Reading Time: 4 minutes I have taught in the CTEAM program for 20-plus years. During sessions on strategic human resource management, participants routinely say that communication — particularly when dealing with conflict — is something they struggle with. Early participants questioned the benefits of formal communication approaches, such as information sharing and decision-making meetings. They were also hesitant to […] Read more
Assertive, or co-operative?
A better way to drive business success on your family farm with effective communication and conflict resolution
More together
Taking a group and multi-generational approach to upgrading their skills is paying off on the Woods farm
Reading Time: 5 minutes More farmers agree that the old saying has it about right: Failing to plan is planning to fail. It’s too easy to get off-course if you haven’t set your intentions and goals to paper. Besides, how do you track your success if you don’t have goals? Having completed a succession plan that lays the groundwork […] Read more
Is the class half full or half empty?
Just under half of Canada’s farmers are committed to lifelong learning. Here’s how it makes a difference
Reading Time: 5 minutes “When the human mind is stretched, it never returns to its original size — similar to most new underpants.” That’s a quote from the International Farm Management Congress in Scotland last year, and it’s one that Farm Management Canada (FMC) executive director Heather Watson uses to stress the enduring impact of continuous lifelong learning. “The […] Read more
4R comes to Ontario agri-retail
New certification program will even mean some third-party auditing for farmers
Reading Time: 5 minutes If the agri-food industry wasn’t already keenly aware of a change in attitudes, the past three years have dramatically shown that the eyes of the world are upon us, particularly when it comes to environmental stewardship. A recent court ruling against Monsanto has only served to add fuel to a fire that includes nutrient run-off […] Read more
A new attack on glyphosate
Earlier this fall, some food companies were calling for a ban on glyphosate
Reading Time: 8 minutes Already by October 1, 2018, over 200 products sold under 17 different brand names were displaying the Glyphosate Residue Free symbol on their packaging. And another 50 brands representing hundreds more products are in the process of securing Glyphosate Residue Free certification. Farmers can expect increasing backlash over their use of glyphosate because of this […] Read more
Spirited farming
The ongoing evolution of this Saskatchewan farm proves just how big and worthwhile the opportunities can be for today’s agriculture
Reading Time: 10 minutes It’s an idyllic late summer day at Black Fox Farm and Distillery just south of Saskatoon. Standing on top of the hill that overlooks the distillery, you notice that some of the leaves are just starting to turn. The flower and fruit fields are on the hill’s plateau. The flowers are still in bloom — […] Read more
Editor’s Note: How we talk among ourselves
Reading Time: 2 minutes Again I’ve been told our farm business focus means Country Guide has stopped writing for real farmers, which is to say that if you read us, you’re no longer playing for the home team. To be honest, the charge doesn’t come up all that often. I had expected it to come up more. Still, it’s […] Read more
Which risks should you take and which should you manage?
AME Management: Risk assessment
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canadian agriculture’s business environment seems even more uncertain than usual. Markets are more volatile than historically. President Trump seems bent on causing new uncertainties in, among other areas, international trade. As this is written, it is not completely certain that Canada will remain in NAFTA, or exactly what shape that agreement will take. Meanwhile, the […] Read more
A professional approach to agriculture pays off
Continuous improvement is important in today’s farming community
Reading Time: 5 minutes We all know we are speaking to (and about) a different generation in today’s farming community. It’s a group that is rapidly growing in education, in financial knowledge and in their eagerness to do more, do it better and leave their legacy in the ag world. The idea at the centre of all of it […] Read more
What’s this about blockchains?
The opportunities for agriculture and farming are amazing. It’s time to get learning
Reading Time: 10 minutes For over a decade, farmers have been told that a systems approach will bring greater efficiency to their farms. Quality assurance, nutrient management plans, environmental farm plans, big data, precision ag — they’ll all help increase efficiency and might even improve profitability. In the past six months, a new phrase has exploded into the business […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
