As interest rates rise, farmers are wondering, ‘it this still a good time to buy land?’
On most farms land is the largest farm asset, which means it can also account for the largest portion of farm debt — especially for farmers just starting out, taking over from the previous generation or expanding the business. What can farmers do, in the face of more potential interest rate hikes, to make sure […] Read more
When the neighbour’s land is for sale, are interest rates too high to say 'yes?'
The best time to figure out whether or not you can afford to borrow more money probably isn’t when you get a tip off that the neighbour wants to sell some land at a really tempting price. But inevitably, it’s when faced with those kinds of situations that producers take stock of where they are […] Read more
Farm Management: What do today’s rising interest rates mean for your farm’s balance sheet
There are a number of ways that rising interest rates affect farm balance sheets. They can negatively affect cash flow, can create a need to adjust short-term and long-term liabilities and affect the value of farmland that in turn can impact the farm’s asset values. “Higher interest rates will impact operations differently based on how […] Read more
Robert Anderson and Jill Ebbett rely on technology to produce quality seed potatoes
Since taking over the fifth-generation New Brunswick family farm from his parents in 2000, Robert Anderson and his wife, Jill Ebbett, have focused on technological advancements to help them improve the quality of seed potatoes and other crops, increase productivity and improve soil health. These investments have helped them gain recognition as innovators in their […] Read more
Manitoba’s Brooks and Jen White focus on regenerating farm and business
Brooks and Jen White, Manitoba’s 2018 Outstanding Young Farmers, have set some specific goals for their grain and bison farm near Lyleton in southwest Manitoba, which all revolve around their vision statement of “regenerative” agriculture. Since taking over the fifth-generation farm in 2012, Brooks and his wife Jen have grown the farm’s bison herd to […] Read more
Brothers Jordan and Alex McKay embrace change and diversification
Diversification has been key to the success of Jordan and Alex McKay’s family farm at Port Perry, Ontario and is a big reason the brothers have been named as Ontario’s 2018 Outstanding Young Farmers (OFY). Willowtree Farm is a third-generation farm that started out as a dairy operation until 1979 when the McKay’s parents grew […] Read more
What is the difference between these two plant types, and how does it affect the Prairies?
Recent research articles have reported that scientists are making progress converting C3 plants to C4 plants. Other articles say that C3 plants will thrive with more CO2 in the air. What’s the difference between C3 and C4 plants? What does this mean for Western Canadian agriculture? C3 and C4 plants Plants in Western Canada — […] Read more
Animal welfare survey available until Oct. 31
Alberta’s livestock sector has until October 31 to complete a survey as part of the Livestock Welfare Engagement Project being conducted by Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) on behalf of the Alberta government. The goal of the project, says AFAC in a recent press release, is a collaborative look at animal welfare in Alberta’s livestock […] Read more
Overequipped? Underequipped? How do you make those farm equipment decisions?
How do you know if you are over equipped or under equipped? In other words, do you have the right number of tractors, combines and seeders on your farm? When do you need to buy or change equipment? What if you decide to seed more acres and one combine isn’t quite enough but you don’t need two. What […] Read more
Financial Planning: Make things easier for yourself and your loved ones by making the paperwork clear
Laura McDougald-Williams, a partner with Meighen Haddad LLP in Souris, Manitoba, spends a lot of time with farm families trying to help them plan for unexpected events such as death, disability, divorce or disagreement. “So many times, I wish I’d had a 20-minute estate planning session with people before one of these events in their […] Read more
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