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
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
Three farms find ways to live it up
Yes, farms can aim at five-star markets, as Nuffield farms show around the world
Reading Time: 7 minutes When we think of farm diversification here in Canada, we usually imagine new crops or livestock, maybe some value-adding, or possibly some entry-level agri-tourism. How often, though, would you think of going after the top end of a luxury market? Below, meet three farms that have successfully diversified their income streams by targeting luxury offers […] Read more
On the same team
Is it too much to hope that farmers and processors will get better at working together?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Since food and beverage processors are the largest buyers of agricultural production in Canada, purchasing about 40 per cent of domestic farmers’ agricultural output, growth in domestic processing couldn’t help but be positive for farmers. At least, that’s the growing consensus in more university business faculties and in the head offices of more business associations. […] Read more
Missing the market
Farmers like the Thatchers are succeeding, but what happened to the promise that industry would make us a world leader value-adding?
Reading Time: 11 minutes Five years ago, the spotlight was shining bright on a report from the federal government’s Advisory Council on Economic Growth. Few federal reports get much attention, but this report, named after council chair Dominic Barton, generated headlines as it predicted that a new era of value-adding would not only transform the country’s ag and food […] Read more
Corporate diversity, equity and inclusion
A look at the decision-making inside a major international multinational as it gets serious about DEI. Can their ideas work on your farm, too?
Reading Time: 6 minutes Like many other high-level corporate leaders, when COVID-19 was starting to become a serious issue in Canada in the spring of 2020, Syngenta Canada president Trevor Heck was under pressure to put together a team to deal with the new and unprecedented realities unfurling every day. “At the time, I was just thinking about the […] Read more
Bunge raises 2021 profit outlook on higher food, renewable fuel demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes Bunge Ltd reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter results and raised its full-year profit outlook on Wednesday for a third time this year amid improved demand for food and renewable fuel as pandemic restrictions have eased. Although volumes in the U.S. agricultural commodities trader’s core agribusiness and its refined and specialty oils units were down, robust oilseed processing […] Read more
ADM profit more than doubles on strong crush margins, vegoil demand
Reading Time: 2 minutes Global grain trader Archer-Daniels-Midland Co said on Tuesday its third-quarter profit more than doubled, as strong oilseed crushing margins and rising vegetable oil demand boosted its core agricultural services and oilseeds unit. The Chicago-based U.S. grains merchant is anticipating the favorable demand and margin environment to continue supporting results in the fourth quarter and foresees […] Read more
Italy vetoes sale of seed producer to Chinese-owned Syngenta
Reading Time: 2 minutes Rome | Reuters – Italy has prevented Chinese-owned group Syngenta from buying vegetable seed producer Verisem, government officials said, underscoring Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s commitment to shield key assets from unwanted foreign bids. The decision, made at a cabinet meeting on Oct. 19 but not yet made public, marks the first time Italy has vetoed […] Read more
When is a good time to incorporate your farm?
Incorporating isn’t right for everyone, but it can often help the farm grow and prepare for the future
Reading Time: 4 minutes Should you incorporate your farm? It’s a decision with many moving parts, combining tax planning with growth strategies. And it’s a decision more and more farmers are making. The 2016 census showed about half of all Canadian farms were sole proprietorships, 23 per cent were partnerships and about a quarter were corporations. Successful farms depend […] Read more
Corteva turns two
Company manages through pandemic while building old and new brands
Reading Time: 3 minutes The emergence of Corteva two years ago from the merger of Dow Agrosciences and DuPont put a new player on the agriculture stage — a company focused on agriculture that had to merge different cultures and product brands. Corteva recently turned two and Bryce Eger, president of Corteva Canada, talked about the evolution of the company and […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
