Reading Time: 5 minutes Establishing meeting ground rules can help your family find ways to communicate that work for your farm. Here are some ideas you can incorporate into your farm’s communication code of behaviour. Setting rules for how your farm will meet about business can be a difficult cultural shift for the whole farm and family, but it’s […] Read more
Ground rules for farm family communications
Summer Series: For better business results learn how to shift from talking and listening to each other as family members to making decisions together as business partners
VIDEO: How to go from managing to mentoring
Summer Series: How you lead matters. Subtle but powerful shifts in your leadership style can make a world of difference to your employees and, consequently, to your farm business
Reading Time: 2 minutes There’s a moment every leader remembers: that moment when someone looks at them differently. Not because of what that leader did, but because of how they did it. That’s mentorship. There have been a few times in my career where I’ve had glimpses of a true mentor. Those moments stand out. But the most impactful […] Read more
Leaders need support, too
Summer Series: Today’s ag leaders shoulder a heavy mental and emotional load. Despite their stoic leadership skills team members must remember that sometimes their leader needs support, too
Reading Time: 4 minutes “Leaders are expected to remain composed, to offer reassurance and to be a safe harbour for their teams… it can be draining,” says Jennifer MacTavish, a Guelph, Ont., executive coach and mediator. This can lead to burnout, especially during times of uncertainty. MacTavish, who spent 20 years in leadership roles with agricultural industry associations, has […] Read more
Canadian farm liabilities outpaced equity growth in 2024
Farmers see declining ability to service debt for second consecutive year
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian farmers' total equity growth slowed for the first time in five years in 2024 as liabilities grew faster than assets, Statistics Canada reported. Farmland prices led to most of the growth, while declining farm income led to less ability to service debts.
VIDEO: Change the way you think to change what you control
Summer Series: Drought. Floods. Input costs. Market prices. Labour. Farming is a masterclass in staying calm during chaos. Here’s how you can tap into the power of your thoughts to remain steady, even when the future is anything but
Reading Time: 2 minutes Even the strongest leaders can find themselves caught in a swirl of frustration or fear when so much feels out of their hands. For instance, I remember a time when I was a very angry, reactive person. My family was always on edge, never sure when I was going to blow up. And honestly, most […] Read more
VIDEO: Responding to advice, whether you wanted it or not
Reading Time: < 1 minute Working on the farm with various family and non-family members means you might receive a lot of advice from a lot of people. But sometimes this unsolicited advice can make you feel like you’re still an inexperienced kid. So, how should you best respond to advice that you don’t agree with or when you’re not […] Read more
Great farm leaders have dirt under their fingernails
Summer Series: Agriculture has had its share of great leaders. But what happens to the industry when the leadership pool starts to dry up?
Reading Time: 2 minutes I don’t believe that leaders are born. I believe they are made. I also believe that we are on the cusp of losing a significant amount of leadership in agriculture. Canadian and U.S. farmer demographics indicate that approximately 65 per cent of the industry is in the exit strategy stage. We are about to lose […] Read more
VIDEO: Building a farm that outlasts you
Summer Series: Legacy isn’t about control. It’s about leading today in a way that creates strength, curiosity and clarity for tomorrow’s owners
Reading Time: 3 minutes Legacy runs deep in agriculture. It’s not just about the land. It’s also about the family name, the farm’s story, the values and the impact that continue long after the current owner has stepped away from the day-to-day. For most farm leaders there comes a time when the question arises: What happens to the operation […] Read more
How women lead with confidence in agriculture
Summer Series: While women working in agriculture is certainly not as rare as it used to be, gender biases haven’t kept pace with the change. But with the help of peers and industry learning opportunities women are confidently stepping into leadership roles
Reading Time: 6 minutes Gender bias is complicated. It can be intentional, but it can also be subconscious or structural, such as when it’s embedded in organizational policies or societal norms. And it often goes unseen by those who don’t experience it themselves. Although the number of women working in leadership positions in agriculture is increasing, women are still […] Read more
Build your farm with these entrepreneurial skills
Summer Series: Today’s farm owners need to be on top of their game like never before — and it all starts with the right skills
Reading Time: 9 minutes “Farming is an important, low-margin business that has got to be fine-tuned like a guitar to make beautiful music.” This insight comes from Kim McConnell, someone who knows about business success — and how to make that beautiful music. After a long career in the agriculture industry, the former founder of AdFarm is still mentoring […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
