bluewhite tractor modified for autonomy

Will very-high-horsepower tractors go extinct?

Autonomy might revert farms back to lower-horsepower models

As manufacturers have once again begun to amp up the muscle in their flagship tractor models, we continue to hit new highs in size and horsepower. But is that trend likely to continue? Advancing technology might actually reverse it, and see farms return to smaller machines — at least, that’s the opinion of some of […] Read more

black calf on pasture

Time to buy some cows?

Cattle right now are more profitable than crops, this farm management expert says

Glacier FarmMedia — When all costs are factored into the equation, raising cattle should be more profitable than growing crops in 2024 — and in some cases, much more so. “Right now, I can tell you that the returns per acre are higher than any of the crops,” said Ben Hamm, a farm management specialist […] Read more


(Noel Hendrickson/DigitalVision/Getty Images)

Farmgate milk price hike delayed to May

Stakeholders say increase should be postponed amid food inflation concerns

The farmgate price of milk will go up May 1, 2024, rather than Feb. 1, after a review of the national pricing formula and consultation with stakeholders. The increase will be 1.77 per cent, or about 1.5 cents per litre for milk going into processing plants, the Canadian Dairy Commission said Wednesday. The commission had […] Read more

The Agriculture Enlightened conference, held Oct. 26 in Winnipeg and hosted by EMILI, is trying to help Canada become a leader in digital and precision agriculture. (John Deere photo)

Robots may help grain farmers diversify

Tech could support labour-intensive higher-value crops

Chuck Baresich, who owns an agricultural robotics business in Ontario, says controlling weeds with robots is probably best suited for high-value, horticultural crops in Canada. However, large-scale grain farmers could also use the technology if they think about it differently. “Let’s say my brother and me are growing 1,500 acres of corn,” said Baresich, who […] Read more


(Video screengrab from Saputo.com)

Hold off on milk price hike, dairy farmers say

Dairy commission to consult again before making annual adjustment

The process to set the next national price adjustment for Canadian milk will now take an extra week, triggered by stakeholder objections, for a round of consultations — in which the national dairy farmer group plans to call for a delay on any increase. The Canadian Dairy Commission — the Crown corporation managing Canada’s milk […] Read more

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland walk with copies of the 2023-24 budget on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on March 28, 2023. (Photo: Reuters/Patrick Doyle)

Interest-free cash advances get extra lift in federal budget

Fertilizer diversification, solids non-fat processing also up for funding

Federal Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland’s latest budget envelope for Canadian farmers up against rising costs of production includes a temporary boost to the interest-free portion of cash advances. Freeland’s 2023 federal budget, released Tuesday, includes $13 million in 2023-24 for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada to temporarily increase the interest-free limit for loans under its Advance […] Read more


Kristjan Hebert says rather than focusing on how much they’re willing to spend on ag insurance premiums, farmers would be better off considering how much money they’re prepared to lose.

Halsall: Aim for the home run ball

Every year, farmers play a high-stakes game against Mother Nature and all of the other in-season perils, betting their fields will yield a bounty of profitable crops come harvest. It’s risky, of course, which is why crop insurance is such a vital aspect of risk management for many western Canadian producers. But is crop insurance […] Read more

How does your farm stack up?

How does your farm stack up?

Canfax research project provides the industry with benchmark figures

Larger beef operations running smaller-framed mature cows tend to be the most profitable combination, according to cost of production (COP) information collected by Canfax Research Services. That’s not an absolute statement. COP information from producers across the country over the past couple of years shows that some smaller operators with various-sized animals can be profitable […] Read more


(Noel Hendrickson/DigitalVision/Getty Images)

Mid-year farm gate price hike approved for milk

Processors say incremental hike may soften impact on consumers

A request from Canada’s dairy farmer organization for an unscheduled increase in the current farm gate price for milk, to help farmers catch up with steep rises in their costs of production, has been granted. The Canadian Dairy Commission said Tuesday it will recommend that the farm gate price for milk be increased effective Sept. […] Read more

(Diane Kuhl/iStock/Getty Images)

Dairy farmers seek mid-year increase on farmgate milk prices

CDC to seek stakeholder comment next week

The Canadian Dairy Commission will seek out feedback from industry stakeholders next week on Canadian dairy farmers’ request for a mid-year raise in farmgate milk prices. The CDC said June 2 it had received a request from Dairy Farmers of Canada for the increase “due to the current inflationary environment.” If it’s approved, and if […] Read more