Winter is a good time to review farm transition plans.


Finding fairness in farm transition

How are your plans unfolding? Now is the perfect time to check on this

Winter is a great time to take a fresh look at how our plans are unfolding. As a speaker, it’s also a season of meeting and greeting many stressed-out farm families who are seeking solutions to being stuck. BDO’s Jim Synder has a daughter who thinks that families who see fairness defined as “helping everyone […] Read more

The value of on-farm research

The value of on-farm research

On the farm, “value” and money aren’t necessarily always the same thing

The notion of value is a tricky one. For many, it unequivocally refers to money. When a new product promises to deliver more value to your farm, most of us take that to mean that product is going to increase our profits. Or, if not explicitly that, it will make our farms better in a […] Read more


Formalizing your farming joint venture

Formalizing your farming joint venture

Many farmers use joint ventures informally. Getting it in writing can make things simpler


Many family farms have participated in variations of revenue and/or cost sharing arrangements. A typical scenario involves family or neighbours sharing equipment and labour to minimize costs, reduce the cost of production and improve the bottom line. However, inefficiencies and disputes over the value of contributions can result from these informal arrangements. Formalizing and documenting […] Read more



grain bins and barley field

Would your farm pass the stress test?

When you pencil out 
your farm budgets, 
calculate some “what if” 
scenarios as well

New provincial guidelines for estimating 2017 crop production costs are being released across the Prairies. These guidelines can help producers predict their operating costs, breakeven yields and profitability. Producers should also be doing a “stress test” to see how much deviation from those predictions the farm can actually bear without losing money, is the advice […] Read more

What’s affecting land rental rates

What’s affecting land rental rates

The farmland rental market can respond to a lot of different market factors

When the value of land goes up it tends to affect land rental prices too, but it’s not the only factor that has seen land rents increase over the past few years — in some areas quite dramatically. Productivity of the land is also hugely important, as is the amount of competition for land in […] Read more


Making those tough decisions

Making those tough decisions

Agronomy, marketing, economics. Farmers have many decisions to make during the year

Back in the beginning of this growing year, it was an early and warm spring season. Many farmers started seeding early, aware that they were taking on the risk of a frost and having to reseed. That gamble paid off for the majority of farmers who took the risk, as the weather stayed warm and […] Read more

How to have your voice heard

Here's some tips to have your opinions and ideas count at the farm decision-making table

I’ve consumed a bit too much chocolate in my adventures at the Hershey Lodge in Pennsylvania. You are given a large Hershey bar at check-in, a bag full (over 10 chocolate kisses with room service breakfast) and chocolate butter at the banquet table. Even the shampoo and conditioner smell like chocolate! Many women love chocolate. […] Read more


Management drives farm profits

Management drives farm profits

An Ipsos study has identified the top seven habits of successful farmers. Do you have them?

Results of a new national Ipsos study clearly show that management matters when it comes to farm business success. The report also identifies seven key habits that have the biggest impact on farm profitability. The survey included 604 farms of all types and sizes and farmers of all ages across Canada in the grains and […] Read more

Man standing in field with combine

Think twice before expanding your farm operation

Bigger or better? Sometimes it makes more sense to stay the size you are

Attending or speaking at conferences, meetings and seminars over the last few weeks I have had the opportunity to have numerous discussions with producers on a multitude of topics. Most of the discussions centered around what is going to happen in grain markets, what should they seed and when should they price their grain. As […] Read more