It is true that mental illness can be incredibly difficult to see compared to a broken leg or an open wound, for example. But just like any other illness or health challenge, there are sometimes outward signs of mental health that can be observed by others. Deb VanBerkel is the chief programming officer for the... Read More
Category: Farm Management
When it comes to machinery shops, most farmers like to build them in their yard from the ground up. But farmers are also innovators and some just can't resist looking for alternative ways to get the job done. That's certainly the case for Dresden, Ont., grain farmer Mark Richards who in 2015 came up with... Read More
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and Agriculture Minister Ron Kostyshyn announced nearly half a million in federal and provincial funding for the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program (MFWP) while at Ag Days in Brandon this week. The grassroots non-profit organization, which started providing free counselling to farmers and farm families in 2022, will receive $450 thousand over... Read More
Farm Credit Canada has added a sixth Sustainability Incentive Program for those who use FCC as their lending institution and use AgExpert Premium software. Curtis Grainger, director of lending products and sustainability programs for Farm Credit Canada, explains that this latest program provides up to $2,000 for farms that already use or implement 4R nutrient... Read More
Say what you want about the state of farm transition in Canada, but the numbers don't lie: farm business transition from one owner to the next is a huge deal both in dollar figures and families involved. According to Farm Management Canada, about 75 per cent of farm businesses are set to transition to new... Read More
It's okay to struggle and it's okay to ask for help. Those are just two of the messages that Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor Tyler Smith shared with an auditorium packed with Ontario Agricultural Conference attendees last week at the University of Guelph's Ridgetown campus. It was April 6, 2018 when a bus carrying the... Read More
Following a scheduled five-year review of the Certified Sustainable Beef Framework, the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB) has announced a few changes and updates to the program. The Certified Sustainable Beef Framework is a voluntary, outcome-based certification program for beef sustainability in Canada. It was developed by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef in... Read More
The union representing 384 employees at Viterra's grain elevators in Saskatchewan and another 65 staff at the company's office in Regina has suspended previously-announced strike action pending a vote on a revised offer from the company. Viterra updated its offer to members of the Grain and General Services Union (GSU) Locals 1 and 2 on... Read More
As we kick off a new year, it's crucial for farmers and agricultural professionals to take a moment to reflect, not just on the past 12 months, but on the years gone by. Preparing for this week's Ontario Agricultural Conference, where I will be giving a keynote presentation on effective farm management, has prompted me... Read More
A practical design that immediately improves efficiency on the farm is usually a top priority when building a new shop, but ideally, that building will continue providing value for the next thirty-plus years, across multiple generations. Walter Smith would still fall into the category of "young" farmer, but after ten years of running a seed... Read More