The good times in agriculture tend to happen in 40-year cycles. Unfortunately, for anyone kicking off a farming career this year, one of those cycles just ended. While the good times might be over, this particular up cycle lasted a particularly long time — and that may be why the downward swing has caught many... Read More
Category: Finance
Trust is the basic building block of all relationships. You can't have accountability, commitment, or constructive conflict without first having trust. A lack of trust or a breach of it is a business risk, but how do we first measure, then manage that risk? Trust, like the word strategy, is thrown around largely as a... Read More
If you're quick about it, you may be able to access funding from the federal government to hire a summer student. Earlier this week, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada announced that the Youth Employment and Skills Program was open for applications. The program offers cost-share of employee wages and benefits at 50%, up to a maximum... Read More
Conexus Credit Union will be shutting the doors to seven of its rural locations in Saskatchewan. The seven locations are at Chamberlain, Cupar, Drake, Middle Lake, Mossbank, Spy Hill, and Young. Two other locations in Regina — one on Fifth Avenue, the other on Wallace Street — will also be closing. In a news release,... Read More
Canola farmers in Canada will now have access to $500,000 in interest-free loans under the Advanced Payments Program. The changes, effective immediately, are an increase from the original amount of $100,000. “The implementation of these regulations means that farmers facing cash flow challenges in Canada will now have access to up to $500,000 interest-free for... Read More
According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, regulations are now in place for the changes to the Advanced Payments Program (APP) announced at the beginning of May. The original changes were an increase to the APP cap from $400,000 to $1,000,0000 for all producers in an effort to help farmers in the face of... Read More
Statistics Canada is reporting last year's 45.1 per cent decrease in realized net farm income (to $3.9 billion) as the largest since 2006. Realized net income is the difference between a farmer's cash receipts and operating expenses, minus depreciation, plus income in kind. The attribution for the steep decline includes rising feed, interest and labour... Read More
Frustration is brewing among farmers as changes to the Advanced Payment Program (APP) have yet to happen. The increase to $1 million cap from the previous $400,000 was announced more than three weeks ago. Scott Keller, farmer from New Norway, Alta., took to Twitter on Wednesday calling on the federal government to do something about... Read More
Time is running out for prairie producers to sign up for this year's calf price insurance program. The sign up period began in early February and closes May 30, 2019. Bill Hoar, product owner with Western LPIP (livestock price insurance program), says that livestock producers can sign up over the phone, at a financial services... Read More
The federal government has increased the Advanced Payment Program cap from $400,000 to $1,000,0000 for all producers in an effort to help farmers in the face of current trade issues with China. Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, announced several changes to the Advanced Payments Program at a press conference Wednesday morning. "Canada's farmers... Read More