AgriStability, the whole farm, business risk management program has been in place for Canadian farmers for 16 years. In that time, it’s been maligned and criticized, and it continues to be subject to an ongoing tug-of-war between federal and provincial politicians. But with a new ag policy framework to be unveiled for 2023, changes to the… Read More
Category: AgExcellence
2021 has been a tough weather year. From prolonged drought and excessive heat, to the flooding witnessed in recent weeks in British Columbia — weather disasters have had a tremendous impact on Canadian farms and agriculture businesses. Erik Davies, from Barefoot Consulting, has spent his career working on disaster recovery and risk management issues. Last month… Read More
One challenge that many farmers face is how to pass the reins of an operation to a successor and how to get out of the way, but not go away. Dick Wittman learned plenty of valuable lessons managing a family-operated 20,000 acre crop, cattle, and timber operation in northern Idaho. He now heads Wittman Consulting, specializing… Read More
Many Canadian beef cow-calf operators are not just surviving, they’re thriving. That’s one of the key takeaways from the first report produced by the Canadian Cow-Calf Cost of Production Network, which was established in the spring of 2021. Made up of cow-calf operations from across Canada, the network of producers is working with Canfax Research Services… Read More
Turn on Bloomberg, CNBC, or Fox News and just about every mainstream news outlet is talking about inflation. But how worried should farmers or ranchers be about inflation? In some ways, farmers or ranchers may be set up to benefit from inflation, says Shawn Hass of RBC Dominion Securities, in this interview with Shaun Haney… Read More
A strong legacy component to a farming operation can often make choosing who will take over the farm a difficult decision. Renee Wiatt, family business management specialist with Purdue University’s agricultural economics department, talked succession planning with RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney, as part of Farm Management Canada’s Agricultural Excellence Conference. “Farming is a very… Read More
Change is everywhere in farming and often everything seems to be in flux, whether it’s markets, trade relationships, weather, or family relationships. Depending on the circumstances, farmers react differently to change says Heather Watson, executive director at Farm Management Canada (FMC). “Some people see that as unwelcome and unnerving; others see it as an opportunity… Read More
Farm Management Canada has announced Marcel Hacault as the 2020 recipient of a prestigious award. The Wilson Loree award, now in its 18th year, honours individuals or groups who have made an extraordinary contribution to advancing agricultural business management practices in Canada. The honour is awarded at the annual Agricultural Excellence Conference. After receiving a… Read More
Trends and opportunities always seem to crop up in people’s minds as the end of the year draws closer and as we enter into a new one. In terms of digital technology, there are some new opportunities for applications in farm management. Casper Kaastra, general manager of crop production at Sollio Agriculture, recently spoke with… Read More
How do we recruit the next generation of agriculture employees? Reaching out and attracting new generations and talent into agriculture may be the next challenge facing our industry. Furthermore, as our society has evolved over the years, it seems that each new generation is further removed from agriculture. To explain some strategies to attract these… Read More