Consider how cash management, diversification, risk management and investments could reduce unnecessary struggles faced by your farm.
Tag Archives farm debt
Common pitfalls in farm finances
Farm Family Coach: Active management in some key areas can reduce unnecessary struggles for your farm
To debt, or not to debt?
As we head further into 2025, will more debt be essential for a farm’s success?
Glacier FarmMedia — There are many pressures on the agriculture industry and its individual businesses. Our farms are expected to do more at every turn. Every sector is feeling the effects of those expectations. And you don’t need to go far to find a farmer who will tell you the cost underpinning all the programs, […] Read more
Editor’s Rant: On the payment plan
As much as I get the general idea behind raising interest rates to keep inflation in check, I do have to wonder if the Bank of Canada and other central banks quite grasp how much their rate hikes over the past couple of years have driven and continue to drive up the cost of literally […] Read more
‘Cash is king:’ what does that really mean?
Among other meanings, it refers to the strength of your business' cash flow
We’ve all the heard the expression “Cash is king.” It’s a catchy phrase, but what does it really mean and how can we practically apply that concept on farms today? I submit what “cash is king” really means is to have money available to pay ongoing farm expenses such as crop inputs, wages, loan payments […] Read more
China, drought, debt shake Canadian farm finances
Winnipeg/Ottawa | Reuters — For years, the financial stability of Canadian farmers was the envy of their U.S. counterparts, but rising costs, drought and a dispute with China have weakened their bottom lines. Net incomes plunged last year, and that setback was followed in March by China’s halting purchases of canola, Canada’s biggest crop. Now […] Read more
Trump says more farm aid coming amid China trade war
Washington | Reuters — President Donald Trump said on Monday that his administration was planning to provide about US$15 billion in aid to help U.S. farmers whose products may be targeted with tariffs by China amid a deepening trade war. “We’re going to take the highest year, the biggest purchase that China has ever made […] Read more
Trump administration eyes more aid to farmers if necessary
Washington | Reuters — The Trump administration is ready to provide more federal aid to farmers if required, a White House adviser said on Monday, after rolling out up to US$12 billion since last year to offset agricultural losses from the trade dispute with China. “We have allocated $12 billion, some such, to farm assistance. […] Read more
U.S. grains: Soybeans inch up on China purchases
Chicago | Reuters — U.S. soybean futures inched upward on Thursday on news that Chinese state-owned firms bought at least 500,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans, while wheat futures dropped to their lowest levels in more than a year on pressure from a strengthening dollar, traders said. Chinese state-owned firms bought the U.S. soybeans for shipment […] Read more
Ag balance sheet points to stable farm economy
CNS Canada — Canadian farmers saw their farm equity climb almost seven per cent last year compared to the year before — and Farm Credit Canada’s principal agricultural economist said that falls in line with FCC’s analysis. Data released by Statistics Canada on Wednesday showed 2017 farm equity climbed to $535.3 billion, up $34.6 billion […] Read more
Farm bankruptcies down, but not out – just different
Winnipeg | CNS Canada – Fewer farms means fewer bankruptcies but with that simple equation comes the realization that the size and tone of those bankruptcies in North America is growing. “They are larger, the amount of debt is greater, the fact that we’re not seeing a higher number doesn’t mean there isn’t considerable distress […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
