Reading Time: 3 minutes General Motors declared bankruptcy in June of 2009 after steadily losing money since 2005. GM’s plight has become a case study and is often used in education programs for directors on boards, but it also holds a lesson for farmers. During the time of its decline, GM was scrambling to produce a vehicle for everyone […] Read more
Schoepp: A solid foundation is key to resilience and can’t be neglected
This summer spoke volumes about the need for rotational grazing and regenerative practices
Schoepp: In a changing world, a host of new questions need answering
Data ownership and who pays for sustainability measures are just two of many issues farmers must grapple with
Reading Time: 3 minutes There is a lot of pressure on farmers to adopt sustainable practices, digitize, understand carbon, conserve water, and add value. What are the top five areas in which all farmers should be asking questions? And what might those questions be? Carbon credits Although Canada’s goals are towards net-zero carbon emission, there is just as great […] Read more
Schoepp: Two similar families take two very different paths
The different lines we lay down for our sons and daughters have wide-ranging impacts
Reading Time: 3 minutes This is the story of two farming families and their daughters. It is a factual case study and highlights the impact of language and messaging; particularly between fathers and the future female farmer. Although located in different regions, the farms and families are very similar. Both had one daughter and several sons. Both farms were […] Read more
Schoepp: Weighing up the world in terms of the water being used
The jeans you wear, gas for your car and food on the table all require a lot of water
Reading Time: 3 minutes Farmers have their eyes to the skies as they watch, and often wait, for water. Critical for all living things, water is more than just a raindrop and a good wash; it is a social determinate of health and the very foundation of our being and of food production. Less than two per cent of […] Read more
The interconnections between species are deep and interwoven
COVID-19 has put bats into the spotlight, and research shows how deeply everything is connected
Reading Time: 3 minutes In the last column I introduced the concept of systems change for the benefit of human and animal health. Fortunately, there is an avenue to work with human and animal doctors, scientists and experts towards a healthy world and it is called One Health. One Health is defined as a “collaborative, multi-sectoral and transdisciplinary approach […] Read more
What makes you great at what you do?
Farming is not just another job — and it’s not just production skills that make farms successful
Reading Time: 3 minutes The value of food and of farming has become part of the mainstream conversation these days. If you are a farmer, what you do is important. And like any other year, we must remember what it is that makes us great at what we do. To help with that, here’s a little list gleaned from […] Read more
Our animals give us such a precious gift
We have something very special when we share our lives with companion and food animals
Reading Time: 3 minutes I was visiting with a friend who has had a rough life. His mother and dad worked hard to provide, but they did not know how to love each other or their children. Babies were not rocked or held, and little ones were on their own. There was never a goodnight kiss, a story, a […] Read more
Making room for youth — and youthful thinking — in farming
Young farmers love technology and are excited by change, but they’re often penned in by the walls of tradition
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farmers often lament the lack of youth in agriculture. I would argue that this is not true — there are a lot more baby strollers than walkers at major agricultural conferences, especially ones where technology is highlighted. There may be fewer young farmers, but the young men and women farming today have a broader reach […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
