know how to do this, call your security software's customer support line for assistance.  Once the FBS program files are excluded from the virus scan they will need to be repaired.  Insert the latest FBS CD, and run it like you would to install your yearly upgrades.  This will replace any files that were quarantined and removed during the scan.  Once that is done FBS should be up and running!

May Webinar Schedule

Overview of Versions 8.11/10.0, May 2nd.
DTN Interface and Hedging, May 9th.

Smart Feeder Reports, May 16th.

Crop Records, May 23rd.

To register, e-mail support@fbssystems.com by 9:00 am CDT on the day of the webinar.