Reading Time: 5 minutes In 2011, Howard and Jannette Besser found themselves at a crossroads. The pair, who farmed 3,000 acres near Plumas, Man., had reached their 50th birthdays, their sons were not interested in farming, and they could see they’d have to start purchasing bigger, newer equipment if they wanted to carry on. “We decided to step out,” […] Read more
Winding down: How will Canada’s aging farmers sell their land?
As the Besser family discovered, it can pay to play the long game
Federal ag supports ‘too little, too late’ for mushroom growers
Timing of programs for TFWs, surplus food purchases leaves aid out of reach: CMGA
Reading Time: 2 minutes Ottawa — Members of Parliament sitting on the committee dealing with agricultural issues continue to hear concerns over the federal government’s response to COVID-19. During the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food’s online meeting Wednesday, representatives of the Canadian Mushrooms Growers’ Association raised “grave concerns” over the support CMGA members have received. CEO Ryan […] Read more
More ‘murder hornets’ found in B.C., Washington
Findings suggest some were able to overwinter
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters/Staff — Officials in British Columbia and Washington state have confirmed new sightings of the Asian giant hornet, dubbed the “murder hornet,” indicating the invasive, predatory insect survived the winter in the Vancouver area and U.S. Pacific Northwest. The stinging hornet, whose queens can grow as large as 2-1/2 inches in length, could potentially pose […] Read more
Bayer reporting progress in Roundup settlement talks
Reading Time: 2 minutes Frankfurt | Reuters — Bayer said on Monday it had made progress seeking a settlement over claims its glyphosate-based Roundup herbicide causes cancer, after Bloomberg reported the company reached a verbal agreement on about 50,000 to 85,000 cases. The drugs and pesticides group is keen to draw a line under the legal dispute, which it […] Read more
‘Sky-high’ technology takes to new heights
Hmmm… If drones are good, would a nanosatellite be even better?
Reading Time: 6 minutes With every piece of equipment and every line of computer software that the precision ag sector creates, farmers are playing catch-up. Yes, it’s exciting to learn about new technology and the endless possibilities around the corner, but in the real world, that corner is still out of sight. The requirements for huge amounts of data […] Read more
Make self-care your priority
Actually, you do have time to take care of yourself, especially with these incentives
Reading Time: 5 minutes Grain farmers Jennifer and Michael Doelman are making self-care a priority in 2020. Years of hard work, sleepless nights caring for young children, and a stressful farm succession process have left the Renfrew, Ont. couple suffering from burnout. The couple love their work but have been stretched too thin giving to farm, family and community. […] Read more
What’s your emergency plan?
It’s more than COVID-19. Here’s why having an emergency plan ready for action is more important — and more achievable — than ever
Reading Time: 10 minutes You can look at it as one of the good sides of COVID-19. It’s reminding all of us that emergencies do happen, they can come when you least expect them, and they can upset practically every part of your operation. Even before COVID-19, it was easy to find experts eager to tell us why we […] Read more
Building healthy business partnerships
Next Steps: Smart thinking about farm partnerships, and whether you’re getting as much out of yours as you can
Reading Time: 7 minutes The first four columns in this series explored planning for and managing growth, assessing and mitigating risk, and how to keep an eye on cash flow so you can bankroll your growth projects. In this column we’ll look at partnerships, specifically the underlying dynamics of what constitutes a healthy one. Business partnerships can be tricky […] Read more
Laid-off foreign workers may get conditional clearance for other jobs
Workers allowed to start new jobs while permits are processed
Reading Time: 2 minutes Approved temporary foreign workers (TFWs) whose jobs disappeared before they could begin work in Canada this spring can now get much quicker approval to start at other workplaces, including farms, where the workers are needed. The federal government said Tuesday it will, effective “immediately,” temporarily waive its rule requiring a TFW to receive federal approval […] Read more
At the storefront
Peter Sanagan, owner of Sanagan’s Meat Locker, wondered why so few farmers sell into huge, nearby markets. Then he had an idea
Reading Time: 6 minutes A truck pulls up in front of the butcher shop on the narrow, one-way street and parks under a no-stopping sign. Pedestrians emerge from shops and dart from one side of the street to the other. In the air there are smells of coffee, restaurants, even cannabis, and everything is laid out to celebrate food […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
