Accredited Farm Manager

Farm Managers offer professional management services to farmland owners to help them optimize the returns from their asset. Using their expertise in working with people, crop and livestock production, commodity marketing, soil conservation, financial analysis and accounting, and real estate brokerage, farm managers help their clients maintain and improve the value of their asset and generate cash returns that meet their client's objectives.

Managers associated with the ASFMRA follow a code of ethics and strive to provide high quality services that include leasing and tenant selection, crop production planning and supervision, improvement project management, commodity sales planning and execution, record keeping and investment analysis. An ASFMRA Accredited Farm Manager has achieved the highest level of professionalism and education in the industry.

An Accredited Farm Manager (AFM) possesses the skills, experience and education to provide land investment analysis and management of day-to-day operations for ag enterprises. The AFM designation is available only through the ASFMRA and is awarded to those individuals that demonstrate experience and complete a rigorous education program to enhance professional skills and knowledge of land management and production agriculture.

The AFM:

  • Has specialized expertise to keep an operation profitable and sustainable
  • Practices sound business to manage production inputs to improve margins
  • Has an understanding of environmental issues for compliance with governmental regulations
  • Has the knowledge of government activities that affect agriculture including taxation, regulations, legislation and subsidies

Please take a look at the AFM Checklist under Helpful Links below for full details

  1. Required coursework:
    • Ag Land Management 1 (24 hours)
    • Ag Land Management 2 (24 hours)
    • Ag Land Management 3 (24 hours)
    • Ag Land Management 4 (8 hours)
    • ASFMRA Best in Business Ethics (2 hours)
    • Total 82 hours
  2. A four-year college degree or equivalent as approved by the Management Education/Accrediting Committee. Any equivalent education should be submitted for approval to ASFMRA as soon as possible in the accreditation process.
  3. Four years experience in Farm or Ranch management.
  4. ASFMRA membership prior to submitting an application for accreditation.
  5. Submission of one demonstration farm management plan.


Please submit your application and Farm Plan to
accreditation@asfmra.org. Deanna Ilk is available to assist you with questions at dilk@asfmra.org or (303) 692-1222.