American grain giant Bunge and Viterra, owned by Switzerland’s Glencore, are reportedly in talks to become one super grain company. In a reversal of a few years ago, this time it appears it is Bunge setting out to take on Viterra to create a company that would have extensive assets in nearly every grain type… Read More
Category: Poll
Across agriculture, there’s a lot of topics are relative to local circumstances, as we are spread across many different conditions and so dependent on weather; seeding and planting progress is no different. Instead of asking whether you are 50 or 90 per cent done, we’re asking you this week: where are you at compared to… Read More
It’s a busy time of year for just about everyone — the crop is getting in the ground, calves (and lambs) are hitting the ground, and there are never enough hours in a day to get all the things done. Making sales of new-crop product, whether that’s grain or calves, is perhaps not top of… Read More
What the farm or ranch needs in the way of equipment isn’t always what you really want. Equipment comes with a hefty price tag, and it can be hard to pick up the piece of equipment you really want if the business case is a little thin. Whether you are getting the first wheels turning… Read More
There’s a saying that’s something along the lines of: what would you do if you knew you could not fail? In farming, failure is always an option and a risk — after all, biology and weather don’t give two hoots about what our goals are. But there’s always the promise of trying something new, of… Read More
Whether a valued gift, a sweet gesture, or a purchased product, people in agriculture love their ag swag. From hats and t-shirts, to coffee mugs, pens, and socks, most farm offices and truck cabs are stocked with ag-branded stuff. Some giveaways likely end up in a junk drawer, but some become favourites and well-loved; we… Read More
It wasn’t that long ago that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government announced it would return to balanced budgets once the pandemic spending was over. Last week’s federal budget is the first real post-pandemic spending plan, and instead of a return to balance, the projected deficit sits at around $40 billion, with no clear indication of… Read More
There are talents we’re born with, and then there are skills we develop. Even our talents, without practice or work, can only get us so far. Learning and development really never ends, if you think about it, and some of us truly lean in to on-going training, improving, and learning, but some of us just… Read More
Technically, sometime after 5 pm Eastern on March 20th, spring arrives in Canada. Right now, most Canadians looking our their window would likely shrug and say, “Um, not quite yet.” Canadians are long used to the seasons not really lining up with the calendar. Instead, there are other, non-date specific things that we look for… Read More
If the news is to be believed, some inflationary pressures are beginning to ease, and many supply chains are getting back to “normal” (whatever that means). But if you’ve tried to find basic items such as children’s medicine, coffee filters, or some basic household items, you’ll know that there are still several supply chains that… Read More
Given how demographics are shifting, it’s only going to get more difficult to find new employees for the farm. Looking bigger picture to agriculture as a whole, there are far more career opportunities than there are those lining up to work. While there are longer-term issues that need attention, in the short-term farms have immediate seasonal… Read More
Lobbying is one way to shape public policy. Lobbying is also a long-game — where building relationships, meeting, and continuing dialogue all play a role in whose issue of the day gets put on the front burner. A government has to decide its priorities across industries, based on its own goals and ideals, and also… Read More
As farms decrease tillage passes, swathers get parked, and planters become more precise, there are fewer forgiving field passes to train new drivers on. While many current equipment operators likely learned to manoeuvre large machines running the harrows or knocking down crop, these opportunities are fewer overall. What’s more, the seeding and planting window is… Read More
Imposter syndrome is a feeling many are familiar with whether they define it as such or not. Imposter syndrome happens when we doubt our own knowledge or skills, and these doubts manifest a fear of being exposed as an imposter or fraud. When challenged, it is often not as simple as just admitting you don’t… Read More
Not everyone is a numbers person, but most who run a business know the value of crunching income and expenses well ahead of the final tallies. Budgets can take many forms, from a scribbled down input/output scenario, to templates and spreadsheets, or a completely invisible version that lives only in someone’s head. There are pros… Read More