“We are fortunate to have some good people around us.” – Michael Carter.

Summer Series: Long-distance farming

[Change Management] For Michael Carter, when a family can make the right changes at home, their odds of success with expanding across provincial borders and hundreds of kms away go up and up

Reading Time: 9 minutes The idea sounds right for the times. If you can’t expand at home, either because land is so expensive or because there just isn’t any for sale, look further afield. Maybe two hours away, maybe four, maybe even in a different province and so far away you basically have to set up a whole new […] Read more

Organic farming was a relatively low-cost way for the Hoffords to get on their feet in the beginning stages, and they also saw it as a lower-risk enterprise.

Summer Series: Manitoba couple reinvents their farm

[Change Management] What does it take to survive when you run into a production problem so serious it threatens your whole farm? The Hoffords were about to find out

Reading Time: 11 minutes At first, going organic seemed the perfect choice for Ryan and Amy Hofford, a young couple intent on taking over the family farm after the early passing of Ryan’s father. Organic had everything going for it. The young couple could cash-flow its low-input approach, they’d excel at its hands-on marketing and they’d be on a […] Read more


Financial success is easy to measure and it is also helpful for a very good reason.

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?

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

“It’s having those long-term thoughts,” Jinel Ference says, when asked what it takes to build an inclusive farm. “What do you want for your farm, for your community? How does that look?”

Summer Series: Implementing changes that matter

[Change Management] Maybe there used to be one tried-and-true path to farm success. Today, for farmers like Craig and Jinel Ference, it’s about seeking new ideas and getting creative about how to integrate them

Reading Time: 12 minutes Right now, we’re focusing on streamlining, simplifying and making things more efficient,” Craig Ference says. “That’s kind of our next expansion … making what we have a lot better. Improving our production, our land and our cattle to get a better gross margin from our current asset base.” Yup, that’s a farmer. The same or […] Read more


Summer Series: Opportunities ahead

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

"You have to be pretty progressive," says Jolene MacEachern, "but I think it’s possible."

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


Allowing an employee to decide how to complete a task is part of having autonomy.

Summer Series: Develop leaders, not labourers

[Leadership] Allowing people to safely struggle is good. Let them know you are there for support, but they’re expected to figure it out and get it done

Reading Time: 3 minutes A leadership expert offers his advice to help answer the question “What’s at risk if I don’t help others on my farm develop their leadership skills?” – April Stewart, CG Associate Editor Part of having an executive mindset on the farm is developing others. Developing others might seem like a basic function of management, which it […] Read more

From her global travels, Amy Cronin returns with a key belief: “We need to develop a risk mindset — and we need to help each other do that using peer groups.”

Summer Series: Only farmers know real risk

[Leadership] In a world that crashes from crisis to crisis, Ontario farmer Amy Cronin went on a global search for farmers who excel at risk management. Here’s what she learned

Reading Time: 5 minutes In a world that crashes from crisis to crisis, Ontario farmer and Nuffield scholar, Amy Cronin, went on a global search for farmers who excel at risk management. Here’s what she learned. – April Stewart, CG Associate Editor If it’s a new and even more volatile world for farmers (which it is) and if success […] Read more


There will be peace in your life once you start delegating well, says leadership consultant Lyndsay Gillon-Seafoot.

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

A legal trust is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Learn about the pros and cons and how to know if a trust is the right solution for you.

Summer Series: What is a legal trust?

[Leadership] A trust may be the right solution for your toughest succession and legacy issues, but proceed with care

Reading Time: 4 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 The easiest way to think of a trust is as a legal relationship between parties — a settlor, trustee […] Read more