Reading Time: 6 minutes The reasons farms diversify are as varied as the types of farms. The options are equally numerous. Maybe it’s to enhance or grow the operation or to add more income streams. Or the owners come across an opportunity too good to turn down. So, how does someone decide when to diversify and what option to […] Read more
Summer Series: The learning curve of farm diversification
[Make it Count] Change is certain. Now, these two farms leverage it to diversify and grow their farms even more
Summer Series: Diversity model may buffer risk of farmland buys
[Land] Should farmers consider ecological diversity as a risk management tool?
Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – It’s the time of year that farmland often changes hands. This spring, there is an increase of sales in certain sectors, driven by land stress and owners’ inability to weather another financial or literal storm. Many of these properties are monocultures or singularly focused production units and highly dependent on one source of […] Read more
Always adjusting, always learning
Agriculture’s diversity demands accepting change and making it work to your advantage
Reading Time: 4 minutes In agriculture, diversification thrives when it’s encouraged and nurtured. It not only helps spread risk, it can open the door to new directions and to new ventures that supplement the conventional or create new opportunities. Adam Garniss understands this about as well as anyone. A grower and entrepreneur, he oversees a diversified operation on the […] Read more
FCC identifies export, market opportunities for Canadian food
The ag lender's latest report highlights canola oil, pork, potato products, crab meat
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canada is already a major exporter of agricultural goods, food and beverages — but increasing food and beverage exports is still one of Canada’s biggest trade opportunities, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) says. And by diversifying exports, farmers will become less dependent on current major markets, reducing their financial risk. “When borders close for any number […] Read more
The return of farm diversification
On this farm, widening the base of operations helps achieve crucial management goals
Reading Time: 6 minutes When Anthony Nabuurs talks about agriculture, he looks beyond growing crops and selling what he harvests. Expanding his operation beyond planting, spraying and combining has become a necessity for his farm and for those who work with him, partly because of economics, and also because it helps overcome some of the challenges of farming on […] Read more
Editor’s Note: Where are the big ideas?
Reading Time: 2 minutes One of the reasons why agriculture has mainly adapted so quickly to COVID-19 is that farmers are used to dealing with black swans. But it isn’t the only reason. Don’t misunderstand me. I don’t want to underestimate the real pain that some sectors have faced. Whether that’s the logistical nightmare of beef processing or the […] Read more
Pulse weekly outlook: FCC sees opportunities for exports
Reading Time: 2 minutes MarketsFarm — Farm Credit Canada (FCC) on Tuesday released a report titled Diversifying Canada’s agriculture exports, which included pulses and also looked at some of the pros and cons to diversifying Canada’s wheat, canola and soybeans. “Canada has done extremely well in establishing strong trade relations in a number of key markets thanks to a […] Read more
Quebec offers aid to lessen brunt of U.S. tariffs
Reading Time: < 1 minute Montreal | Reuters — The Quebec government on Wednesday said it would spend $863 million over five years to mitigate the impact of U.S. tariffs on companies and the province’s agriculture sector. The plan would provide direct financial aid to some companies affected by the tariffs and would support investments to improve productivity, worker training […] Read more
Trudeau says doesn’t think Trump will pull U.S. out of NAFTA
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa | Reuters –– Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday said he did not think U.S. President Donald Trump would pull out of NAFTA, despite slow progress at negotiations to update the US$1.2 trillion trade pact. Trudeau’s comments were among the most positive made by any Canadian official since talks started last year to […] Read more
Six lessons for diversification from the Glenn family
In 1981, Jim Glenn wanted to supplement the farm’s income during the winter. So he fired up his new John Deere 3140 loader tractor and headed for town, doing snow removal for commercial properties in the village of Keene and the nearby city of Peterborough. Between jobs, Jim would grow the business by keeping his[...]
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A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
