Reading Time: 2 minutes Nearly three decades ago, a study of farmers’ work priorities found — to no one’s surprise — that record-keeping ranked well behind field work; buying and selling machinery and crops; and equipment repair. Only 16 per cent hired outside help for record-keeping, 50 per cent did it themselves and 20 per cent named their spouse […] Read more
That work you hate pays very well
If you’re still running the farm on a cash basis, you’re tying one hand behind your back
Farmers getting an edge with advisory boards
Want to learn how you can benefit? Join the free webinar on Jan. 13
Reading Time: < 1 minute Leading farmers often cite advisory boards as one of their best practices. If you want to learn how to set one up, there’s a webinar on Jan. 13 at 10 a.m. Shauna Feth, executive director of Alberta Business Family Institute, will deliver a 45-minute presentation followed by questions and answers. Among the topics that will […] Read more
Looking to cut costs and increase profits? Try the five per cent rule
Increasing yields and your sale price by five per cent while cutting costs by the same amount can double your profit
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the sport of baseball, the difference between superstar Derek Jeter and a squad player is simply hitting one more ball every 20 times at bat — a five per cent improvement done “over and over and over again.” Well, that’s fine for baseball, but what does five per cent look like in farming? “If […] Read more
Farmers wanted for landmark survey on stress
Online survey available until Jan. 18, 2016
Reading Time: < 1 minute A researcher with the Ontario Veterinary College is looking for additional participants for a survey on farmer stress. About 700 farmers have filled out the online Producer Stress and Resilience survey, but lead researcher Andria Jones-Bitton is hoping to get 1,000 responses. This study, the first of its kind in Canada, is intended to chart […] Read more
You can’t get with the (farm) plan until you create one
There’s a lot of power in sitting down as a family and writing down your short-term and long-term goals
Reading Time: 2 minutes Got a plan for 2016? If not, you can start by reviewing the goals you had for last year, says a provincial farm financial specialist. “This is an important process,” said Rick Dehod. “Reflecting on how you have done helps you set goals for the farm business in 2016 and influences what you feel is […] Read more
Tech conference brings together bright minds to ‘hack’ ag industry issues
The Emerging Agriculture conference Jan. 9-11 aims to foster ag industry innovations
Reading Time: 3 minutes Move over, Silicon Valley — hackers will soon be setting their sights on Saskatoon to solve the industry’s biggest problems. The agriculture industry, that is. “Emerging Agriculture is a weekend hackathon where we get students and non-students interested in agriculture together to collaborate on agriculture-based technology and ideas, and hopefully make some startup companies out […] Read more
What if interest rates went up here?
An immediate hike isn’t likely, but the U.S. move could signal future changes
Reading Time: < 1 minute Recent changes in U.S. interest rates could have a ripple effect for Alberta producers, says a provincial analyst. In mid-December, the U.S. Federal Reserve — the country’s central bank — announced it was lifting its key rate by a quarter-point to a range of 0.25 per cent to 0.5 per cent. The long-expected move put […] Read more
Get the lowdown on marketing your farm products
Workshop takes place in Fort Saskatchewan, register by January 13
Reading Time: < 1 minute Want to sell farm products to the public? The Marketing Made Easy workshop on Jan. 20 in Fort Saskatchewan “examines selling products at farmers’ markets and beyond,” said provincial marketing specialist Karen Goad. “It’s a chance to uncover strategies for creating a lasting first impression, clearly identify your target clients and make them choose you. […] Read more
El Nino seen declining, to return to neutral by Q2
Sydney | Reuters — The 2015-16 El Nino weather event, one of the three strongest in the past 50 years, has peaked in recent weeks and will likely return to “ENSO neutral” by the second quarter of this year, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said on Tuesday. The El Nino phenomenon is driven by warm […] Read more
Oregon activists picked the wrong battle, militia leaders say
Reuters — Self-styled militia members who seized federal property in rural Oregon in an effort to galvanize opposition to the U.S. government appear to have made a tactical error — potential allies say they picked the wrong battle. As armed anti-government activists occupied a snowy wildlife refuge for a third day to call attention to […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
