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
Tag: Farm Management Canada
Farm Management Canada (FMC) has released a new research report that investigates the business management needs of Indigenous agricultural producers in Canada. The report, titled “The Path Forward: Supporting the Business Management Needs of Indigenous Producers,” was made possible by participation of indigenous agricultural business owners from coast-to-coast in surveys, focus groups, and interviews, says… Read More
Farm Management Canada (FMC) and Wittman Consulting have released a fully revised and updated Building an Effective Farm Management System Guidebook, by farm management expert Dick Wittman. Following international success of the previous version released in 2004, Wittman and FMC consulted with farm management experts around the world to update the guidebook to reflect current trends in… Read More
If your farm is not one that holds regular meetings, this is your encouragement to start small… but start. That’s because research shows that business that hold regular meetings are more profitable than those that do not. We’re not talking about a morning tailgate chat on what’s ahead — that’s an operational meeting to start the… Read More
A recent study by Farm Management Canada found that 63 per cent of Canada’s producers say they understand and can use financial information for decision-making purposes. Further, producers who have a financial plan and use their financial information to inform decision-making were found to increase their profitability by up to 525 per cent, according to… Read More
Heather Watson joined Farm Management Canada to work in communications. Fast forward a few years, and instead Watson is leading a thriving, adaptive organization as its executive director, and has been for over a decade. As Watson explains, she stepped in to the role not fully knowing what to expect, but that she’s leveraged her… 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
Farm Management Canada, (FMC) along with Farm Credit Canada (FCC), MNP, and the Canadian government, are announcing the debut of farmtransitionguide.ca. The brand-new bilingual web portal connects farm owners and hopeful farm owners to the tools, experts, and resources they need to develop and implement all stages of their farm transition plans. The website will… Read More
If you surround yourself with great people, you’ll do amazing things; and ultimately, an advisory group should take some of the stress out of making the right decisions when running a farm business. If anyone knows the value of incorporating an advisory group into their business, it’s Terry Aberhart. He farms 16,000 acres near Langenburg,… Read More
Conference season is upon us, and joining the virtual ranks of meetings is Farm Management Canada’s (FMC) Ag Excellence conference. The virtual space can provide a lot more opportunity both to virtual speakers, and to people who otherwise can’t physically make it. Joining RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin to discuss the core concepts of the event is… Read More
Farm Management Canada, in conjunction with the Wilton Consulting Group, has released a comprehensive report looking at not only stress and mental wellness within the farming sector, but also the impact mental health has on the business side of farming. In the report entitled Healthy Minds Healthy Farms, most farmers reported “undesirable coping mechanisms that… Read More
Why do family farm businesses fail? Quite often it’s not economics but rather family governance issues and relationship problems, says farmer and business consultant Dick Wittman. Many farms fail because operators don’t run the farm in a professional manner, says Wittman who learned plenty of valuable lessons managing a family-operated 20,000 acre crop, cattle, and… Read More
For 20 years, Len Davies has been helping Canadian farm families develop and implement farm succession plans. Over two decades, Davies and his Ontario-based Davies Legacy Planning Group have helped 600 farm families navigate the succession process. Farm Management Canada acknowledged Davies’ efforts by awarding him the 2019 Wilson Loree Award at its recent Agricultural… Read More
Nominations are now open for the 2019 Wilson Loree Award from Farm Management Canada (FMC). The award was established 15 years ago to honour those that have made an extraordinary contribution to developing and promoting new and positive change in agricultural business management practices and expertise in Canada. The winner will be presented the award… Read More
Beginning in 2020, Farm Management Canada is launching a new National Farm Leadership Program, created with LeaderShift Inc. The 11-week course is a blend of online and in-person training, including a three-day residency seven weeks into the curriculum. Participants can expect to spend about four hours per week on coursework, and participants will have their… Read More