Online Horticulture Farming Tools

The HortCalculator, developed by Dr. Ariana Torres and her team at Purdue University's Horticulture Business program, is an online financial tool designed to assist small farmers in making informed decisions about their agricultural investments. The tool provides crop- and farm-specific enterprise budgets and financial analyses, helping farmers monitor profits and expenses, evaluate the economic feasibility of adopting new practices, and mitigate market risks. By offering detailed financial insights, HortCalculator aims to lower economic barriers to sustainable agriculture, enabling farmers to optimize their resources and improve their overall farm management.

HortCalculator also supports farmers in implementing integrated pest management strategies and other sustainable practices by providing a user-friendly interface similar to TurboTax. This allows farmers to easily record and analyze their financial data, enhancing their financial knowledge and decision-making capabilities. The tool is part of Purdue's broader effort to promote sustainable agriculture and is supported by the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Through webinars and online resources, the team at Purdue University continues to educate and assist farmers in leveraging HortCalculator to achieve economic resilience and sustainability in their farming operations.

Image Credit: Purdue University