Farm machinery dealers are hoping to offset recent declines in equipment sales by expanding the services they provide to producers. After six consecutive years of strong growth, year-over-year sales of new equipment declined by as much as 25 percent for dealers in parts of Western Canada in 2014, according to John Schmeiser, CEO of the... Read More
Category: Eastern Canada
The amount of data we can collect on farms has grown exponentially over the last decade or two. Whether it’s through yield monitors, images captured by satellites or drones, smartphone apps or RFID sensors, our ability to track and record what’s happening has come a long way from the pocketbooks of earlier generations. And there’s... Read More
How do you make a skinny tire that damages as little crop as possible but doesn't just cut through soft soil like a knife through butter? The key is having a flexible sidewall that allows the tire's footprint to expand. "Basically the ability to make the tire as flexible as possible means you can carry... Read More
Have you ever thought about the workplace culture on your farm or within your business? Good or bad, a culture will exist whether a manager or CEO has intentionally thought about it or not, says the former CEO of Walmart Canada. Culture is what drives a business — it’s the fabric of an organization, explains... Read More
Peter Johnson, cereal specialist with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, will be moving on after February 4, a day that marks 30 years with the ministry. But, it doesn't sound like Johnson will be retiring from agriculture any time soon. "We have to get back to that thought process of protecting the... Read More
Are you ready to get farming? Alarm goes off at the same time each morning so we can start milking around 5. #farm365 pic.twitter.com/Do16yQuXgS — Andrew Campbell (@FreshAirFarmer) January 2, 2015 Curious about what happens on a dairy and grain farm each and every day? Farmer from southwestern Ontario and monthly columnist here at Real... Read More
Have you met someone with a degree from the University of Google? Perhaps you’ve even boasted those credentials when arguing your case over a contentious issue about food or agriculture. But if you’re frustrated that everyone is suddenly an expert on science without actually understanding it, this isn’t a new phenomenon. Dr. Joe Schwarcz, director... Read More
2014 started out with a lot of frustration: Grain was hardly moving through Canada as the Great White North experienced some record cold temperatures and record ice cover on the Great Lakes. With the railroads making more money moving oil, elevators couldn’t take deliveries and the amount of ships sitting at the port waiting for... Read More
It’s been a wild finish to a wild year in the beef market, with prices dropping off over the last few weeks from the record highs set in November. While feeder cattle futures dropped by the limit for five consecutive days in mid-December, producers should not lose sight of the fact there’s still strong fundamental... Read More