Animosity and mistrust in the food system — or the "agri-food value chain," as it’s called in some circles — is costing farmers billions of dollars in waste. At a time when the powers-that-be are urging the sector to bolster the economy by pulling together for increased jobs and exports, Oakville-based Value Chain Management International... Read More
Category: Farm Management
Bigger is better. Go big or go home. The push for excess in all things, it seems, knows no bounds. But how big is too big? Or is that the wrong question to ask? From combines, seeding units and land bases, to suburban houses, fast food meals and the cars we drive, there’s been a... Read More
A brand new Western Canadian event is rolling out in early March — Real Agriculture's TechTour LIVE! In partnership with Dow AgroSciences Canada, this one-day, workshop-focused event is all about boosting your on-farm-efficiency advantage. Featuring top-notch speakers Donald Cooper, of Cooper Canada (Sporting Goods fame), and Bob Parker, a NASCAR pit crew efficiency guru, attendees... Read More
Imagine it’s the year 2030. What will a typical Canadian farm look like? Will the logistical challenges on the Prairies have been solved? How much will farmland be worth? What kind of game-changers will there be that may have increased crop yields? How can you prepare your farm? Anybody can make predictions about the future,... Read More
Farm families from Manitoba and Prince Edward Island have been named Canada's Outstanding Young Farmers for 2014. Myron and Jill Krahn of Carman, MB and Andrew and Heidi Lawless of Kinkora, PEI received the title at the OYF National Event held this past weekend in Quebec City. The Krahns operate a 3,000 acre grain farm... Read More
By Larry Martin and Derek Albrecht After months of steady decline, Chicago grain futures recently rallied to meet or exceed USDA forecasts in its November grain report. USDA forecast carryover of soybeans at the end of the 2014/15 crop year at 12.5 per cent of use, with a price forecast at around $10. This compares... Read More
Is your farm in the realty business? Equity on most Canadian farms is generated in two ways — selling the proceeds from production and by owning property with increasing value. Speaking at the Agricultural Excellence Conference in Winnipeg last week, the head of Canada’s largest farmland investment company argued there are situations where farmers would... Read More
In 2011, a new provincial cost-shared Risk Management Program (RMP) was created for the Ontario agriculture industry. Farmer leaders across commodity groups came together as the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Coalition (OASC), and worked with the provincial government to design a made-in-Ontario solution to help bring "predictability, stability and bankability to the farming sector." In the... Read More
Ontario is proposing amendments to the Crop Insurance Act, 1996, that, if passed, would mean more types of agricultural products would be eligible for coverage by production insurance. Production insurance, a part of Ontario's business risk management programs, is designed to help farmers manage losses due to events like weather, pests and disease. The costs... Read More
Periods of conflict between family members will make or break a family farm. That’s why it’s important to address conflict like any other risk to a farm business, says a well-known farm family coach from Boissevain, Manitoba. Elaine Froese described the three C’s for managing conflict as part of her presentation at the Ag Excellence... Read More