Reading Time: 6 minutes When asked to define “success,” most farmers will tell you it’s about more than money. Family often comes up. High yields and good soil health are top of mind too, and health, safety and employee relations can be as well. We know these non-financial factors are important. Still, when the farm team gathers at the […] Read more
Summer Series: Measuring success on the farm
[Change Management] We talk a lot about farm success. But how do we know if we’re getting there?
Summer Series: Opportunities ahead
[Change Management] What’s in store for Canada’s farms in 2024? The news is good, mostly
Reading Time: 10 minutes Land is up. Inputs are up. Commodities are volatile. And that’s just a start. Climate change is getting real. Interest rates are too. And the international scene is chaos. Does it all add up to good news for your farm in 2024? Bad news? And what can you do to keep your farm on the […] Read more
Summer Series: 7 trends in agriculture for 2024
[Change Management] The long term is clear. The world will need Canadian farmers to feed a global population expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. But what about the short term, like next summer?
Reading Time: 6 minutes High interest rates, skyrocketing input costs, labour shortages, climate change … the exact mix varies from country to country but farmers around the world are facing threats to their ability to grow more food, which means farmers everywhere are looking for opportunities to improve production, preserve profits and protect the environment. What does it all […] Read more
Summer Series: Grow your farm manager
[Leadership] Leaders are made, not born. That much is clear. But how exactly do you make such a concept pay off on your farm?
Reading Time: 3 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 Dr. Stephen Brown says: “You are not a leader until you have produced a leader who can produce another […] Read more
Summer Series: Characteristics of highly effective leaders
[Leadership] Part two in a series on leadership
Reading Time: 4 minutes “Solutions to the greatest challenges and opportunities are not found in strategy or quick fixes, they are found within the people who have problems.” These are the 12 characteristics effective leaders learn and practice to influence their farm’s ROI.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor In my last article I described six characteristics of highly effective […] Read more
Summer Series: Farm CEO: Women farm executives
[Leadership] “Women are showing up in business, and what they are doing is working. It should be seen as a model for all of us.”
Reading Time: 3 minutes Studies show that women have a lot to offer in terms of executive decision-makers on the farm – and there are plenty of lessons agriculture can learn from them.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor Women make great farm CEOs. Did you hear that, Dad? Studies are showing that women have a lot to offer as […] Read more
The four finance roles every farm needs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Summer is when many farm operations fall behind on paperwork and bookkeeping. It’s understandable. Producers are outside raising crops and animals or trying to fit in a summer vacation. And after spending the winter inside, we all want to get outdoors. But ‘catching up on the books’ post-harvest is increasingly unfeasible. The winter planning season […] Read more
Summer Series: Women in charge
[Leadership] Yes, progress is being made, but women still face challenges in expanding their farm ownership and leadership roles
Reading Time: 6 minutes Factors like the “mommy tax”, gendered roles, and land ownership continue to make it difficult for many women to immerse themselves in agriculture. The good news is that the industry is working at dismantling these barriers.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor There are two stories here. Yes, the proportion of Canadian farm operators who are […] Read more
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
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
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
