A legal trust is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Learn about the pros and cons and how to know if a trust is the right solution for you.

Summer Series: What is a legal trust?

[Leadership] A trust may be the right solution for your toughest succession and legacy issues, but proceed with care

Reading Time: 4 minutes There’s only so much time in a busy farm owner’s day. Here’s how can you help your farm manager develop their leadership skills, so you can focus on the big stuff.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor The easiest way to think of a trust is as a legal relationship between parties — a settlor, trustee […] Read more


“Keeping each other accountable is very important.” — Gracey Gulak.

Summer Series: When she’ll be the leader…

[Leadership] On more farms like these, the dad-daughter relationship is emerging as one of agriculture’s greatest strengths

Reading Time: 10 minutes The dad-daughter relationship is emerging as one of agriculture’s greatest strengths. Country Guide spoke with two young Manitoban women about how they’re harnessing the power of this dynamic to grow their farms.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor Maybe it used to be a struggle for Dad to stop being Dad and become a business partner. […] Read more

Mom and Dad, what should you be looking for when the kids come home? Are you willing to let them make mistakes?

Summer Series: Up to the job

[Leadership] You’re home for the summer. Now, how are you going to show Mom and Dad that you’re a safe bet for taking over the farm?

Reading Time: 6 minutes You’re home for the summer. Now, how are you going to show Mom and Dad that you’re a safe bet for taking over the farm? Here’s how to get started.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor It’s a phrase that means just what it says. Leadership succession is real, and it’s catching on. If your succession […] Read more


Farmer and His Son Standing Side by Side Leaning on a Gate

Summer Series: How do you know when the younger generation is ‘ready’?

[Leadership] AME Management: How succession can be successfully planned

Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s a tough question for any family business to ask and answer. How do you know when the next generation is equipped to take over management decisions and lead the business into its next chapter? This article offers some tips.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor A tough question for any family business is how to […] Read more

“The younger generation needs to know whether there is ever going to be an opportunity. But they also have to understand that their parents are not required to give them a job or obligated to let them take over the farm, and there may be reasons why it won’t be possible.” – Kelly Dobson.

Summer Series: Do the kids really want it?

[Leadership] If yes, the kids and their parents both have to be clear on how they can prove it

Reading Time: 4 minutes If the kids are expressing an interest in the farm or their answer to the question “Do you really want this opportunity?” is yes, then both kids and parents must be clear on how they can prove it. Follow this expert advice to get you started.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor An intergenerational farm transition […] Read more


"It doesn’t matter the size of the operation, learning and advancing your leadership skills can pay dividends for anyone."

Summer Series: Is my kid a leader?

[Leadership] What does leadership potential look like?

Reading Time: 6 minutes What does leadership potential look like? Are there certain skills a parent should teach or encourage their kids to develop? And how can parents do that? Read or listen to this article to find out.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor It’s actually two questions. It isn’t just how much leadership potential have my kids got? […] Read more

“My experience in agriculture is lifelong, and the MBA has definitely helped me weave my way through my career off-farm and on the farm,” Steve Koeckhoven says.

Summer Series: Making a leader

[Leadership] As farms get bigger and more complex, more farmers like Steve Koeckhoven are drawing leadership insights from other business sectors

Reading Time: 10 minutes On-farm leadership is more than the skills we usually think of when defining a leader. This article looks at what farm leadership is really about.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor When we think of strong leaders we often leap to examples like politicians, sport coaches and the CEOs of large corporations, so it’s little surprise […] Read more


Parliament Hill, in Ottawa – Ontario, Canada. Photo: Ulysse Pixel

Farm groups criticize capital gains inclusion rate change

Ten national organizations say several tax-related changes in the 2024 federal budget will impact farmers 

Reading Time: 3 minutes In a May 27 letter to finance minister Chrystia Freeland, agriculture minister Lawrence MacAulay and national revenue minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, 10 signatories said they are concerned about the capital gains inclusion rate, the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and the Canadian Entrepreneurs’ Incentive (CEI), which were all announced in April.

"You shouldn’t have everyone just telling everyone else what a great job they’re doing,” Betker says. Instead, there should be real discussion, real questions, real insight.

Summer Series: How to set up a peer group

[Best Advice] Peer groups are driving the performance of more farms across the country. How do you get started

Reading Time: 5 minutes You can’t always rely on one-off farm tours to get the info you need to make those critical decisions for your farm. One increasingly popular solution: peer groups. Here’s how to get one started.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor Every farmer gains deep perspective and a wealth of insight during their career. It’s knowledge that […] Read more