Table of Contents
- Chapter 1, Introduction
- Chapter 2, Examination Techniques
- Chapter 3, Industry Issues
- Chapter 4, Cattle Industry
- Chapter 5, Dairy Cattle Industry
- Chapter 6, Horse Industry
- Chapter 7, Sheep And Goat Industry
- Chapter 8, Swine Industry
- Chapter 9, Ratites And Alternative Livestock Industry
- Appendix - A, Glossary-Livestock Terms
- Appendix - B, Interview Questions - By Type
- Appendix - C, Other Sources Of Information
- Appendix - D, Livestock Breed Associations
- Appendix - E, United States Department Of Agriculture
Appendix B - Interview Questions By Type
Introduction
The following interview guidelines were downloaded from the IS/MSSP Bulletin Board. As with any interview questionnaire, use these only as suggested guides. Modification of the questions to fit the needs of each audit is absolutely necessary.
Development of your interviewing skills requires careful listening, quick assimilation of the information provided, and the ability to follow-up. Asking open ended questions to allow
discussion, rather than closed end answers, brings out much more information. Piecing the information together results in a complete picture of the taxpayer's operation.
W/P TITLE Initial Interview
SOURCE ______________________________
T/P _________________ TAX YR ________
DATE__________R/A _____ W/P INDX______
Farm Initial Interview
Name:
Address:
Phone Nos.
Rep:
Publication 1 T/P Rights?
Audit History:
Who prepared the return?
What information was used to prepare the return & is it available today?
Have you found any errors on the return that you filed? What are they?
What type of farming operation do you have? (grain, hogs, dairy)
How many acres do you own? Cash Rent? Sharecrop?
How many acres are in the following crops:
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Corn |
Soybeans |
Wheat |
Hay |
Other Crops |
| Your own land |
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| Rented land |
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| Sharecropped land |
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How much on farm storage capacity do you have? Do you lease additional storage facilities from others?
What is your rental arrangement with the various landowners? Written?
How much do you pay per acre for cash rental?
Do you issue 1099s for the rents? Are copies here for inspection?
On sharecropping arrangements, do you charge for harvesting the crop and hauling the crop away? Rates?
On sharecropping arrangements, how is the landlord billed and how is it displayed on your tax return for the input costs like seed, chemicals & fertilizer?
How do you report these payments that you receive from the landlords?
How do you report the income from the harvesting?
Do you dry and store the crop for the landlord?
Where do you sell your crops? (Elevators, Terminals, and individuals)
When do you sell the crop, in the year grown or in the following year?
How do you treat CCC loans when the proceeds are received? When you repay the loan?
Do you sell all of your production or is some used for livestock feed by you?
If so, how many bushels of corn would be used by you for feed purposes and how many acres of silage did you harvest?
Did you purchase any machinery, breeding stock, or land in the year under audit? If so, what was purchased, COST? Trade ins? Financing Agreements?
Did you sell any machinery, land, timber, or breeding stock in the year under audit?
Did you incur any land clearing charges or soil & water conservation expenses? Were there any amounts paid for by the local conservation office?
Do you have any employees?
Who are your primary suppliers of:
Seed:
Fertilizer:
Implement & Tractor Repair Parts :
Fuel:
Chemicals:
Breeding Stock:
Bank Account Information
Checking
Savings
Investments
Do you maintain a separate account for commodity option trades?
How is your operation financed?
Are your crops or livestock pledged as collateral for loan purposes? If so, do you have a copy of the financial statement that you supplied to them at the time you borrowed the funds?
Do you have any other sources of income such as W-2 wages, inheritances, insurance proceeds, refunds, rebates, or other income items.
Do you have any machine hire or other custom income?
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Beef Interview Questions
How many cows did you have in the year of audit?
What breed is your herd?
What is the average age of the herd?
Do you sell the calves from your herd or finish the feeders out?
Do you keep some of the heifer calves for herd replacement?
Do you use a bull for breeding purposes or do you use artificial insemination?
Do you market your cattle through any third party marketing agent and, if so, who is it and where are they located?
Where do you market your cull cattle?
Who are your suppliers of feed and supply items?
Do you have any arrangements with veterinarians for a regular herd health care program?
How many head of cattle do you market each year?
What is the weight of the cattle when you market them?
Does your tax return reflect an amount for personal consumption?
Did you buy any feeders during the year of audit and, if so, how many and from whom were they acquired?
If the herd was purchased, how was the acquisition financed?
Describe the feeding program. Are the feeders finished off in a feedlot or on pasture? (What are the feeds? silage, hay, shelled corn, or some combination.)
Follow-Up and Additional Notes:
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Dairy Interview Questions
How many cows did you have in the year of audit including the dry cows?
What breed is your herd?
What is the average age of the herd?
To whom do you sell your milk?
How much do they pay you per hundred weight of milk?
What do you do with the calves?
Do you keep the heifer calves for herd replacement?
Do you use a bull for breeding purposes or do you use artificial insemination?
How many times a day do you milk?
Have you been on a DHIA (Dairy Herd Improvement Association) test?
What is your herd's average milk production?
Who picks up the milk at the farm and does the dairy deduct the trucking from your check?
Do you market your milk through any third party marketing agent and if so who is it and where are they located?
Where do you market your cull cattle?
Who are your suppliers of feed and supply items?
Do you have any arrangements with veterinarians for a regular herd health care program?
Follow-Up and Additional Notes:
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Swine Interview Questions
How many hogs did you have for breeding purposes in the year under audit?
What breed is your herd?
What is the average litter size?
How many litters a year do you average?
At what age do you wean the pigs?
Are you a farrow to finish, a feeder, or a farrow only operation?
Do you keep any gilts back for herd replacement?
Do you use a boar or artificial insemination for breeding purposes?
Do you market your hogs through any third party marketing agent and if so who is it and where are they located?
Where do you market your stock?
Who are your suppliers of feed and supply items?
Do you have any arrangements with veterinarians for a regular herd health care program?
Do you advertise to sell breeding stock or feeder pigs?
Do you sell any pork directly to a consumers after butchering a hog? (like whole hog sausage or a pig for a pig roast)
Have you included an amount for your own personal consumption on your tax return?
Follow-Up and Additional Notes:
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Sheep Interview Questions
What is the size of your flock in the year under audit?
What breed is your flock?
What is the average number of lambs per ewe?
When do you lamb?
Do you feed out the lambs or sell them as feeder lambs?
Do you keep any lambs back for flock replacement?
Do you market your sheep through any third party marketing agent and if so who is it and where are they located?
Where do you market your stock?
Who are your suppliers of feed and supply items?
Do you have any arrangements with veterinarians for a regular herd health care program?
Do you advertise to sell breeding stock or feeder lambs?
Do you sell any lambs directly to consumers for butchering?
Have you included an amount for your own personal consumption on your tax return?
Who shears the flock and who buys the wool after the shearing?
Do you shear the lambs before you sell them?
Have you received any wool subsidy payments from the government?
Follow-Up and Additional Notes:
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Exotic Animal Interview Questions
What types of animals are you raising?
What is it that you are going to sell? Eggs? Meat? Pets? Fur?
How long have you been raising them?
What is the history of your operation? (profit or loss)
Do you keep any animals back for replacement purposes?
How and where do you market your stock?
Who are your suppliers of feed and supply items?
Do you have any arrangements with veterinarians for a regular herd health care program?
Do you advertise and if so how?
Is there personal consumption of your stock shown on your tax return?
What are your plans for the future of the venture?
Describe any special problems or practices that I should be aware of that are unique to your industry.
Follow-Up and Additional Notes:
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