At some point, likely every farmer has been frustrated with markets and pricing, and thought about moving past commodity production and up the value chain. But as many quickly learn, direct marketing, dealing with processors, or even becoming a processor is not for everyone. In this episode of Mind Your Farm Business, Jeff Nonay, a… Read More
Working with family can be the most rewarding part of the farm business, but it also has the potential to be one of the most challenging aspects, full of emotion, relationship evolution, and conflict. In this episode of Mind Your Farm Business, host Shaun Haney is joined by Ed and Lyle Peters, father-son farm partners… Read More
There’s no doubt that the world of international trade has been rough and tumble the last while, but that doesn’t mean Canada shouldn’t continue to participate. Beyond just participating, Canada should be actively investing in agriculture’s major potential on the world stage now, and in the decades to come. It’s no secret to those in… Read More
It’s unlikely that anyone goes in to a marriage expecting it to fail, but the reality is that marriages do end, and when a farm business and farm property is involved it can get very messy, very quickly — It doesn’t have to be this way. Instead of thinking of a pre-nuptial agreement as an… Read More
The good times in agriculture tend to happen in 40-year cycles. Unfortunately, for anyone kicking off a farming career this year, one of those cycles just ended. While the good times might be over, this particular up cycle lasted a particularly long time — and that may be why the downward swing has caught many… Read More
Behind the scenes, to front and centre, women have always played a critical role in farming and in the agriculture industry. In this episode of Mind Your Farm Business, host Shaun Haney speaks with three women from unique backgrounds and stages of their careers, to talk about their perspective on the challenges and opportunities that… Read More
Trust is the basic building block of all relationships. You can’t have accountability, commitment, or constructive conflict without first having trust. A lack of trust or a breach of it is a business risk, but how do we first measure, then manage that risk? Trust, like the word strategy, is thrown around largely as a… Read More
Has anyone ever told you, “you have to have a plan”? For many small businesses, creating and monitoring a plan can be difficult, but if done right, a long-term plan will provide the tools for long-term success. In this Mind Your Farm Business podcast, Larry Martin, principal with Agri-food Management Excellence, and owner of Dr…. Read More
Economic health. Physical health. Environmental health. These are all factors we consider when looking at our overall health on the farm, but how often do we take a look at our mental health? We all know that farming is stressful, especially since it involves unpredictable variables such as weather, markets, and family. Farmers across the… Read More
There are some stubborn myths in agriculture — rain falls 90 days after fog, wheat should be seeded in bushels per acre, and there’s a tax advantage to leasing versus buying equipment. In reality though, each of these statements is at least somewhat false. Fog and rain are not correlated, wheat should be planted in… Read More
Who learns more from a mentorship — the mentor or the mentee? The answer may surprise you. As Deb Stark, former deputy minister of agriculture for Ontario, explains, a good mentoring relationship has value for all parties involved, but success requires communication and commitment from those involved. In this episode of Mind Your Farm Business,… Read More
What is something you don’t know about your farm right now that you’d like to know? Is there technology out there to solve a particular problem you have? When it comes to navigating the very noisy space that is farm technology, Rob Saik, agrologist and agriculture technology leader, says these questions are a good place… Read More
Like Bachman Turner Overdrive says, you’re “Taking care of business and working overtime,” — but do you take time to care for you? In this episode of Mind Your Farm Business, Chip Eichelberger, renowned motivational speaker, explains the importance of taking care of yourself in order to succeed in your business. Reflecting back on an event where he spoke… Read More
Capital assets don’t buy groceries. If this statement makes you scratch your head a little, you’re likely the older generation on the farm. If you read it and think, “Don’t I know it” you might be the in-coming generation, and very likely frustrated by the lack of clarity on how the farm’s equity and income… Read More
Believe it or not, the farm transition can actually be a joyful journey. But that can only happen once three things are established: Is the business going to continue? When would you like it to continue? (starting now, or with a reading of the will) Who will lead the business in the next phase? That’s… Read More