Reading Time: 4 minutes A few years ago I had the pleasure of interviewing the industrial designer who styled the cab and body of the first Challenger 65 belted ag tractors, which were then part of the Caterpillar brand before coming under AGCO ownership. Before coming to Cat, the designer had spent several years working for General Motors and […] Read more
A Genius in the tractor cab
This systems supplier is integrating cutting-edge automotive safety systems into off-road equipment cabs
Incorporation pushes farms into higher gear
With 30,000 incorporated farms on 50 million acres, farm incorporation is on the rise in Canada, and not just because of the tax savings. In fact, these other benefits can be even more valuable
Reading Time: 4 minutes Somewhere between loading trucks and getting ready for seeding on his family’s farm near Fort MacLeod, Alta., Stephen Vandervalk stops midway through our conversation, breathes deeply and tilts his head. “I can’t even imagine trying to operate without a corporation,” he says. “How could we compete to buy land at 35 to 45 per cent […] Read more
Small business corporations hit by new tax rules
Some major changes to how Canada Revenue Agency handles small business corporations are costing incorporated farms, especially those focused on expansion
Reading Time: 2 minutes Tax rules change. Some governments try to lower taxes, others claw back those tax wins. Currently, Ottawa seems to be gnawing away at what some see as the very foundation of this country’s economy, small business profits. Incorporated businesses may be losing some of the tax advantages they’ve had over sole proprietorships, but are still […] Read more
‘Senior’ management
At 82, Amilcare Merlo is still planning the long-term future of the company that will be his legacy
Reading Time: 5 minutes In February I was invited to tag along with a group of dealers and their customers as they paid a visit to telehandler manufacturer Merlo’s assembly plant just outside the historic old city of Cuneo, Italy. When everyone had arrived, we stood on a balcony at the plant and watched several telehandlers go through a […] Read more
Small SWOT, big ideas
Summer Business: This exercise to determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats can be a best next step for smaller farms
Reading Time: 4 minutes Over the last four years Ontario organic farmer and consultant David Cohlmeyer has completed over 20 business plans for smaller and medium-sized farms. But before doing a business plan, with updated budget, balance sheets, marketing plans and cash flow statements, Cohlmeyer works with the clients to do a SWOT analysis. “It’s a tool, a good […] Read more
Stress tests for change
Here’s a quick way to keep your eye on your cash flow projections this summer to help you plan loan payments and expenses this fall
Reading Time: 4 minutes Knowing how to read and understand financial statements is one of the first steps in assessing financial risk, helping you track how you’re doing compared to previous years (or against sector averages), and how any changes may have an impact on your bank account. From a financial perspective, stress testing can be the ultimate proactive […] Read more
Know your farm financial numbers
Which financial ratios could you be tracking this summer to make the best decisions this fall?
Reading Time: 8 minutes Farming is a tough business. Weather risk, volatile markets, potential trade issues, input costs, and the steep investment in land and equipment mean today’s farmers must have formidable management skills to weather the storms and grasp the opportunities. In that context, your financial numbers are a lot like the numbers you get from the field, […] Read more
The Farm Network takes farm food products beyond local
The Farm Network is pioneering a new category of food business, helping farmers grow their sales of local products to reach commercial scale
Reading Time: 5 minutes When Tyler Ferguson found a distinct gap in Canada’s local food system, he decided to fill it by starting his own sales, marketing and distribution company focused on getting more food products from the farm into retail. That was the first step. But only the first step. “I noticed that a lot of local food […] Read more
Rocky Mountain looks for more
As Canada’s largest ag dealership chain turns 10, Country Guide sits down with its senior executives to look at how it got here, and where it’s going
Reading Time: 6 minutes Suspicion. Unease. Uncertainty. They were all sweeping across the West a decade ago when farmers began seeing their local Case IH and New Holland dealerships get gobbled up by a new and unfamiliar company. Then they started hearing the name — Rocky Mountain Equipment — but that didn’t help. Except as the outsiders buying their […] Read more
The paint does matter
Versatile draws on inspiration from its past to position itself for future growth
Reading Time: 5 minutes It isn’t much of a surprise when Versatile shows up for the annual Manitoba Ag Days. The show, after all, is just two hours from the Versatile factory, so the company’s regular attendance is pretty much a given. Local farmers expect to see the brand put in an appearance there every year, and they’re never […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
