Reading Time: 3 minutes It didn’t take long in my accounting career to learn that farmers don’t like paying income tax. No one does really, but farmers seem to have a particular disdain for sending money to Ottawa. I think there are a few reasons for this. One is cash basis income tax treatment which means farmers can often […] Read more
Why do farmers hate paying taxes?
There are plenty of reasons why farmers might hate paying taxes – and several ways to avoid it
Faster growth for farmland values in first half of 2025 says FCC
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian farmland values rose by an average of six per cent in the first half of 2025 according to a new report from Farm Credit Canada.
Farm cash receipts rise in first half of 2025 on livestock gains
Crop receipts roughly level, direct payments fall on reduced crop insurance
Reading Time: 2 minutes Farm cash receipts in the first half of the year were up 3.3 per cent over the same period last year buoyed by livestock receipts. Overall receipts between January and June totalled $49.6 billion, up $1.6 billion from the same period last year, Statistics Canada reported.
A guide to farm financial ratios
Long lists of available financial ratios can be overwhelming. Here are three financial ratios that matter to bankers and how understanding them can strengthen your farm’s financial future
Reading Time: 7 minutes Some farm managers love to spend the winter poring over their financial statements and analyzing all ratios and indicators and how they’ve changed over time. Others would rather be outside working with cattle or at conferences learning the latest disease management techniques. If you’re not in the first category, your banker might know more about […] Read more
Canadian farm liabilities outpaced equity growth in 2024
Farmers see declining ability to service debt for second consecutive year
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian farmers' total equity growth slowed for the first time in five years in 2024 as liabilities grew faster than assets, Statistics Canada reported. Farmland prices led to most of the growth, while declining farm income led to less ability to service debts.
Farmers’ realized net income fell $3.3 billion in 2024: StatCan
Livestock receipts rose across all sectors except poultry; crop receipts fell
Reading Time: 2 minutes Canadian farmers' realized net income declined by nearly 26 per cent in 2024 according to preliminary data from Statistics Canada. This was largely driven by declines in crop receipts as prices fell.
USDA forecasts smaller drop in 2024 farm income
Reading Time: 2 minutes Chicago | Reuters – U.S. farm income will fall for a second consecutive year in 2024, but not as much as previously expected as prices of livestock and egg products boom and production expenses ease, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Thursday. Declining farm income could ripple across the rural economy in a presidential […] Read more
Farm equity, asset values up in 2023: StatCan
Farms' ability to pay debts declined but balance sheet remains strong
Reading Time: 2 minutes The total equity of the Canadian farm sector rose nearly eight per cent in 2023 while farm assets rose more than seven per cent according to Statistics Canada’s 2023 balance sheet.
US farmers opt for soy to limit losses as all crop prices slump
Reading Time: 3 minutes In March, the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast farmers would plant 86.5 million acres of soybeans nationwide this spring, the fifth most ever. Some analysts expect soybean acres to increase by another million acres or more as heavy rains close the window on corn planting.
Realized Canadian farm income up, net income down in 2023
Total farm cash receipts rose 4.4 per cent compared with 2022 on higher crop marketings; cattle prices
Reading Time: 2 minutes Realized net income for Canadian farmers rose 18.3 per cent in 2023 to C$14.5 billion, as growth in receipts offset a rise in expenses, according to a report from Statistics Canada released May 29.
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
