Every year in February, ag policy wonks, market followers, and politicians gather in Washington, D.C., for the USDA Outlook Forum. Not only does USDA release its forecasts for acres and production numbers, but the conversations also fill the hallways. Most years, the focus is on the fundamentals, but with so many trade patterns very cloudy… Read More
There are many who likely bristle at the thought of a foreign country investing in Canada, perhaps because most equate “investment” with “land buying.” But when we’re talking foreign direct investment, in this case, we’re talking about companies investing in Canadian businesses, and vice versa. And, as J.P. Gervais, chief agricultural economist with Farm Credit… Read More
Farmland values across Canada continued their climb in 2017, rising by a national average of 8.4 percent, according to Farm Credit Canada’s annual farmland values report. Saskatchewan saw the largest increase, at 10.2 per cent, followed by Nova Scotia at 9.5 per cent, Ontario at 9.4 per cent, Quebec at 8.2 per cent, and Alberta at… Read More
Low unemployment, major tax cuts, and looming trillion dollar deficits — the U.S. economy is hot, with growing concerns that it may be at risk of over-heating. Increasing odds of higher inflation and interest rates have stoked a pullback and volatility in the stock market after the Dow climbed to record highs in late January. The… Read More
As the Bank of Canada raised its target interest rate a 1/4 point this week, there is disagreement in how the Canadian economy will fare in 2018. While one or two more rate hikes are expected in 2018, there are also concerns on the horizon for the Canadian economy. As we hear from Farm Credit… Read More
On Friday, Statistics Canada released its third-quarter economic report, which included an update on gross domestic product and job growth. With the Canadian government boasting a strong economy and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations in an arguably precarious situation, many experts are watching the domestic economic climate very closely. Some of the highlights… Read More
Farm Credit Canada recently released its 2016 farmland values report, which breaks down farmland value changes by province. For Canada, the average of 7.9% growth in the value of farmland is certainly good news for those looking to sell or leverage land, but it does represent a slight cooling in farmland prices from 2015, when year-over-year… Read More
We often speak of best practices in agriculture as they relate to decisions made in the field or in the barn, but they go beyond that, to the office, to the meeting room, and even to interactions with the public. In his presentation at the Canadian Beef Industry Conference, Marty Seymour, director of industry and… Read More
After reporting a record profit for 2015, Marty Seymour, chief executive officer (CEO) of Canadian Western Agribition, reported something else. As of May 1, 2016, he will be stepping down. Seymour’s LinkedIn profile describes him as someone “motivated to make a difference,” and many who have graced the cattle-filled halls of Agribition would agree that he has done so… Read More
As expected with lower crop prices, new data from Farm Credit Canada shows the red-hot market for farmland cooled off in 2014. According to FCC’s annual Farmland Values Report released April 13th, the average value of agricultural land in Canada rose by 14.3 percent in 2014 — down from an increase of 22.1 percent in 2013 and a… Read More
The word ‘brand’ is no longer limited to the mark that differentiates livestock. It’s used in business as well, identifying company goals, visions and business characteristics. “We all have a brand,” Faith Matchett,vice president of eastern Ontario and Atlantic operations for Farm Credit Canada, told Lyndsey Smith in an interview. “The question is, do we intentionally have… Read More
In a letter issued to customers by Farm Credit Canada (FCC) on July 29th, 2014, Crop Production Services (CPS) has notified FCC that it will no longer offer the FCC Crop Input Financing to CPS customers. The total amount of loans that was issued by FCC through CPS has not been publicly noted. One can assume… Read More
The uptake of mobile technology by farmers has been very documented and discussed on our site. Another app has hit the app store to improve farmer’s efficiency and productivity while on the go. At Canada’s Farm Progress show in Regina, Shaun Haney, RealAgriculture.com Founder, talked to Matt Van Dijk about FCC’s new mobile app that… Read More
Rising feed prices, expensive oil and a high dollar have made it a difficult time to feed cattle. You can add to that the continued instability in financial markets around the world and it’s hard to imagine that our ability to compete hasn’t been heavily damaged. There is no doubt that the Canadian industry needs… Read More
We have all heard the saying, “what goes up must come down,” but does that maybe not apply to land values? This week FCC released its newest version of the Farm Credit Canada Farmland Values Report and the results continue to verify the upward trend of land values. It is becoming ever more difficult to… Read More