Reading Time: 4 minutes The cost to farm in Western Canada has doubled in the past fifteen years. What was $250/acre in annual costs to farm fifteen years ago (using accrual accounting) is now $500/acre in Western Canada. Cost increases are being seen across the farm income statement including on inputs, machinery and land. The more recent spike in […] Read more
Farming in a high-cost environment
How farms can cut expenses
As we roll into the busy season, here’s a hard look at where to cut what’s inflating your expenses and eating into your profits
Reading Time: 7 minutes Input costs. Tariffs. Commodity prices. A lot of variables are moving quickly this season, and mostly not in the right direction. Monday’s short-term cash forecast scenarios are out of date by Friday, and long-term projections are anyone’s guess. What can Canadian farmers do in the short run to protect profits (and sanity) in this uncertain […] Read more
Ratio of rent to value for Canadian farmland stable in 2024
Renting extends cash flow advantage over ownership, land values grow
Reading Time: 2 minutes The ratio of farmland rental prices to farmland value was similar in 2024 compared to 2023, but renting extended its cash flow advantage over ownership, Farm Credit Canada reported.
Bank of Canada holds rates, says tariffs could cause deep recession
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Bank of Canada on Wednesday held its key policy rate at 2.75 per cent, its first pause after seven consecutive cuts, and said that the uncertainty around U.S. tariffs made it impossible to issue regular economic forecasts.
All roads lead to the farm
Reading Time: 2 minutes Cody Snyder knew that he could always return to the farm, so he took advantage of the opportunity to work, travel and learn, “Because the farm is always there, it’ll never go anywhere,” he says. For a while he worked as a licensed mechanic and then decided to live in England for two years. He’s […] Read more
Creating off-farm revenue
Farmers have historically reinvested their earnings back into the farm. Today’s generation is planning for more
Reading Time: 3 minutes Generations of farmers prioritized reinvesting back into the farm instead of creating personal savings. But today’s generation is creating separation between farm and non-farm assets to minimize personal risk, position families for succession planning and increase family harmony. Family harmony and work-life balance Creating personal wealth outside of the farm plays a major role in […] Read more
You don’t know what you don’t know
We’ve all confidently stated a ‘fact’ only to be proved wrong. But by practicing self-awareness and self-reflection you can not only manage the fallout, you can learn from it, too
Reading Time: 3 minutes When you returned home to the farm after college, university or trade school, no doubt you felt a great sense of accomplishment. And rightfully so. You earned this achievement! You invested time, personal stress and money in equipping yourself to enter “the real world.” Maybe you also felt that you crossed a finish line, that […] Read more
Understand motivation to stay energized
Contrary to belief, motivation is not about discipline or willpower. It’s more complex, but there’s a lot you can do to boost yours
Reading Time: 6 minutes Let’s be honest. We’ve all had sluggish or frustrating days where we wonder why the heck we’re doing what we do. It can be challenging to find the motivation to get out of bed, do a chore, start a project. Motivation can be complex. What gets you excited about work today might not be the […] Read more
Knowledge lost and gained
Over the past few decades, technology has progressed exponentially, providing access to vast amounts of information. Ironically, this influx is contributing to a loss of important knowledge as well
Reading Time: 7 minutes How does a young animal learn to hunt? By observing the older generation. Humans are much the same. As a social species, we learn by mimicking, otherwise known as social learning. Social learning is the process through which we acquire knowledge and behaviours, by watching and imitating others. Like much of human social learning, transferring […] Read more
When farm plans fail
If you’ve been talking for years about planning something for the farm, maybe it’s time to look at why you’re stuck
Reading Time: 3 minutes “It’s been 10 years, and we still don’t have a plan.” If this sounds like something you’ve said to yourself, have you also asked, “Why don’t we?” Ten years talking about making a plan but still not having it written down, or not making any real changes in the way your farm operates, can be […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
