Reading Time: 5 minutes Over the past decade, the consensus among Canada’s ag economists has been clear. Yes, farmers have accumulated more debt than ever. But the debt load is manageable. There’s no looming crisis. Now, however, with the prospect of a series of modest interest rate hikes, can we still be so complacent? First, let’s look at the […] Read more
Is it time to rethink your farm debt?
Debt has soared with farm income. For most farms, that’s good. But what about yours?
Time to take control
When it comes to the future of Canada’s grains sector, no one is steering the ship. We can’t let that continue
Reading Time: 6 minutes In September, I challenged farmers to think about how Canada’s agricultural production should be branded. I questioned how consumers and foreign buyers view the commodities we produce. And most importantly, I wanted every farmer to ask themselves if production practices they use add or diminish that brand. That column upset some farmers. Readers felt my […] Read more
Black swans
What will it take to knock Canada’s farmland market out of its holding pattern?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canadian dollar “Excluding an extraordinary shock to production or commodity prices, a significant increase in the value of the Canadian dollar would have the biggest impact on the supply of farmland available for sale,” says Saskatchewan realtor Tim Hammond. A weak Canadian dollar is beneficial overall to Canadian farmers as they export the majority of […] Read more
Consider hedging against rate hikes, farmers advised
Reading Time: 2 minutes CNS Canada — The Bank of Canada has raised its benchmark interest rate to 1.5 per cent, marking the fourth time it has raised rates since last summer. The increase from 1.25 per cent is the base rate retail banks pay for short-term loans, but consumer rates for mortgages, lines of credit and other loans […] Read more
NAFTA indecision
Washington may be divided on NAFTA, but machinery manufacturers certainly know where they stand
Reading Time: 5 minutes Through mid-winter, the push from machinery executives for the U.S. government to reach a deal on NAFTA seemed to be gearing up. AEM (the Association of Equipment Manufacturers) was sending out that message even louder and clearer than it had been on behalf of its member companies in the ag and construction machinery sector. An […] Read more
Step one to value adding: Evaluation
You’ve got a great idea for a new product. Or maybe not
Reading Time: 5 minutes There are many reasons why farmers are drawn to value adding. You might have excess capacity in the field or the barn, for instance, or maybe if you milled grain into flour, you could retain good staff by providing year-round positions. Or maybe you’re wondering if an on-farm market could solve your problems by creating […] Read more
Managing your foreign exchange risks
Are you ready to deal with volatile currency values and their potential impact on your net income?
Reading Time: 4 minutes Canada is now the fifth-largest exporter of agricultural and agri-food products in the world. As an export-focused industry, Canadian farmers are regularly exposed to the often-volatile currency exchange market. And while exchange rates have always moved, the fact that we are now so closely linked to a global economy has heightened our exposure to the […] Read more
Time to volunteer!!
There’s a critical need for farmers and farm families to give their time to protect and enhance the quality of rural life
Reading Time: 5 minutes Volunteers are the heart of a community. Despite their isolation and sparse populations — or maybe because of it — farm communities in particular have been held up for generations as models of neighbourliness, with families supporting each other in times of need. Now, neighbourliness may not be enough. Something more structured is needed, with […] Read more
Editor’s Note: 2018 – Is this the ‘year of destiny?’
As we head toward spring, there’s a growing ambitiousness among many Canadian farmers, and an edge to their certainty that it is crucial to make progress before the year is out
Reading Time: 2 minutes I’m an optimist. Are you? Let’s find out. Overall, our farm sector is healthier than it has been at any time in my memory. Nor do I see any precipices in our immediate future. There can always be bad news. But really, who actually thinks that interest rates are going to jump into double digits […] Read more
Agriculture contributed C$111.9 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2016
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winnipeg | CNS – A new report from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada released Friday has pegged agriculture as contributing C$111.9 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2016, which accounted 6.7 per cent of the country’s total GDP. The annual report entitled An Overview of the Canadian Agriculture and AgriFood System, provides a summary of the economic […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
