Ron and Cindy know if they were to stop farming today, they would not have enough personal assets to maintain their current lifestyle spending of $6,000 per month.

What to do when capital is short and needs are long

Farm Financial Planner: Tough decisions ahead for this Manitoba couple

A farming couple from Manitoba we’ll call Ron, 67, and Cindy, 65, have run a successful farming operation for the last 40 years. They want to retire; however, none of their three kids have any interest in farming. The farm is comprised of five quarters of land and some machinery held personally by Ron and […] Read more

Many farm owners may avoid making wills because they want to avoid family conflict. Having a third party facilitate this discussion can help you get harmony through understanding.

Froese: Do you have a will?

If you’re a younger farmer, there’s a good chance you don’t. Here are some tips to help you get started

An Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada report, “Succession Planning on Canadian Farms,” refers to a 2019 Farm Financial Survey by Statistics Canada that showed most of the surveyed farm owners (81 per cent) had a will in place. However, the percentage was much smaller (58 per cent) for farmer owners under 40 years of age. Why […] Read more



This photo shows the haze from a coal mine still burning beneath the borough of Centralia, Pa.

Les Henry: Climate and pandemics

Disease checks population growth — and CO2 emissions

About a decade ago, the hype about climate change led us to believe we would soon be frying out and it was all due to humans and fossil fuels. My argument has been, over the past million years or so, ice ages and glaciers have come and gone many times and our agriculture area was […] Read more


Be a better listener

Be a better listener

Feelings of not being heard can fuel frustration in farm families. Here are some tips that can help

In January, I had the delight of watching a group of 20 farm employees and managers racing against the clock to change race car tires in Bob Parker’s Pit Crew Challenge. Parker is a longtime friend and motivational speaker. His Pit Crew Challenge, which features real NASCAR-type race cars and former race car drivers, challenges […] Read more

The minister is on the case: federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau checks out the cab of a new Case IH Magnum tractor during her visit to the Ag in Motion show on July 20, 2022. (Greg Berg photo)

Federal report shows farmer concerns remain regarding emissions targets

AAFC report polled farmers, industry for thoughts on fertilizer emissions policy

A new Agriculture and Agri-food Canada (AAFC) report shows farmers remain concerned about federal emissions reduction targets — and whether those targets remain voluntary. The “What We Heard” Report, released Wednesday, is the result of consultations between AAFC and the agricultural sector to gather feedback on how best to support farmers and producers to achieve […] Read more


Take a breath

Take a breath

How 'coherent breathing' can help people with chronic digestive complaints

It may sound wild, but how we breathe can have a big effect on chronic digestive complaints. Our digestive system is largely controlled by a portion of our nervous system known as the enteric nervous system and a cranial nerve called the vagus nerve. These parts of our neurology are what receive and give information […] Read more

File photo of young birds on a Canadian broiler operation. (Elena Bionysheva-Abramova/iStock/Getty Images)

B.C. farmers granted late entry for AgriStability

Avian flu, 'extreme weather' events considered

With bird flu outbreaks and last spring’s weather woes in mind, farmers and ranchers in British Columbia are now spotted until the end of June to enrol in AgriStability. The province and the federal ag department on Tuesday announced they’ve agreed on a late participation option for the 2022 program year. In this case, the […] Read more


Chris Raupers says most of the farm workers he has brought in from Europe are highly skilled and extremely dedicated to the job.

What to expect from international workers to address labour shortfalls

Benefits include dedicated, skilled and experienced farm workers

Like many western Canadian farmers, Chris Raupers has struggled at times when it comes to finding experienced workers to fill positions on the 6,500-acre grain farm he operates near Cardale, Man., with his wife, Lindsey, and their three children. He’s hardly alone in that regard. A report released by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business […] Read more

(Photo courtesy Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan)

Canary seed set for more acres

Crop seen as competitive against wheat for area in West

MarketsFarm — While the price of canary seed in Western Canada has come down over the past couple of years, there is optimism that acres devoted to the specialty grain will increase in 2023. David Nobbs, pulse merchant for Purely Canada Foods in Saskatoon and former chair of the Canary Seed Development Commission of Saskatchewan, […] Read more