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Keeping up with farm and ranch finances is hard. Between tracking inputs, managing multiple enterprises and preparing for tax season, agricultural producers face a unique set of financial challenges. Ambrook is here to fill that void. Ambrook builds financial management software to help agricultural owner-operators know their numbers, improve profitability and build resilience for their business. In short, Ambrook’s goal is to help family-run businesses stay independent.
“If you’re somebody that’s been doing this a long time, trying to be your own armchair accountant, let me tell you: the support that’s behind Ambrook, and the way the platform is set up, makes it a lot easier to get your time back,” Tara Ostendorf, a Minnesota farmer, said. “If somebody’s in a position that I was in, where you’re trying to do a startup and you’re trying to build your business from the front end, Ambrook gives you a super easy way to learn with support.”
Made specifically for agriculture, Ambrook is an all-in-one platform for bookkeeping, bill pay, reporting, and tax prep. Most accounting software was made for accountants. Ambrook, on the other hand, was made for the owner-operators and teams working in the field, not behind a desk.
Ambrook is building a more prosperous and resilient future for America’s family-run businesses by making complex bookkeeping and accounting concepts accessible to agricultural owner-operators.
Below, we explore Ambrook’s key advantages it brings to the farm table.
Built for Agriculture
One of Ambrook’s strengths is that it was designed from the ground up, specifically for ag operations. From day one, Ambrook’s co-founders worked side-by-side with agricultural owner-operators to build a solution that fit the realities of the farm and ranch. The team guides customers through a setup process that reflects the workflows already in place on the farm or ranch. The ag-specific features map to Schedule F and unit economics for per-acre and per-head analysis that can be set up by location, enterprise and project.
“I think what was most helpful and why I was instantly hooked on Ambrook was that they had already created chart of accounts that were based off the Schedule F,” Ostendorf said. “…Just try it and see if it is something that could help you out. Get some freedom back from having to do all the book work all the time.”
Ambrook also has a variety of pricing plans, so producers’ accounting software can grow with them. You can track what matters, and unlock more advanced tools as your business scales. Ambrook’s software is powerful but also easy to use.
Mobile- and Check-Friendly
Ambrook was built for the farm lifestyle. The software has a mobile app that has the full power of the desktop version, which is critical for producers who spend most of their time in the field rather than at a computer. You can snap photos of receipts from the store, log expenses in the field and send invoices right from the tractor cab. You can also record checks from the software, and Ambrook will even cut and mail checks for customers, saving the trip to the post office and the hassle of recording all financial payments.
“As I grew more, I started realizing how critical documenting and tracking and understanding numbers is to running a business,” said Magnus Peterson, a third-generation Kansas hay and row-crop farmer. “I had been using QuickBooks and it was, you know, fine. But there were a lot of user things that didn’t flow smoothly.”
More Than Just Bookkeeping
Ambrook gives farmers and ranchers peace of mind through financial clarity. The tagging system lets producers easily see the full picture of their operation’s financial health, making it easier to answer key questions: Which crop made the most money this year? Is our hay business covering its costs? Am I breaking even on this field? Producers can also track their equipment and loans on their easy-to-use balance sheet.
“I’m big on customizing stuff, and they make it really easy to do that. I have some of the categories they recommended,” Jonathan Graber, a Texas cow-calf, equine and dog owner-operator, said. “But what I like about it is you can make your own, and you can make your books fit the way you think in your head, but then it also fits with the way the CPA and the tax people need to see it.”
For farms with multiple revenue streams or entities, this tagging system allows for enterprise analysis without extra spreadsheets. Producers always know where their business stands because reports are updated in real time.
U.S.-Based Support, Specialized in Ag
Ambrook doesn’t replace people with technology; the company believes AI and tech should take over the quiet, boring tasks, and allow people to step into a more personal and strategic role. Ambrook’s customer support team is U.S.-based and ag-centric, ready to help with everything from initial setup to troubleshooting questions about cash flow.
“When I need help, I just type in a message to somebody, and I don’t get an AI-generated person. I get a human being answering me back,” Jo Ellen Carey, a Maryland beef cattle, grain, horse and hay owner-operator, said. “To me, that is everything. Because I hate talking to a computer. You know, that personal touch is getting lost by so many these days. But Ambrook covers that. They’ve got real people, so I love it.”
This kind of hands-on support is one of the most commonly cited reasons farmers stick with Ambrook. It’s not just a tool, but a partner in managing the business side of the operation.
The Bottom Line
If it’s time to ditch the spreadsheets, shoebox or other software, Ambrook is worth a look. It’s easy to use, flexible and built for the way ag businesses operate.
Ambrook offers a free 30-day trial to readers at ambrook.com/agweek, so producers can see for themselves if it’s a fit for their operation. Ambrook also offers free educational materials producers can access at ambrook.com/education. Pricing plans are designed for a wide range of operations and are meant to scale with your business. Try it out today!
