Reading Time: 7 minutes No matter how closely they watch the skies, farmers can’t control the weather. Nor do they have any influence over the amount of volatility in their markets. But pricing? Well that, says Irmi Critcher, is one aspect of farming that producers can exercise some control over, and that she works hard at. “You can put […] Read more
Active marketing on the farm
On these farms, marketing is no longer a matter of waiting for the right price
VIDEO: Canada’s agricultural markets update for Aug. 3, 2016
Reading Time: < 1 minute D’Arce McMillan, The Western Producer markets editor, monitors trends in the North American and global agricultural markets. Each week he hosts a market video about crops designed to help viewers understand the forces responsible for changes in the trade. The Western Producer is a member of the Glacier FarmMedia network.
Out-competed by Ukraine
Massive Ukrainian farms are producing grain and getting it into export position for $100/t less than in Canada
Reading Time: 6 minutes In the last issue of Country Guide, I wrote of my travels in China, and of how that trip made me question the true competitiveness of Canadian agriculture. Unfortunately, a new Australian study validates many of my concerns. “Ukraine: An emerging challenge for Australian wheat exports” is the third study from the Australian Export Grains […] Read more
Liberals boost tax on quota
Planning to sell quota that is held in a corporation? Get some strategic tax planning, quick
Reading Time: 3 minutes Not surprisingly, the national media focused on proposals like the new tax-free Canada Child Benefit program when the Justin Trudeau government presented its first federal budget back in March. Buried underneath all the feel-good news, however, were some potentially painful changes to Eligible Capital Property (ECP) tax rules for incorporated businesses. Common examples of ECP […] Read more
VIDEO: Canada’s agricultural markets update for July 20
Reading Time: < 1 minute D’Arce McMillan, markets editor for The Western Producer, monitors trends in the North American and global agricultural markets. His latest video update on the crops market came from the recent 2016 Ag in Motion.
The outlook for Canadian agriculture is one of ‘surprising strength’
Crop and livestock prices are off their highs, but demand, supply, and the low dollar are positive factors
Reading Time: 2 minutes Here’s some encouraging news. Farm cash receipts should be relatively stable across all provinces in 2016-17. Each province combines a different mix of crops and livestock products that result in varied provincial receipts, but the overall trends appear steady. There are a number of reasons this is likely to be the case. Commodity prices show […] Read more
Use your knowledge to your advantage
You know the quality of your grain. Use your knowledge to maximize profits
Reading Time: 3 minutes Pay attention to what you are seeing and hearing at the elevator and from the neighbours in regards to the grade and quality of grain coming off combines this fall. This will help you understand what’s out there and where your production fits into the big picture. Is your quality and protein above or below […] Read more
A Canadian farmer in China
Unfortunately for our markets, what I saw convinced me that China’s plan to feed itself has a real chance of succeeding
Reading Time: 7 minutes Every decision we make is influenced by our perception of the world around us. This is especially true in farming. Whether it’s which crops to plant or when to sell, many of our management decisions are based more on our personal perceptions than on hard facts. But what if our perceptions are wrong? This question […] Read more
John Deere goes shopping
The big green brand is purchasing specialty manufacturers while “balancing” its workforce
Reading Time: 3 minutes In late March, John Deere announced it had taken ownership of yet another speciality equipment manufacturer. It’s becoming a familiar story for the U.S.-based manufacturer. This latest acquisition of Hagie Manufacturing, a U.S. specialty manufacturer of high-clearance sprayers, is one of a couple of purchases that Deere has recently announced. Deere describes the Hagie purchase […] Read more
Farm tractors with global design in mind
AGCO’s new MF utility tractors are designed for worldwide appeal
Reading Time: 3 minutes Back in early 1970, International Harvester released two tractors that made up what it called its Worldwide Series. The idea was to use shared platforms to build tractors that could appeal to farmers in every market where the brand had a presence. They would meet a global need — or that was the hope. Standardized […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
