Power dynamics and possible abuse and addiction issues can complicate the decision of what to do with the family farm
The average Canadian farmer is 55 years old, says Statistics Canada, and the average is steadily increasing. Yet only 8.4 percent of family farms have a succession plan, according to Statistics Canada, which means more than 90 percent of farms are operating without a plan to transfer ownership in case of a family crisis or […] Read moreStories by Becky Zimmer
A love of farming can postpone retirement
Producers often have a deeper connection with their work than in other industries, which can keep them farming longer
According to Statistics Canada, the number of farms in Canada is dropping, the average size of the farm is increasing, and the average age of the farmer continues to rise. This means that while fewer people are farming, they are also taking on bigger operations and for longer. Older Canadians working longer is a common […] Read more
No need to rush into retirement
Pushing seniors out of jobs, especially out of a family oriented business like farming, is not considered good for anyone
Retiring is a big and often daunting decision for Canadian seniors. Whether financially, socially or mentally, how do Canadian seniors, especially farmers, know when it is time to take that big step? Farming is more than just a career, says Tyler Case, an assistant professor at the Edwards School of Business at the University of […] Read more
Sask. woman speaks out against illegal snares
Snare was placed too close to family’s farmyard, but president of provincial trapping association calls case an exception
It is a pet owner’s worst nightmare — a beloved pet not returning home. For Virginia Bells, that nightmare became a reality when her one-year-old St. Bernard, Gord, was not home to greet them on Dec. 18 at their farm near Humboldt, Sask. Gord was later found in an illegally placed snare near their yard. […] Read more
More later or less sooner
Life after retirement has never been more flexible for those planning their financial future, especially when it comes to receiving Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan payments. Since 2013, anyone can defer their OAS and CPP payments to later dates and have more control over the look of their finances. For both programs, there […] Read more
Income deferral unique opportunity for farmers
Only five or six types of grain have been formally acknowledged as acceptable, but the list has been informally extended
It is an understatement to say that tax time is stressful. But farmers have a unique opportunity when it comes to claiming their farm income that can help lessen this stress. Compared to other industries, farmers report their income on a cash basis. According to BDO’s Tax Planning for Canadian Farmers, “farmers only have to […] Read moreCapital gains needs planning
There is big money in farmyards and cropland and half of farmers who are ready to retire are only able to access that value when they start liquidating their assets. When land and property are sold in Canada, it is subject to income tax based on the value it has accumulated, but Canadian farmers have […] Read more
Solution proposed to fight bat disease threat
A probiotic spray may help bats ward off white-nose syndrome infection now that the disease has reached Manitoba
White-nose syndrome can devastate a bat colony and is steadily moving west. The Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative confirmed cases in Manitoba’s Riding Mountain National Park in March 2019 and in Wasagaming, Man., in May 2019, making these the furthest west conservation specialists have found WNS in Canada. The spread of the fungus is inevitable, says […] Read more
Farmer plants durum ancestor
After more than 30 years of seed farming, Jim Ternier did something different this year. Thanks to a large order for Triticum turgdium, an ancient ancestor of modern-day durum, he planted his biggest ancient grain plot yet, a quarter-acre planted and harvested at St. Peter’s Abbey in Muenster on Sept. 23. About 39 rows were […] Read more
Field Heroes program promotes beneficial bugs
Producers reminded to be aware of insects that prey on pests, particularly when spraying their crops with insecticide
When it comes to keeping fields healthy, producers are not alone. Tyler Wist wants producers to realize as they work to deal with pests in their crop that they have some heavy hitters from the natural world in their corner. Wist and the Western Grains Research Foundation’s Field Heroes program is working to promote bugs […] Read more
