Soil testing is a critical component of nutrient management. A comprehensive soil testing protocol can be a significant investment of time and cash, however the pay off in managing the fertilizer bill, maximizing yield potential, and possibly decreasing environmental impacts makes it very worth it for many farms. Still, soil testing is not universal, and… Read More
Category: Realagristudies
The results of the Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index for October 2023 are in, which means, for the first time, we can compare year-over-year trends and changes in farmer sentiment on several topics. Over six hundred farmers weighed in on the survey to share their thoughts on current and future financial performance of the farm, their… Read More
The land market has provided a very stable investment opportunity for farmers for quite some time. As the industry looks forward, questions arise on what will happen to the price of land as external variables, such as rising interest rates, sticky input prices and commodity price concerns stack up. In early October, Farm Credit Canada… Read More
Consolidation is a fact of life in the agricultural industry, and there have been waves of it over time. In 2023, one of the biggest potential mergers has been the combination of Bunge and Viterra, which will have impacts on the grain procurement, handling, and processing sectors. Of course, another major stakeholder potentially impacted are… Read More
Year-over-year, farmers aren’t necessarily more concerned about inflation; however, a large majority of those who answered the latest RealAgristudies survey on the topic feel strongly that government policy has contributed to inflation. The survey, which wrapped September 8, 2023, of over 500 farmers from across Canada, took the pulse not only on how farmers feel… Read More
Farmers haven’t significantly changed loan makeup on farms, and are sticking with variable rate loans this year compared to sixteen months ago. The number of farmers with all fixed-rate loans has held steady in the same time frame. That’s according to the latest survey from the RealAgristudies Insights Panel, which ran late last month with… Read More
Nearly 600 farmers weighed in on the Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index in July, marking the sixth time farmers from the Insights Panel have answered questions on the financial health of the farm, confidence in marketing, whether it’s a good time to invest in the farm, and farmers’ mental health. Modelled after the Purdue Ag Economy… Read More
In July 2023, RealAgristudies looked at farmers’ opinion on consolidation and how it is impacting their farm businesses. While 90 per cent of farmers say that they are concerned about consolidation in the agriculture industry, not all industry verticals are viewed the same. Canadian farmers have the greatest concern about consolidation of equipment dealers, with… Read More
Pessimism abounds in the Canadian farm industry, according to the May results of the Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index. Over 400 farmers weighed in on the RealAgristudies survey, which asked for opinions on a range of issues including confidence in grain marketing, the direction of the industry as a whole, and an assessment of governments’ handling… Read More
The agriculture industry is fully aware that successful farm transition is not easy and comes with many potential barriers. Every family farm business is unique, but based on a new RealAgristudies study looking at farm transition, there are some common challenges to work through. 588 farmers across Canada responded to questions about farm transition as… Read More