How come we've accepted technology in most aspects of growing crops, but we still use job boards and local papers to find hired help? Chances are, the person you're looking for doesn't live in the surrounding area, or you'd have hired them by now. Kristjan Hebert, farmer at Moosomin, Sask. and chair of Global Ag... Read More
Category: Farm Management
Why are celebrities so influential when it comes to trends? Turns out, we may actually be programmed to follow prestige. But, as Timothy Caulfield explains, we may not always recognize this behaviour in ourselves, claiming instead that "everyone else" falls for such things, but not us. Caulfield, a professor with the University of Alberta's law... Read More
Donald Trump may or may not succeed in building a wall between him and us for what he calls security purposes. But let’s be clear: we appear to be entering a new era of American protectionism. If it’s not a physical structure that comes between us, in the name of saving US jobs and lives,... Read More
Negotiating is a skill you're not likely to learn in college or university. Negotiating truly is a skill that you learn on the streets of business through practical experience. There are many ways to negotiate any deal in life, and in some form or fashion you negotiate everyday of your life. Some of those negotiations... Read More
Let's face it — farming can be an incredibly stressful and emotional way to live life. We might pride ourselves on being tough and resilient, but we are human. We have the same vulnerabilities as everyone else. With the spotlight on mental health this week, thanks to #BellLetsTalk, we dug into the archives for a... Read More
The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) has announced a new partnership through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s AgriRisk Initiatives (ARI) program. The project, entitled ‘Controlled Tile Drainage – Calculate Your Benefits’, will partner OSCIA with scientists at the University of Ottawa to research the crop yield benefits of controlled tile drainage. Controlled tile drainage... Read More
The role of farm input salespeople has changed remarkably as farming has evolved. No longer are dealers and sales reps just order takers talking features and benefits to find the most appealing fit for farmer customers. Today, the farm dealer is an order maker who uses a combination of business knowledge and key insights to... Read More
The federal government has announced it's dropping the four-year cumulative duration requirement — also known as the "four-in, four-out" rule — from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) effectively immediately. It's welcome news for agricultural employers and farm groups. “The feedback we received from agricultural stakeholders is very supportive of these changes," noted Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst,... Read More
Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced changes to Farm Credit Canada's Young Farmer Loan program in Ottawa on Wednesday. FCC will double the amount of credit available to individual farmers under the age of 40 — raising the maximum to $1 million from $500,000, said the minister. The ag lender will also lower the minimum down-payment... Read More
Cities and towns are approving land development now that may not happen for a decade. If we're to protect farmland from being swallowed by ever-expanding municipal boundaries, we need to act now to stop it, says Keith Currie, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) . Currie's organization is one of 16 farm groups... Read More