This week we are on the TechTour LIVE road show in Camrose and Lethbridge. Our keynote speaker is Chip Eichelberger, who engages audiences to "get switched on" and "plugged back in." In Chip's keynote, he mentions that it's actually not that difficult to compete in North America because so many people are comfortable being mediocre.... Read More
Category: Farm Management
In the past, farms looking to grow simply bought more land, but that's not as easy as it used to be. Rising land prices are forcing producers to be creative in finding opportunities for growth, which in some cases leads to joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions — the topic of this episode of the Mind... Read More
For many farm families, building a farm business that the next generation can take over is a top priority. There's great pride and value placed in keeping a farm "in the family." While it's important to have a viable business worth passing on, a successful farm transition also requires individuals in the younger generation who... Read More
The administration of cash advances has become a competitive business following legislative changes to the federal government's cash advance program last year. With the passage of Bill C-18, each producer group that serves as an Advance Payments Program administrator (find a list here) can issue the short-term loans for all 45 crops and livestock types... Read More
Canadian farm income hit a record high in 2015, and is expected to drop slightly in 2016, according to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. The impact of a weaker Canadian dollar supporting domestic prices is evident throughout the department's 2016 Canadian Agricultural Outlook, which was published on Friday. Here are some highlights: Net cash income on... Read More
In what areas does your farm business excel? What are you poor at? And how can you respond to make improvements? Self-assessment and continuous improvement are what separates high-performance farms from the average. Rob Hannam, President and Client Director of Synthesis Agri-Food Network, joins us for episode 14 of the Mind Your Farm Business podcast... Read More
What management practices and behaviours make farmers more financially successful? A report commissioned by the Agri-Food Management Institute and Farm Management Canada attempts to answer this question. “With the Dollars and Sense study we’re trying to determine what makes a leading farmer. How do they end up in the top 25% of farmers versus the... Read More
Employees need clear expectations and timely feedback. It might sound simple, but those are the two keys to creating a farm culture where the business gets the most out of its talent and where employees feel like they're doing a good job, says Barb Dartt, a Michigan-based farm business consultant. "We tend to underestimate the... Read More
WHHOOOOOSSSHHHHHH!!!!!! What was that? That was time flying by as we approach spring and you haven't even finalized your cropping plan. In sports there are many deadlines that force general managers to make decisions by a certain date. For example, this week was the close of the January transfer window in English and European football... Read More
Finding good employees can be challenging for many Canadian farmers. The task can be even more daunting for livestock farmers when you consider the fact that the job applicant could be an animal rights activist intending to gather video evidence of animal abuse that will be posted on the Internet or turned over to the... Read More