Froese: ‘Shutdown’ insights to get folks to the transition table to talk

Froese: ‘Shutdown’ insights to get folks to the transition table to talk

Knowing some of the reasons why people shut down is good start to communication

The winter is cruising by and you are wondering if you are ever going to get a communication breakthrough to figure out “The Plan” for the future of your family and your farm. You might be the aging founder, the frustrated successor or the curious non-farm sibling. Whatever role you play, this scenario is impacting […] Read more

A couple works out a farm transition plan for three children

A couple works out a farm transition plan for three children

Farm Financial Planner: The plan includes financial security for all, including a son with a disability

A couple we’ll call Max, 86, and Lily, 81, have farmed 480 acres in western Manitoba for the last 60 years. Their eldest son, who we’ll call Sam, now 60, retired from a city job with a solid pension. Sam now farms with his parents. He is the registered co-owner of the home 320 acres […] Read more


One thing to consider from last season are any weed concerns you may have seen in your operation.

The finer details you should focus on now

Q & A with an expert

Q: I have the big picture planned for my farm in 2021. What else do I need to consider? A: The winter months may seem extra long with our current situation, but as growers we need to use this time wisely. Planning for the 2021 crop is well underway but there are many important considerations […] Read more

WGEA executive director Wade Sobkowich. (Manitoba Co-operator photo by Allan Dawson)

Railways to blame for terminal shortages, WGEA says

Grain handlers take issue with MarketsFarm report

MarketsFarm — The association representing the Prairies’ main grain handling companies says recent delays in loading vessels have less to do with the availability of grain and more to do with the railways hauling it to port. The Western Grain Elevator Association (WGEA), which represents major handlers such as Viterra, Richardson, Cargill and others, raised […] Read more


Toban Dyck: These changes are not judgments

Toban Dyck: These changes are not judgments

They are natural evolutions of a farming operation

I was nervous about the change. Change is never an easy thing, especially for me. I was raised in a Mennonite home and my last name, Dyck, is inextricably tied to the tradition. There is now a garbage dumpster on our farm, and we’ve already filled it once. The whole experience, though small, has been […] Read more

Self-care is about more than self-indulgence

What comes to mind when you hear the term self-care? A day of pampering at a spa? A facial or manicure? While those are commonly associated with self-care in the media, they don’t represent the full picture and only further fuel misconceptions. While a spa day may not seem to have much in common with […] Read more


(Fudio/iStock/Getty Images)

Canada weighs tighter rules for grow-your-own pot producers

Spending on illicit pot still ahead of legal purchases

Reuters — Canada on Monday launched a public consultation seeking to tighten rules for individuals who are allowed to grow their own medical cannabis, in an effort to clamp down on pot seeping into black markets. In a draft guidance issued for the consultation, Health Canada highlighted recent police raids and arrests at production sites […] Read more

When we approach compensations from a place of understanding the value they’ve held at some point in relation to our survival, they begin to make a lot of sense.

The truth behind physical compensations

Fit to Farm: How people move and hold themselves can reveal much of their life history

Even compensations and imbalances have a time and place — just like crutches have a place after breaking a leg. Though often when compensations begin to cause issues like pain, performance barriers and tension, they’ve reached the end of their purpose. Our body’s job is to keep us functioning and stable (a.k.a. safe) in an […] Read more


Winnipeg South Centre MP Jim Carr speaks to the Canadian Crops Virtual Convention on March 2, 2021. (CCVC video screengrab)

Carbon tax rebate on grain drying fuels coming

Jim Carr reiterates Bibeau's pledge from last week

Farmers can expect a rebate on carbon taxes paid on fuels used to dry grain, Jim Carr, the federal cabinet’s special representative for the Prairies, told the Canadian Crops Virtual Convention on Tuesday. However, he didn’t provide any details. “There is promising news on this front,” Carr told the meeting, hosted by the Canola Council […] Read more

Elanco Animal Health CEO Jeff Simmons speaks during an interview at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Sept. 20, 2018. (Photo: Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

Second activist investor buys into Elanco

Reuters — Hedge fund Starboard Value LP has taken a stake in Elanco Animal Health and nominated three directors to the animal healthcare company’s board, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. The WSJ report did not mention the size of Starboard’s stake in Elanco, which makes treatments for pets […] Read more