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




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



(Dave Bedard photo)

Net farm income down in 2022 despite high commodity prices: StatCan

Hike in farm fuel, fertilizer and feed costs is the largest in nearly 50 years

Farmers’ realized net income dropped by over eight per cent in 2022 as expenses outpaced the rise in cash receipts, a new Statistics Canada report says. Realized net income is the difference between cash receipts and operating expenses, minus depreciation and plus income in kind. When cannabis is included, realized net income dropped by nearly […] Read more


(Stephen Ausmus photo courtesy ARS/USDA)

Alberta poultry sector gets late entry for AgriStability

Participation deadline extended to end of month

In the wake of avian influenza outbreaks in the region, Alberta poultry producers have been granted a late participation option to sign up for the federal/provincial AgriStability income stabilization program. Provincial Ag Minister Nate Horner on Wednesday announced the two levels of government have reached an agreement to allow poultry producers late participation in AgriStability […] Read more

(Dave Bedard photo)

Farm cash receipts on the rise, StatCan shows

MarketsFarm — Farm cash receipts improved 13.7 per cent during the first three quarters of 2022, Statistics Canada reported Monday. From January to September, those receipts reached $66.7 billion. That increase of more than $8 billion was due to higher receipts for crops, livestock and program payments. The report noted crop receipts rose 7.3 per […] Read more


(File photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

Initial drought list ready for 2022 livestock tax deferrals

Much of Manitoba, southern Alberta designated for 2022

Many of the Prairie livestock producers forced by drought to make “difficult herd management decisions” in the 2022 income tax year are now eligible to defer the taxable income from those decisions. Federal Agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau on Tuesday released the initial list of designated regions in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan where livestock tax deferral […] Read more

The rise in input costs has been steep but high commodity prices, particularly on the grain and oilseeds side, are saving the day, says Farm Credit Canada.

Record income trumps rising costs, interest rates, says lender

Overall, farmers are in ‘a good spot,’ but warns higher rates will be around for a while

Reading Time: 3 minutes Farmers are in good financial shape and able to weather both soaring costs and higher interest rates, says the country’s biggest ag lender. “We are in a unique position where record farm revenues are helping to offset the impact of a sharp increase in input costs and rising interest rates,” said J.P. Gervais, Farm Credit […] Read more