Farming can be an overwhelming business, with scientific and economic complexities in every decision. Just deciding on seeding plans or organizing a work crew for silage season can be incredibly stressful. And just when you thought the decisions couldn’t be anymore prevalent, you get a call from a land company requesting access to survey for… Read More
Category: Farm Management
Farming has become a year-round state of mind. Seasonality is not as much of a management consideration as it once was, especially for crop producers. Planting season and harvest season still exist, but due to increased demands – including the need to constantly be working on public image — the farming season has become a… Read More
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Gerry Ritz was on hand at the Canterra Seeds warehouse in Winnipeg, Man., to announce the tabling of Bill C-18, the Agricultural Growth Act. The Act addresses a total of nine areas where Canada’s regulations need “modernizing, amending and streamlining of processes”. While there isn’t a monetary figure attached to… Read More
The tide seems to be turning in the area of cattle feeder profitability with live cattle futures swinging upwards and feed prices trending downward. All of this will be for not if you do not manage your risk and lock in some profits. As Anne Wasko mentions in this weeks Beef Market Update, you need… Read More
If you haven’t yet registered for FarmTech, Rick Taillieu would like you to soon, because the event will likely sell out and you don’t want to miss this conference. Held at Edmonton’s Expo Centre and running from January 28 to 30, 2014, FarmTech features over 60 concurrent speakers, and you won’t want to miss the… Read More
Below are some of my thoughts about succession planning from this week at Agritrade in Red Deer, Alberta. It is very clear that farmers are not tired of this discussion based on the attendance at the AgriTrend Learning Center. If you cannot see the embedded audio player above, CLICK HERE
Technology has won me a lot of opportunities in life, so don’t act surprised to hear I’m excited about the recent availability of Blackberry Messenger (BBM) to our Apple/Android traitors, I mean, friends. Here are three meager reasons I think you should give the program a try: Groups. Since our farm slowly moved towards the… Read More
Feedback from last year’s Advanced Farm Management Program was overwhelmingly positive. So much so in fact, that the program has expanded to three different locations in Ontario. This year, Guelph, North Gower and Chatham, Ontario will host the program, giving participants in each location a chance to bring their farm management skills to the next… Read More
For a province that can seem overrun with highways and hi-tech interests (at least in its most southern regions), it’s significant that its premier, Kathleen Wynne, chose to name herself agriculture and food minister when she took over the reins. She had every other option. You name the portfolio and it could have been hers…. Read More
Changes to the Canadian Grain Commission are in the works, and farmers, grain handlers and industry stakeholders are all encouraged to take a look at the proposed move to an insurance-based model for grain security as a condition of licensing approval. Remi Gosselin, manager of communications for the CGC, says that this change, currently published… Read More
Winter is in the forecast for some regions of Canada and the United States, and as harvest wraps up, it’s time to start thinking about storing your equipment. If you’re completely knackered from the go-go-go of harvest, sit down, have a cup of coffee, read this and then begin delegating. As tempting as it is… Read More
A couple days ago, I posted the question: Do you know where your check-off dollars go? It’s interesting, that such a simple question can result in such diverse feedback. I heard from organizations who were offended by my article and those who admired it and used it as a means to reach audiences they may not… Read More
If you’re like most, the idea of filling out paperwork is rather low down on the “how I like to spend my free time” list. At the same time, the extra effort it takes to stay in the know and access government funding can be well worth it, as there are several options within Growing… Read More
It is amazing how fast things can change. With the corn markets fearing a very large US corn harvest some producers are starting to squirm about their profit margins a year from now. As I talk to corn growers many say, “the market will find a bottom and we will be fine” and some say,… Read More
Photo credit: Via Flickr, Paul Xymon Garcia, 2010 Thanks to automation and good management (and perhaps necessity), some producers can farm vast tracts of land themselves with minimal help. But not all farmers are so fortunate. Certain industries, fruit and vegetables for example, require an exceptional commitment to human resources – along with hard work… Read More