It's no secret that the 2026 crop year is shaping up to be one where profitability is a major concern. The RealAgristudies Insights Panel indicated that 75 per cent see 2026 to be a riskier season than 2025. Getting through this kind of farming environment requires real farm financial survival skills. In January, Canadian farmers... Read More
Category: RealAgristudies
There's no doubt farm profitability is really strained heading into the 2026 growing season, with stubborn variable- and fixed-cost structures and weak commodity prices. When margins are constricted, financials get squeezed, and it puts pressure on banking relationships. In January, eighty-two per cent of Canadian farmers surveyed through the Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index told RealAgristudies... Read More
It's no secret that there are challenges in terms of farm profitability in 2026, which is driving critical policy questions to assist producers through the difficult times. Governments have different tools they have engaged, including insurance, business risk management, and the advanced payments program. In the United States, there are similar tools, but on top... Read More
Canadian farmers are entering the 2026 production year with heightened caution, according to the January results of the Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index. Shaun Haney and Justin Funk breakdown the latest results from the CFSI gathered from more than 570 producers, in this 16th iteration of the survey since launching in 2022. Three-quarters of respondents said... Read More
New RealAgristudies data reveals some fascinating insights into how farmers across the country view current trade dynamics — from EV tariffs to global partnerships. When asked in the October intake of the Canadian Farmers Sentiment Index on whether Canada should lift tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, 68 per cent of farmers said yes, with just... Read More
The October Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index (CFSI) results from RealAgristudies reveal a steady, though cautious, outlook among Canadian farmers as 2025 draws to a close. Based on responses from 547 producers across the country, the October survey highlights ongoing financial pressure but also pockets of resilience and optimism within the industry. When asked to assess... Read More
As Canadian farmers navigate a tightening margin environment, a new discussion comparing producer sentiment across the Canada–U.S. border offers critical insight into what’s shaping optimism, or the lack thereof, in both countries. In a special episode of the RealAgristudies Insights Panel podcast, Shaun Haney and Justin Funk are joined by Dr. Michael Langemeier, director at... Read More
The July intake of the Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index included a few questions about grain movement, railways, and Canada’s grain handling system, overall. In this episode of the RealAgristudies Insights podcast, Shaun Haney and Justin Funk break down survey results capturing satisfaction, confidence, and perceived accountability in grain logistics. Of the farmers who ship grain,... Read More
In this episode of the RealAgristudies Insights podcast, hosts Shaun Haney and Justin Funk dig into new Canadian farmer sentiment data—this time focusing on early reactions to the Carney government, views on Bill C-202, and the public appetite for better federal-provincial collaboration on ag policy. The data is drawn from RealAgristudies' ongoing insights panel, offering... Read More
Results of the July 2025 Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index are in and farmers reported a decline in the farm financial situation compared to a year ago, while anticipating a worsening financial environment over the next 12 months. The CFSI survey was completed mid-July 2025, and results show 57 per cent of Canadian farmers report their... Read More