Sometimes it just feels good to complain about things, even if there’s not much to be done about the issue. A common complaint I hear from farmers is that they hate participating in product bundling from ag retailers. “Why not give me a lower price for a product instead of offering programming?” “I just want… Read more »
Category: Farm Management
New data shows rural Canada should be concerned about opioid use
It’s really easy to ignore data or information that we don’t want to hear. In this case, we cannot afford to ignore the impact that opioids are having in our rural communities across Canada. There is new data out today for the Government of Canada revealing that there was almost 4,000 opioid-related deaths in 2017…. Read more »
Fit Farmer — Ep 4: Working mental fitness into your routine
When someone says “take care of your mental health,” do you envision meditation sessions in quiet rooms or the latest yoga tend? While both meditation and yoga can be part of taking care of your headspace, they’re not the only way to do so. The most important thing is that you work to add mental health… Read more »
Put on the plaid for dad this Friday
One in seven Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. It’s the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men. This Friday — leading up to Father’s Day — will mark the fourth year where Prostate Cancer Canada has partnered with workplaces and individuals across the… Read more »
Mind Your Farm Business — Ep 32: Putting a value on public trust
If we can’t manage what we can’t measure, how do we approach the very real risk of losing public trust in how food gets grown? “Public trust is one of those things where we don’t know the full value of it until we’ve lost it,” says Crystal MacKay, president of the Canadian Centre for Food… Read more »
Ear tag sensor-based feed program field tested on Canadian dairy
Production efficiency is said to be one of the biggest limiting factors in dairy production. So to that end, for the past six months, animal nutrition and health company Alltech has been researching and developing a new production efficiency program called Smart Dairy. It combines nutrigenomics (the study of how nutrition affects gene expression) and… Read more »
Realized net farm income drops for first time since 2013
Realized net income on farms across Canada decreased by 2.5 percent to $8.3 billion last year, according to Statistics Canada’s annual farm income report published on Monday. The agency says rising depreciation charges and higher operating expenses offset a small increase in cash receipts, resulting in the first decline since 2013. Expenses rise by 2.5… Read more »
Keeping baby safe: Tips for farming with kids under 2
The joy of farming includes working from home — it’s a short commute, sometimes there’s a hot, mid-day meal (inexplicably referred to as dinner by many), and you get the chance to work with family, including many days being “bring your kids to work day.” The trouble is, farms are also work sites, and dangerous… Read more »
A nap could improve your farming productivity
There are times of the year where hours of sleep are few and the days are long. As farmers and ranchers check on the livestock, plant the crop, and try to cover as many acres in a day as possible, sleep deprivation becomes a consequence of getting the job done. But not getting enough rest… Read more »
Fighting for margin: Chemical price transparency for Canadian farmers
The actual price of farm chemicals is often hidden from farmers using techniques like rebates, black box programs and price matching. That means Canadian farmers may be paying different prices to buy the exact same products. The lack of transparency in the ag chemicals market can add costs to an already expensive crop production essential…. Read more »
Do More Ag Foundation receives $20,000 from Bayer CropScience
Bayer has announced a $20,000 contribution to The Do More Agriculture Foundation — a not-for-profit organization launched this past winter to raise awareness and promote mental well-being among farmers in Canada. “We believe that through this partnership we can help increase awareness of mental health issues and break the stigma that currently exists in the… Read more »
Let’s keep family in the family farm
The agricultural industry is changing very quickly on many fronts. Whether it is risk management, human resources, or the latest in technology, farming is becoming more complex all of the time. With all the rapid change around us the one thing that seems to be consistent is the role that family plays in making up… Read more »
Area One Farms offers two new farmland investment funds
Area One Farms, an investment firm that builds equity partnerships with Canadian farmers, has announced the launch of Area One Farms Fund IV and Fund V. The two funds will offer investors the “opportunity to invest in equity partnerships with Canadian farmers and farmland.” According to a press release, Fund IV will offer Canadian institutional… Read more »
Acquiring top farm talent through new-to-agriculture strategies
We recently posted a new episode of our Mind Your Farm Business podcast that focuses on human resource management. In conversation with four farmers across Canada we dug deep into topics like recruiting talent and methods to retaining the top performers. Not only were the farmers from a diverse geographic region, but their strategies for managing… Read more »
You’re right to be terrified of the word “fair”
“Fair” must be one of the most commonly used words in the English language. It most certainly is one of the most dangerous. It gets used and thrown around with reckless abandon every day. Don’t believe me? Here’s are some examples: Farm succession: “Let’s make sure we split up the farm so it’s fair for… Read more »