Manitoba’s outstanding young farmers

Creativity, attention to detail and teamwork are the main reasons Dustin and Laura Williams are holding the title of Manitoba’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2012. Dustin is a fifth generation farmer who, after completing the agricultural diploma program at the University of Manitoba, came back to farm full time with his wife Laura in 2001. The Williams […] Read more

Timing glyphosate application

Glyphosate will be more effective for different weeds at different times of the year. Pre-harvest application Perennial weeds visible above and in the crop canopy are primary targets for a pre-harvest glyphosate application. Prior to harvest, short days and cooling temperatures signal perennial weeds to start building root reserves. Glyphosate is a systemic herbicide — […] Read more


Alberta / NWT’s outstanding young farmers

Farm more acres, expand the custom-fertilizer application business, or perhaps look at other options. Those are some of the choices ahead for Alberta farmers Robert and Angela Semeniuk, as they look at where their farm business is headed over the next five years. Strong commodity prices are keeping land prices high, and there also appears […] Read more

Specialty programs — comparing apples to apples

Growing a special crop under contract may be a good option for your farm. 
But first, consider these seven factors

So you have finished your harvest, or are just about to. Time for a well-earned breather. Done? Good. Because the seed reps are already out and about to get you thinking about next year.  This year you’ll find many reps are recommending specialty canola under contract with one buyer. These programs usually offer premiums, and can be […] Read more


Selling grain to the U.S.

Some farmers selling to the U.S. prefer to use a broker, others go it alone. 
Try these tips to help with both of these approaches

Whether you choose to go with an established grain broker or try to sell direct to a U.S. buyer, there are a few things it’s probably best to know in advance as you develop a successful marketing strategy for your wheat and barley. 3 basic tips First, a few basic tips for farmers considering selling […] Read more

Producer cars in the new marketing era

Between changes to Western Canada’s grain marketing system and evolving Canadian Grain Commission (CGC) regulations, some farmers have concerns about the long-term viability of producer cars as a shipping option. Anything could happen in the long-term, but at the start of the 2012-13 crop year, producer cars are still going strong. Tim Coulter says CWB and the […] Read more


Deciding to incorporate

Many farmers have already made the decision to incorporate. If you’re still on the fence, here are six potential benefits to consider

Farming has been in the family for generations. The farm you’re operating started out with only a few acres, but over the years it’s expanded. When your grandfather owned the farm, it was organized as a sole proprietorship. Now, you’re grappling with the decision to incorporate — to create a new legal entity for the […] Read more

Quebec’s outstanding young farmers

It took hard work, planning and patience, but after many years of renting land, and working with make-shift facilities, Martin Brodeur Choquette and Johanne Cameron, have turned their dream of having a successful sheep farm into a reality. Choquette and Cameron, who farm in southwest Quebec, started from scratch in their early 20s. Martin started […] Read more


Saskatchewan’s outstanding young farmers

Sue Echlin and Vance Lester, 2012 winners of Saskatchewan Outstanding Young Farmers award, seem to have found the perfect blend of passion and practicality. Some might say establishing a winery on the Prairies is an act of pure passion, and more than a little risky. But Living Sky Winery, opened in 2010, has already won 12 national and […] Read more

Atlantic region hosts 2012 OYF event

Some of the brightest young minds of the Canadian agriculture industry will be meeting in Charlottetown, P.E.I., later this month as regional nominees from across Canada gather for the national awards event to select Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers. The seven regional finalists, representing all parts of the country and a wide range of farming enterprises, will gather November 27 in Charlottetown, as […] Read more