Many farmers consider the farm to be their retirement nest egg. Of course the farm will play a significant role in funding retirement, but relying solely on farm assets can create challenges when it comes to farm succession. "You can run into trouble if you put all your eggs in one basket," says farm succession... Read More
Category: Western Canada
RealAgriculture.com attended the National Farm Machinery Show for the first time last week. We will definitely be attending again the future. We have a number of videos and interviews from the show in the coming weeks but until then here is all the photos that Shaun Haney took down in Louisville We think that you... Read More
High land prices got you down? Does $3,000 an acre just seem to darn high? Well there's no doubt that land prices have climbed significantly in recent years, a little history lesson teaches us that when combined with very low interest rates and high commodity prices land is not priced outlandishly. Alberta Agriculture's Merle Good... Read More
It's been nearly seven months since the Canadian Wheat Board became CWB — a pooling-focused wheat, barley and even canola marketing company operating in an open market. High cash prices since last fall had some expecting the pooling option wouldn't be very popular, but as Ian White, CEO of CWB explains CWB isn't just about... Read More
Soybeans are the hot topic of 2013. From Manitoba to Alberta, farmers are curious about growing the crop or are planning to expand acres in a big way this year. While the crop isn't brand new for Manitoba, the projected 1 million acre mark for 2013 is not going to be reached by only seasoned... Read More
Almost 10 years ago, Canada got its global butt kicked when news broke about a lone case of BSE in Alberta. Naysayers everywhere – competitors and anti-corporate activists, among them — were lurking in the weeds, waiting for an opportunity to discredit our food system. The agriculture minister at the time, Lyle Vanclief, tried hard... Read More
Today, I have far more questions than answers. At FarmTech, I spoke with one farmer about the Alberta Wheat Commission — its proposed role, its goals, who was involved. It all sounded on the up-and-up and very noble, though I got the sense I had heard the speech before. Before that, in Saskatchewan, I spoke... Read More
Investing in a sectional control option on a new seeder isn't an inexpensive proposition, however, you may change your perception of the true cost once you see just how much it can save you. Chris Morson, with Seed Hawk, took Shaun Haney on a tour of Seed Hawk's software program that incorporates Google Earth images... Read More
A soil test is an excellent starting point for any fertility plan, but interpreting the results can leave some people scratching their heads. There are several strategies to soil sampling itself — analysis and recommendation strategies vary as well. One Saskatchewan company takes a somewhat different approach to testing and recommendations, using made-in-Saskatchewan technology. In... Read More
Seeding (or planting for our eastern and southern friends) is the single most important pass you'll make on your field this year. The piece of equipment you chose to place and pack seeds typically has to work for all the crops in your rotation, and that can mean using something better suited for large seeds... Read More