Every year around this time, I start thinking it's time to reflect. Reflect on the last year, the good, the not-so-great, and most of all — what I'm thankful for. I have started this more than a handful of times over the course of the last couple of days. So, I've turned on my favourite... Read More
Category: Farm Management
Dairy farming is labour intensive 365-days of the year. It's also an industry that can be both physically and technologically demanding all at once. Because of the round-the-clock care dairy farms require, it takes a certain kind of temporary work force to fill in when farmers need time off. Martin VandenHoven, of Relief Herdsmen Services,... Read More
A mid-year review of farmland values by Farm Credit Canada (FCC) suggests climbing interest rates and poor growing conditions in 2021 have done little to temper demand for Canadian farmland. “Strong farm cash receipts, buoyed by robust commodity prices, have managed to quell some of the profitability challenges from higher interest rates and farm input... Read More
The Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA) is on the hunt for a new leader to take the reins of the organization in January 2023, allowing for a transition period from the current leadership. The move comes as executive director Andrew Graham has announced his plans to retire in June 2023, after 33 years... Read More
The current president and CEO of Gay Lea Foods Co-operative Ltd. (Gay Lea), Michael Barrett has announced his retirement, effective January 31, 2023. Barrett has been with Gay Lea for 22 years, serving as president and CEO since 2014, The board of directors has announced that Suzanna Dalrymple will sept in to the role effective... Read More
As the commodity markets continue to hinge on the outcomes of several global factors, the glass-half-full approach is honing in on corn and what looks to be an upswing, as we look at the December charts. Slow and steady may win the corn race with consultants staying optimistic that a rebound is on the horizon.... Read More
On September 7th, the Bank of Canada announced a rate increase of 75 basis points bringing the overnight rate to 3.25 per cent. The move wasn't a surprise to many, yet begs the question, are we done yet? The increase is designed to curb consumer spending and ultimately blunt inflation, however, consumer spending isn't always... Read More
Statistics Canada is pivoting away from farmer-answered surveys and is utilizing various technologies to provide agriculture-related information about crops across Canada. The AgZero program uses alternative data sources including Earth observation data and satellite imagery to create reports regarding Canada's agricultural production, reports that were usually compiled from data farmers provided. Omar Youssouf, unit head... Read More
There's no denying that farming is a string of tough decisions, from managing finances, inputs, and equipment, to deciding rotations, and managing pests and disease. However, something that perhaps takes the cake for difficult decisions and conversations is farm succession as a whole. Not only are there big business decisions to be made when developing... Read More
If you've been a fan of RealAgriculture a while, you'll know we're committed to few things, including covering the issues that matter most to the agriculture industry and having a sense of humour. As we heard on the Farmer Rapid Fire this week, qualified farm workers are increasingly harder to find. The labour shortage isn't... Read More