Reading Time: < 1 minute Farm Credit Canada is donating $200,000 over the next four years for a “data lab” at Olds College’s Smart Farm. The lab is a technologically advanced workspace, available for students, instructors, and industry partners “to meet, collaborate and learn,” the college said in a news release. “The AgExpert Data Lab brings together data from our […] Read more
College adds ‘data lab’ to Smart Farm
Red-hot land market shows signs of cooling
Prices have soared for nearly a decade but that trend may be coming to an end
Reading Time: 4 minutes The price of Alberta farmland took another big jump last year — but there are strong signs the red-hot bull market is finally cooling off. Overall, Canadian acres saw their smallest price increase in nearly a decade, and the amount of land changing hands dropped as many would-be buyers either stayed on the sidelines or […] Read more
Report shows slower pace for rising farmland values
While lower-valued farmland more often showed a higher rate of increase, and price hikes varied from region to region, Canada’s farmland values on average have booked their slowest year-over-year rate of increase in almost a decade. That’s according to the annual Farmland Values Report from Farm Credit Canada (FCC), in which the federal ag lending […] Read more
Deadline fast approaching for FCC AgriSpirit Fund
Applications being accepted until March 29
Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications from registered charities and non-profit organizations in rural Canada for the Farm Credit Canada’s AgriSpirit Fund are being accepted until March 29. The fund provides grants of $5,000 to $25,000 for community improvement initiatives, such as capital expenditures on equipment purchase and installation; energy-efficient building improvements; and repairs and purchasing of rescue and fire […] Read more
Producers value farm data, but fear how it’s being used
An FCC survey found that one in four farmers has become less comfortable sharing data
Reading Time: 4 minutes The topic of data management tends to draw a lot of yawns from farmers. But in an increasingly digitized world, it shouldn’t. “This is one of the hottest topics in agriculture,” said Fred Wall, Farm Credit Canada’s vice-president of marketing. “It’s something that I think the industry needs to take very seriously.” And that shift […] Read more
FCC offers up new Starter Loans
“Preferential” loan rates are available to young farmers or agribusinesspeople planning start-ups through a new Farm Credit Canada lending program. Lawrence MacAulay, addressing the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s annual meeting Wednesday in Ottawa when he was still federal minister of agriculture, unveiled the federal ag lending agency’s new Starter Loan Program. The program, according to […] Read more
Buckle up: Here’s your economic forecast for 2019
Canada’s top ag economist has the lowdown on the economy, trade, interest rates, and your income
Reading Time: 4 minutes What’s the forecast for Canadian ag? How about murky with a good chance of turbulence? ‘Headwinds’ was the phrase du jour when the country’s foremost ag economist came by FarmTech late last month. “There are lots of good things going on in the industry, but lots of headwinds as well — trade tensions, weather, excess […] Read more
Farm income falls in 2018, but holding for now
Canadian farm income fell on market volatility, but export growth is still likely, says FCC
Reading Time: 2 minutes Final figures aren’t available yet but all signs suggest farm income in 2018 was clipped by several factors and will likely stay at that level through this year, said Farm Credit Canada’s chief economist. “Price volatility, higher input costs and weather-related challenges in many parts of the country over the past year took a toll […] Read more
Ag seen gaining on slightly weaker loonie in 2019
CNS Canada — Farm Credit Canada (FCC) predicts the Canadian dollar will spend the year around the 75-U.S. cent mark — slightly softer than last year’s average of 76. “We’re going to see volatility throughout the year obviously but when we look at that season, or the full year average, we’re looking for it to […] Read more
4-H clubs receive $114,000 in grants
Reading Time: < 1 minute Sixty 4-H clubs in Alberta have received $29,585 from Farm Credit Canada 4-H Club Fund. The fund awards up to $500 for a wide range of projects including achievement days, skill-building workshops, field trips, public speaking competitions, and the purchase of club supplies. In total, the fund gave grants totalling $114,250 to 233 4-H clubs […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
