Reading Time: 9 minutes First, you could get process-minded about it. If you recognize it would pay to get serious about adding an education focus to your farm, there’s a logical way to get started. Make a list of the current skills that everyone involved in the operation has, then assess where there are knowledge gaps and training needs. […] Read more
Summer Series: Skills training that can make you a better farmer
[Make It Count] It’s a whole new world. For Jamie Christie, mid-career education means driving farm growth by adding skills no one used to think are needed on the farm. Which should be on the top of your list? And where to find them?
Summer Series: Do you have the tools to be a better farm leader?
[Leadership] Becoming a more effective leader will position you to adapt to the challenges and opportunities coming your way
Reading Time: 6 minutes The words “leadership” and “management” are often used interchangeably, but there are important differences – and by focusing on leadership, you can ensure you’re putting your energy and resources in the right areas of your farm business.– April Stewart, CG Associate Editor “Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things.” It’s a […] Read more
Summer Series: A practical guide to writing your farm business plan
[Best Advice] This eight-point plan can help put you on the right path
Reading Time: 6 minutes Farm business planning is always a popular topic of discussion among advisors and management gurus. But statistics still show a slow uptake by farmers. Those using a written business plan, however, are reaping the benefits. Follow the eight steps below to get started.– April Stewart, Associate Editor. If you’re an avid Country Guide reader, you […] Read more
The business of mental health
Sick of the stress? These business practices are showing they’re good for the farm, and for you
Reading Time: 8 minutes Sure, farmers are tough. They have to be. How could they not know it? They’re told about it from the time they’re kids, raised with the knowledge they will face high levels of stress from unpredictable weather, soaring input costs, supply chain interruptions and so much more, all of it on top of a non-stop […] Read more
Realizing the good idea
Everyone wants a chance to do something good for their community. How do you make that happen? Here is FMC’s plan
Reading Time: 5 minutes Countless surveys show the same results. The world has changed. In today’s post-Covid-19 times, we all want more. Or, to put it more accurately, we all want to do more. If you aren’t keeping up on the field called corporate responsibility it might be a good time for a long, hard look in the mirror. […] Read more
Five moves to make in 2022
With so much opportunity, so much risk, so much change and so much uncertainty, can this be a historic year for your farm?
Reading Time: 7 minutes Despite drought, floods and a continuing global pandemic, Canadian farm businesses came out of 2021 with a notable increase in cash receipts. While economists expect farm revenues to continue to grow, it’s a figure that will only tell half of the story for financial success. Revenue growth does not equate to profitability. The other half […] Read more
Farm advisors a growing trend
Farm advisors are already delivering big value to most farms. In fact, it’s growing year upon year
Reading Time: 4 minutes The number of farm advisors is growing all the time, which is probably a good thing given that over 150,000 Canadian farms still need to plan and execute a succession of some kind, whether it’s a transition to the next generation or outside the family. And the need for advice won’t stop there. Already, more […] Read more
How to know if your farm business skills are keeping up
In the last five years, every farm has upped its business management. So is your farm middle-of-the-pack? Above average? Below? Get ready for some surprises
Reading Time: 8 minutes When you ask Shawn Hass, vice-president and portfolio manager at RBC Dominion Securities in Lethbridge, Alta., what his cutting-edge farm clients are doing that sets them apart from the rest of the pack, his first answer will likely surprise you. “They’ve built an office or have one on site,” Hass says. “The most successful farm […] Read more
Farm planning for what lies ahead
How can a business plan be worth writing when farming is so unpredictable? For Mike and Amy Cronin, that’s the wrong question
Reading Time: 5 minutes If there’s one thing certain about farming, it’s the uncertainty. Prices, weather and other variables are constantly changing and farmers in most sectors are tasked with doing business without being able to predict future outcomes. Research released by Farm Management Canada last year indicated three in every four Canadian farmers are working at mid-level or […] Read more
Does your farm team have the skills your farm needs the most?
Summer can be the best time of year to ask
Reading Time: 9 minutes First, let’s start with something everyone can agree on. Investing in developing the skills of the farm team is vital for the continued success of every farm. It’s documented by Farm Management Canada’s Dollars and Sense study too, and by the finding that the number one practice of Canada’s top farmers — in other words, […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
