Category Archives: Farm Planning

Farming is the Future of Canada

Farming is the Future of Canada

Agriculture is a diverse and exciting industry. The variety of farms and the people who live on them create the fabric of food production. Will this still be the case in the future?

Canadian Urbanization will have an impact on our farming processes. Every civilization is built on the production of food and the world’s best soil dies under our cities. By 2020, 80 percent of the global population will live in urban areas within 60 kilometers off a shore. This is Canada’s profile as well with over 70 percent of our population living in a port-side city. The continuous food going in is one issue but the waste coming out also pressures surrounding agricultural land.farm

Agricultural enterprises by nature are often stand-alone independent units but this too is changing and we will continue to see alliances and partnerships, especially when value adding is present. To truly establish markets, producers will be seeking out end-users that align with their value systems. Younger farmers today are hungry for information that adds value to their product and are well informed and very comfortable with these types of agreements.

Rural communities will change and prosper depending on their access to technology. We are starting to see some very interesting farm operations and vibrant small-town economies based on technology hubs and layering of partnerships. With the access to information and the ability to communicate globally, there are no restrictions on the opportunity. Lately, this has been expressed in the resurgence of interest in small family farms. Small is big again and young couples are flocking to the farm armed with their education, cell phones, cloud technology and business plans.

Many of these new farmers are women. In Canada, 30 percent of farms and ranches are owned and operated by women (40 per cent in British Columbia) and continued growth of this trend may change the face of farming in many ways, but one which stands out is closer ties with the consumer. Women will lead this change from commoditization and price taking to price alignment with quality. Look for encouragement in areas of research such as nutrient density.

There is room for every farmer and that is what makes this industry tick. We will continue to honor past traditions like ranching but it will be data based on genomics, performance data, nutrient quality and alignment with the end-user. The horse and rider may be replaced or assisted by a drone with UHF real-time communication.

Technology and science will be the drivers to enhance our social license and entice consumers to our food.pigs The industry will continue to find ways to draw folks to the counter with apps, this technology is enabling for all farms and all buyers and sellers regardless of size or volume.

We will always need the feed yard and the large landholder. Intensive farming reduces agriculture’s overall footprint and allows for an increase in set-aside lands such as grasslands and forages that are huge carbon sequesters. Manure will once again be gold and further technologies in its use will emerge.
So close to the action, data junkies and living with FOMO (the fear of missing out), the main buyer of food in this age needs constant proof and reassurance. In fairness, this is what companies such as Earls understand. To ask for certification is that piece of assurance that market research tells the restaurant that the consumer asked for or needs to feel secure. Remember, the food service guest is making a decision based on their core values and beliefs which are formed by the environment in which they live and the information that they have.

A new area of information that is important to note is animal welfare and the interrelationship with human rights and welfare. These are massive targets for consumers and now carry the same weight as the discussion on GMO. These men and women want a food experience and are willing to take the time to ask about what they are eating, how it was raised and how the folks were treated in the process. This is our new reality and an opportunity for system-wide improvements.

A cell phone, a huge list of connections, a great business plan, a mentor and reams of data will enhance future farming. Jobs will continue to increase in the agricultural sector and in 2020 the estimate is that we will need another 122,000 persons to fill the vacancies. The $50 billion that will transfer over in agriculture within the next two decades will go to the brightest and best in production and marketing. They will have a “feel” for the end-user and in many cases a direct dialogue with them. Access to market or to further value adding will be the ultimate objective on the farm. Like the millennial buyer, the millennial farmer won’t be force-fed or have any tolerance for poor connections or relationships. They will change up or move on.

Past, present and future, we all carry the responsibility of growing food — the most honorable task on earth — for today and tomorrow.

Please contact Canadian Grants Business Center for assistance in obtaining government funding to start or expand your farm business:

Visit : http://www.canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com

Or call Toll-Free: 1-888-231-0075 for help during the business day.

Drones for Farming

Technology is increasing at a rapid pace throughout the business world. This is as true for Farming as it is in and other industry.

One of the developments of the last few years that has incredible potential is the adoption of UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) known commonly as drones by farmers to increase productivity.

To understand how drones can help farmers we must first explore the concept of precision agriculture.

farm tech

Precision agriculture is a farm management concept based on observation, measurement and specific response to small  variability in crops.
Precision agriculture helps to efficiently apply limited resources to gain maximum yield.  The best wat to do this is to minimize variation in crop health within and between fields.

Precision agriculture requires accurate and wide-ranging data to work.

 

The three main types of data required are:

Geotagged Images:

Aerial images taken of fields over time, both visible and multi-spectral over time.

Equipment Performance:

Feedback from sensors  in real-time & performance logs provided by manned and unmanned equipment such as tractors, seeders, spreaders, and combines.

Farm Management Data:

Yield data and input cost data provided by the farm operator.

Drones are an obvious fit within precision agriculture.

farm droneDrones are a  new, low-cost and high-precision way to obtain geo-tagged aerial survey images.

Compared to other aerial survey methods, drones allow for more frequent and precise data collection about the condition of crops.  Aerial data can be used to improve the performance of a farm’s operation in many important ways.

In the case of smaller farms, drones are significantly more cost effective than other forms of aerial photography, including manned flights and satellite imagery.

 

Drones are used to capture  images that can provide a variety of data about the condition of fields, livestock, and crops.

Some of the Information that can be ascertained from drone obtained images include:

  • the height of plants
  • number of plants
  • the health of plants
  • nutrient presence (or lack)
  • Disease
  • weed count
  • biomass estimates (relative)
  • topographical data including patches, hills, and holes.
  • location of livestock
  • movement patterns of livestock

Data from drones can help accomplish farm tasks more easily:

  • replace people in scouting tasks
  • monitor crop health
  • survey/scout fields prior to planting
  • measure nitrogen requirements
  • monitor yields
  • assess drought situations
  • classify trees
  • more uses

The images generated by drones can be fed into an agricultural program  or other software tools to create maps that prescribe specific actions to improve performance.

It’s clear that drones and other technology are becoming must-have tools for Canadian farmers.  As a result, financial investment  that keeps a farm up to date has become a priority.

Many farmers need to look for outside investment to increase technological capacity.

Please contact Canadian Grants Business Center for assistance in obtaining government funding to start or expand your farm business:

Visit : http://www.canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com

Or call Toll-Free: 1-888-231-0075 for help during the business day.

 

Canadian Farming: The New Gold Rush?

Everyone needs to eat: This is the reason that we will always need farmers. In a world with a constantly increasing population, demand for food will continue to grow. Many countries are already having trouble meeting their existing population’s food demands with domestic production. This economic reality creates a unique opportunity for farmers in countries like Canada that have predictable climates, advanced techman on tractornology, vast amounts of farm land, and an entrepreneurial population.

Canada is already the 5th largest agricultural exporter in the world. 2.2 million Canadians work in the agriculture and agri-food sector, a sector that contributes over $100 billion annually to Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP). Canada is the largest exporter of maple syrup, flaxseed, canola, pulses (such as lentils), and durum wheat in the world. There are approximately 4 million beef cattle in Canada. In addition, roughly 26 million pigs are raised in Canada each year, making us the world’s third-largest exporter of pork products.

As a market leader, Canada is uniquely positioned to scale production smoothly in key areas, and to capture an increasingly important share of the global market in agricultural exports. If you are a Canadian farmer or starting a farm, you need to maximize your growth opportunities to take advantage of future market realities.

Many farmers need to look for outside investment to increase capacity and be prepared for the upcoming demand spike.

Please contact Canadian Grants Business Center for assistance in obtaining government funding to start or expand your farm business:

Visit : http://www.canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com

Or call Toll-Free: 1-888-231-0075 for help during the business day.

 

5 On-Farm Extra Income Ideas

Being a successful farmer can mean wearing many hats. One of the most important ideas in any business is the concept of diversification. As a farm owner or operator, this may often mean planting more than 1 crop, or operating a mixed farm. This is not the only was for a farmer to diversify, however. Sometimes a little outside the box thinking can result in a lucrative second income stream even for farms that aren’t very diversified. Why not consider using the resources at your disposal to accomplish this goal.

Here are 5 On-Farm extra income ideas:

Farm Tours

You know what people from the city love? To visit the country. Why not offer school children or members of the urban population the chance to spend the day at a farm? There are all sorts of  things worth paying for: You can sell feed fro children to give to the animals, hay rides, meals, snacks and drinks, trail walks, and many other things.

Compost Waste Disposal

With the increasing importance of waste reduction in urban and suburban areas, why not offer a composting service? For a fee you can allow landscapers to dispose of grass cutting and other organic waste on your land. This can then be composted, and then used as a valuable tool on your farm, or resold back to individuals in need of compost.

Pick Your Own Produce

Why not allow the public to access a part of your crop and pick their own for a fee? This is a popular option for berries, apples, and other fruits.

Bed and Breakfast

That old farm house offers a rustic retreat for people from their busy lives.  Many people are willing to pay top dollar for the chance to get way from it all and have a night or two in a rural setting.

Petting Zoo

The animals on your farm can be the source of income and amusement for visitors, or alternatively take the show on the road and offer a petting zoo at local events and shopping areas.

These are just some ideas for Farmers looking to maximize their on-farm income. If you are looking to expand your farm operations, or establish an on or off farm business Canadian Grants Business Center can help you find funding for your endeavour. Visit our Funding Finder today: http://www.canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com/funding-finder.html

5 Important Attributes of Successful Farmers

Successful farmers exhibit some common attributes, that you should try to emulate when you are trying to start a new farm, or become a better farmer. Here is a list of the attributes succesful farmers share, for you to consider:

LOVE OF FARMING

Farming as lifestyle and business can be a very rewarding, but not easy. Passion for the process and fruits of your labour will help you to focus on the good times, and carry you through the tough times. Focus your farm on a product you are passionate about. Money is a great motivator, but if it’s the only thing you are working for, your less likely to succeed. If you measure your success in personal satisfaction, you will find it in places others have failed.

CREATIVE SALES AND MARKETING

You can have the greatest product in the world, but if nobody knows about it, how can they buy it from you? Small and medium sized farms must sell a differentiated product, if they want to succeed. You will need to focus on a strong marketing effort that emphasizes the strengths of your product. Technology has made marketing much easier for small businesses, by putting people in touch with one another, near and far.

CREATIVITY, RESOURCEFULNESS AND FLEXIBILITY

Farming is not a one-size fits all type of business. There is no list of rules. Successful farmers use their ideas and hard work to adapt their farming operations to the markets needs. Adopting new technologies and systems can help producers work more efficiently.

DETERMINATION

Nature is fickle. Weather is unpredictable. Business is affected by many things beyond anyones control. Sometimes Things will happen that planning cannot help you avoid. Successful farmers accept what they cannot control and persevere.

PASSION FOR LEARNING

Successful farmers are always looking for new production methods, new marketing approaches and new technologies.Chances are other farmers have faced many of the challenges you are facing. They often come up with creative solutions. Talking to ither farmers can be a valuable source for information and ideas.

When you are ready to start or expand your farm, you will require funding. Let Canadian Grants Business Center help you access government funding programs to grow your farm and succeed. Find Funding at:

http://www.canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com/Funding-Finder.html

Or Call Us Toll-Free at: 1-888-231-0075

Leading Agricultural Initiatives Lead To Government Funding

Today agricultural development and general farming are getting more cutting edge in their practices. Driven by potential government funding, these agricultural entrepreneurs are coming up with ways to increase output, improving efficiency, and minimize environmental impact.

Currently the Central Canadian provinces are leading the way in minimizing environmental impacts created by agricultural development. In these provinces, the agricultural community is coming up with ways to reduce or recycle waste, push energy saving processing techniques and hardware and adapting JIT (just in time) exporting ideas , minimizing the need for storage and increasing the freshness and healthiness of their produce.

In the Western provinces, agricultural companies are pushing new processing and shipping techniques. These new techniques rely on solar and wind energy to power and reduce industrial emission, leaving a positive impact on the environment while creating newly and highly skilled jobs to operate, maintain and manage these new techniques.

The discussed initiatives are a key to obtaining government funding, by showing that your agricultural business is providing positive impacts you will stand out from the rest of the applicants and be in the driver’s seat for obtaining the government funding you apply for (if applicable to your niche of course!)

The Canadian Grants Business Center provides funding information. For help in finding what programs are available to you, please contact us at:

canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com

Government Loans for Farmers

Are Loans available for Canadian Famers?

Being in the Canadian Agriculture Market, there may be programs available to you to increase your business. By law, the Government provides loan guarantee programs to farmers and agricultural co-operatives. Farmers and Agricultural providers can use the farm funding to build, enhance, and develop, their business, while agricultural co-operatives may also access loans to process distribute or market the products of farming.

Loan Objectives

The program allows the Government of Canada to support the renewal of the agricultural sector and enables co-operatives to better seize market opportunities.

Funding availability

The maximum aggregate loan limit for any one farm operation is $500,000.

Loans are limited to a maximum of:

  • $500,000 for the purchase of land and the construction or improvement of buildings.
  • $350,000 for all other loan purposes, including consolidation/refinancing.

The maximum aggregate loan limit for agricultural co-operatives is $3 million, with the Minister’s approval.

Program Delivery

Lenders must take the same care and prudence in issuing this guaranteed loan as would be taken in conducting ordinary business. The Program has been designed to enable lenders to incorporate it into their normal lending practice, while providing the government guarantee on eligible loans to farmers and agricultural co-operatives.

If a purchase has already been made, a lender has 60 days from the purchase date to issue a the guaranteed loan.

Contact Information

The Canadian Grants Business Center can tell you what guaranteed loan program you are eligible to apply for in your area. Please contact us at:

Contact us – canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com

Environmental Farm Planning and Government Funding

As a farmer, many key choices need to be made to help improve the health and value of your farm, improve your business and leave behind a legacy for the next generation of farmers.

If you take care of your land, your land will take care of your business in more ways than one.

The Environmental Farm Plan (EFP) is a voluntary and confidential, self-assessment process that helps farm managers identify the agri-environmental assets and risks on their operations and develop an action plan to reduce the identified risks. By abiding by this voluntary assessment you can increase your chances of being the winning application in any funding that is environmental based in the agriculture industry.

The EFP has been designed to address priority issues that include the potential environmental effects of agriculture on the:

  • quality and supply of water resources
  • health and quality of soils
  • air and atmospheric quality
  • biodiversity and agricultural landscapes

EFPs remain and continue to be a high priority for Federal and Provincial governments in 2016. Since 2004, over 6,000 producers have participated and completed an EFP in Canada, assessing over 9.3 million acres of land and in return being used for writing your business case for your grant application.

The continued adoption of environmental farm planning will enhance Canada’s reputation as a supplier of safe, high-quality foods that are produced in an environmentally responsible manner.

By participating in this process, producers are able to:

  • identify existing environmental assets on their farm
  • raise awareness of environmental risks on their farm
  • identify actions to reduce risks
  • improve environmental sustainability
  • improve production efficiency on the farm

By implementing an action plan and adopting beneficial management practices (BMP), producers are able to:

  • help improve air, water and soil quality
  • help conserve biodiversity on farmland
  • help contribute to environmental protection and conservation
  • make commodities more marketable to environmentally conscious consumers around the world
  • demonstrate due diligence as part of a business risk management program

By following your local EFP and focusing on a niche funding programming that is tied to improving ones agriculture environmental footprint your chances of being the winning applicant increase as it sets you as a stand out from the rest of the applicant pack.

For more information on what niche farm funding program that is available to you please contact the Canadian Grants Business Center to see what programs meet your needs:

FIND FUNDING NOW!

Looking ahead to the new year: Farm Funding

As we have just started a new year, we are at an important crossroads for government farm grants and funding programs.

This is the time of year when many people focus on the holidays and make time for family. It’s also the best time to bring yourself up to speed on the funding opportunities for your new or existing farm:  Take advantage of the 2016 programs before they expire, and get the latest info for upcoming 2017 programs.

You can check funding availability now:

http://www.canadiangrantsbusinesscenter.com/Funding-Finder.html

Or call us directly to speak to a specialist at 1-888-231-0075

Don’t miss out on what could be your best funding opportunity of the year.