Drought is one major source of financial uncertainty that producers have had to withstand in recent years.

Do farmers feel wealthy?

Strong balance sheets are being offset by rising costs, tempering producer optimism

Reading Time: 5 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – At the end of 2017, Canadian farm debt topped $100 billion. At the time, it was a bigger number than the national debt of 135 countries, noted Country Guide columnist Gerald Pilger. The climb hasn’t stopped. The figure rose steadily since crossing the $100-billion threshold. As of 2022, the most recent year […] Read more


The biggest driver affecting profitability last year was feed costs.

Dairy sector could see ‘return to normal’ in 2024

Stresses from borrowing and feed costs should ease: FCC

Reading Time: 2 minutes Glacier FarmMedia – A recent outlook released by Farm Credit Canada says there’s room for optimism in the dairy sector. “It has been a volatile few years for dairy producers, but 2024 is shaping up to be calmer — a return to a more normal environment, if you will,” FCC senior economist Graeme Crosbie said […] Read more

“There’s going to be a little pain before we get to this situation where rates are starting to normalize.” – Desmond Sobool, Farm Credit Canada.

Economic headwinds seen for Canadian farmers

From interest rates to the dollar to commodity prices, here’s what Farm Credit Canada sees coming

Reading Time: 3 minutes Farm Credit Canada predicts a bit of a rocky road ahead for Canadian farmers, with input prices high, commodity prices low and interest rates not expected to drop in the short term. “The sentiment of the industry is not the greatest right now,” said Desmond Sobool, FCC’s director of economics and deputy chief economist, speaking […] Read more





Cattle drink out of a disappearing dugout. Drought remains one of the open questions for the 2024 season.

FCC projects profit loss in 2024

Hits expected on grain price, but economist ‘cautiously optimistic’ on interest rates and input costs

Reading Time: 7 minutes A prominent Canadian ag lender is projecting a 4.8 per cent decline in farm cash receipts in 2024, due in part to a softening market. Consequently, its leading economist is urging producers to find any way to save money. “In this environment, I do think that management skills are absolutely critical,” said J.P. Gervais, vice-president […] Read more