It’s not unreasonable for parents who’ve spent decades building an operation to hope that a successor is committed for the long haul.

How to talk about ‘fair family price’ for land, other assets

Seeds of Encouragement: A family farm transfer likely involves some gifting, given the market values for farmland

Elaine writes: “Fair family price” versus “fair market value price” (or FFP vs. FMV) is often a tense conversation between a farm’s founders, needing to sell assets for their personal income stream, and a buyer, often the cash-strapped successor on the farm. To offer readers some wisdom on this conversation I asked our coaching teammate […] Read more

Under the legislation, farmers can now sell farm shares to their children, creating a shareholder loan.

How to reduce the tax load on a farm succession

A Manitoba MP's bill is considered a game-changer for farm transition — if you know how to use it

Glacier FarmMedia — Taking advantage of the revamped federal Bill C-208 can provide you with some significant tax savings when drafting family succession plans for your farm. C-208 was initially introduced as a private member’s bill by Manitoba MP Larry Maguire in 2021. The bill sought to amend the federal Income Tax Act to exclude […] Read more


Rob and Sarah need a way to divide the farm that creates the necessary cash flow for a son moving back to the farm and maintains fairness for him and his brother.

Six quarters and two sons

The problem of fairness in an estate plan

Rob, who is 65, and Sarah, who is 61, farm six quarters of grain and pasture in northwestern Manitoba. They have two sons, Michael and Steven, each in his 30s and married. However, Steven, who has a town job, has decided he would like to try his hand at farming. The issue in devising a […] Read more

Parents can pass farmland down to the next generation at any value between book value and market value.

How best to pass on the farm and provide for a child living with a disability

Farm Financial Planner: There are several solutions for a complicated situation

Steve, 62, and Sarah, 60, have run a successful farming operation in western Manitoba for the last 35 years. The farm consists of personally held farm assets and seven quarter sections of cropland. Steve and Sarah have two sons. Jared is 32 and Jack is 30 years old. Jared has been working on the farm […] Read more


Marie-Claude Bibeau, Dave Epp, Yves Perron and Alistair MacGregor laid out their parties’ positions in an agriculture leaders’ debate on Sept. 9, 2021. (Video screengrab from Canadian Federation of Agriculture via YouTube)

Federal support for farmers focus of ag leaders’ debate

AgriStability, carbon levy exemptions, supply management among topics

An agricultural debate ahead of the federal election gave representatives from political parties an opportunity to pitch their ideas to producers, resulting in debate over how best to support farmers. Thursday evening’s debate, hosted by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, had plenty of discussion about climate change and how best to support producers in a […] Read more

Let’s be honest about the filters we carry as farmers.

Froese: Clear, concise communication is better understood and received

Sometimes our automatic ‘filters’ get in the way of this so we need to be aware of what those could be

Elaine, I am feeling paralyzed and overwhelmed with this farm transfer thing.” “How do I talk to the kids without emotions running wild?” “We do fine until we try to get a sit-down family meeting with an agenda, then no one is really honest with what is going on here.” Communication that is clear, and […] Read more


How to help founders let go

The transfer is inevitable so it can either be done in planned stages over time or by death

What should I do with the next 25 years? At 61, my life expectancy is 86. The math says I have a quarter of a century left to create legacy, help others transition, and mentor the next generation. I am also now a grandmother who delights in reading Penny Grace stories, rocking her to sleep, […] Read more

Slash your tax bill by transferring the farm

Slash your tax bill by transferring the farm

Resigned to quit, a farming couple makes a plan 
to slash taxes and hand the operation to their children

In south central Manitoba, a couple we’ll call Harry and Marge, 81 and 73, are tackling the problem of transferring their 1,760 acre farm, mostly pasture, and their 120 cattle, to their children who we’ll call Bob, 46, and Cathy, 42. Harry and Marge know they have to give up control sooner or later, given […] Read more