The Quebec company billed as Canada’s largest producer of strawberry plants has picked up new ownership after nearly 70 years. Production Lareault, based on just over 450 acres at Lavaltrie, Que. — about 40 km northeast of Montreal, in the province’s Lanaudiere region — has been acquired by investors Antoine Casimir and Andrea Borodenko for […] Read more
Major strawberry plant producer changes hands
New owners get funding to buy Lareault business
International farmers may ease Canadian human capital crunch
A global retirement crunch is coming and Canada is ill prepared, report says
As other nations reduce their agricultural footprints in an effort to boost sustainability, their loss could be Canada’s human capital gain, a new report suggests. “The immigration of scientists, data engineers, and entrepreneurs has been recognized as critical to Canada’s growth. A similar approach needs to be adopted to attract farmers,” the authors wrote. The […] Read more
Schoepp: Having a will doesn’t guarantee a smooth succession process
This important document should provide a path forward, but sometimes it can sink the farm
Reading Time: 3 minutes What could possibly go wrong? There is a farm, a will and the future. Listening to the legal experts at a recent conference, it was a bit of a shocker to hear the situations in which farm families find themselves. It is always best to have a will. This important document should eliminate confusion and […] Read more
Schoepp: When it comes to succession, things can so easily go terribly wrong
Reading Time: 3 minutes When the transfer of the farm goes off the rails, the hurt and hardship never really go away This is a factual case study of succession gone wrong — and the hurt and hardship it created for the families on three farms. The farms and farm families are extraordinarily similar. The families are well-known and […] Read more
Tory MP’s bill on farm transfer tax treatment moves ahead
Private member's bill now awaits Senate approval
A Manitoba Conservative MP’s bill to standardize the tax treatment for sales of farms and other small businesses has cleared the House of Commons and is en route to the Senate. Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire’s Bill C-208, which was introduced for first reading in February last year, passed third reading in the Commons on Wednesday. […] Read more
Pandemic has many thinking about the future of the farm
If you plan to leave land to your off-farm child, you need a strategy that makes sense for the farm business
Reading Time: 3 minutes If the pandemic has you looking at your will and wondering how to split your farm up, you’re not alone. “COVID has increased the anxiety about our wills for all of us who are a little bit older,” said Merle Good, owner of GRS Consulting. “When I’ve talked to farmers about it, they’re starting to […] Read more
Finance and succession help for younger farmers
Reading Time: < 1 minute Farm Credit Canada is putting on a series of events for younger farmers so they can learn how “to take control of their business journey.” Eight “young farmer summits” for producers under the age of 40 are being held across the country, including two in Alberta. “The future of Canadian agriculture depends on attracting the […] Read more
Seven things to remember when preparing for a farm transition
Where is it written that your parents have to go south for the winter together? Many aging farmers like to visit the Sun Belt at this time of year to get rest, connect with friends and have some well-deserved fun. But what if one of your parents prefers to stay home? When both spouses cannot[...]
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Putting the success into farm succession
Hilton Ventures has grown by leaps and bounds but the greatest accomplishment is bringing in the next generation
Reading Time: 6 minutes By virtually any measure, the Hilton family is successful. Over the past three decades, the family has expanded its Strathmore-area operation from just over 2,800 acres to around 13,000, diversified crop production, and started a successful malting and brewing company that complements the core farm business. As well, family members have taken leadership roles in[...]
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New rollover rule for farms could flatten some succession plans
A do-nothing strategy could be costly — consider transferring some land today, says succession expert
Reading Time: 4 minutes A new interpretation of the farm rollover rules has been giving Merle Good heartburn since the Canada Revenue Agency came out with it in June. “That’s the one that scares the hell out of me,” the farm succession expert said at a recent Alberta Canola Powering Your Profits event. “The rollover allows us to transfer[...]
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Cyber-Savvy Farmer
