Reading Time: 6 minutes Neighbourliness is stitched into the fabric of rural Canada. It always has been. In fact, as Dr. Catharine Wilson, professor of history at the University of Guelph might put it, “reciprocal labour” is what paved the way for our farming success. “I don’t think we can overstate how important neighbours were,” says Wilson. It isn’t […] Read more
Better neighbours
In an era of bigger, busier operations, are farmers still paragons of neighbourliness?
Building a knowledge base for your farm team
For today’s farmers, the top question to ask your farm business advisor may be, “Who else are we bringing in on my job?”
Reading Time: 6 minutes Independence has always had its limits. Farmers have always enlisted off-farm experts to help solve tough production issues, and they’ve always kept their ears open when they’ve met with their bookkeepers or bank managers. But times have sped up. Today’s farms, whether small, medium or large, are complex operations that require a team to help […] Read more
Are you ready for this?
Columnist Leeann Minogue learns that if you don’t get on board with how these young women think, you’ll get left behind
Reading Time: 8 minutes What do young women think about the male-dominated ag industry that they are about to enter? I had been asking myself this question, and I wanted to find out, so I talked to a selection of female ag students. What did I hear? Without exception, these young women all wanted to know why I was […] Read more
Bright spots and blind spots
Bright Ideas: “Hugely successful businesses have been built on this principle,” says IBM founder Tom Watson. “It’s worth giving it some thought."
Reading Time: 5 minutes Farmers frequently take stock of tangible assets. They know how much money they have in the bank, how much machinery they’ve got ready to go, and how much of which crop inputs they have on hand. But what about intangible assets? Could we be keeping better track of our knowledge and skills, and should we […] Read more
Is a joint venture right for you?
On Canadian farms, and especially in succession planning, joint ventures are still uncommon. That may soon change, but it means you’ll have to wrap your head around these essential concepts
Reading Time: 10 minutes They aren’t going to work on every farm. Joint ventures are common in industries such as natural resources, energy and property development, but they haven’t yet found a real home in agriculture, and certainly not as a farm transition tool. With the price of farm assets such as land and equipment soaring, though, and with […] Read more
Lessons from the 1980s
Can farm advice from those who were on the front lines 40 years ago help producers survive the challenges of the 2020s?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Roger Pelissero remembers when the 1980s farm crisis dominated headlines in newspapers and the evening news, although he didn’t need to read the paper or turn on the television to know that farmers were in trouble. “We had friends in Western Canada growing commodities and grain who had to give up their land,” recalls Pelissero, […] Read more
Farm advisors a growing trend
Farm advisors are already delivering big value to most farms. In fact, it’s growing year upon year
Reading Time: 4 minutes The number of farm advisors is growing all the time, which is probably a good thing given that over 150,000 Canadian farms still need to plan and execute a succession of some kind, whether it’s a transition to the next generation or outside the family. And the need for advice won’t stop there. Already, more […] Read more
Thriving vs. surviving
Opportunities and challenges are on the horizon. Is your farm ready? This case study may help
Reading Time: 8 minutes It’s a question farm business advisors are hearing more and more from farmers across the country. “What can I do today to improve my financial position in five years?” While there are a number of reasons why seeking out this type of advice is a good idea, management consultants Gavin Betker and Jacqueline Gerrard find […] Read more
Before you come back to the farm
More next-gen farmers are taking off-farm jobs before they return to the farm. It’s proving a very good thing
Reading Time: 6 minutes While growing up, Jackie Dudgeon figured she would go to school and then be on her way. She had no plans to join her dad growing canola, wheat and soybeans on their Darlingford farm, a couple hours southwest of Winnipeg. But after she spent a summer working off-farm blending fertilizer, treating seed and delivering chemicals […] Read more
Coping with uncertainty
A look at how senior executives are dealing with COVID-19’s effects on their firms
Reading Time: 7 minutes The disruptions to business and industry caused or worsened by COVID-19 have been well documented in the media. How, exactly, are equipment makers being affected, and how are they fighting back? Are they all experiencing similar problems, and how significant are they? To find out, Country Guide spoke with senior executives at three Canadian manufacturers. […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
