Author Bio

Dennis Buckmaster is a Professor in Agricultural and Biological Engineering and founding director of the Purdue Institute for Digital and Advanced Agricultural Systems. Among other topics, he teaches Agricultural Systems Management courses including “Computing Technology with Applications” and “Effective Management”. His research is in the realm of data pipelines including Internet of Things and AI. He has a hobby farm in Clinton County. Presentation: Grow & Know: Specialty Crop Record Basics: Keeping accurate farm records is essential for managing production, tracking expenses and income, and meeting food safety requirements. This introductory session will explore how specialty crop growers can use digital resources to organize key records—from production details to financial data. We will cover what financial records you should keep, how those records can be used to create important financial documents, and why these documents matter for your farm’s success. We will introduce you to a mobile-friendly way to make records as events occur. Participants will leave with practical ideas and pointers to resources to build a strong record-keeping foundation for multiple aspects of most any business.