
Farm business

VIDEO: Kaizen and continuous improvement
Depth of Field with Kelly Sidoryk
Kaizen is the Japanese concept of continuous improvement. Kai means change and zen means for the better. It applies to all areas of life and can be part of a strategic planning initiative. Kaizen is based on the idea that small, ongoing, positive changes can reap significant improvements. It’s typically founded on co-operation and commitment […] Read more

After Fiona, climate experts urge Canada to fix flagship adaptation strategy
Reuters — Canada’s first national climate adaptation strategy needs to be improved to include near-term targets and specific solutions ahead of its November release to mitigate worsening global warming impacts, experts advising the government told Reuters in the wake of devastation caused by storm Fiona. Fiona, one of the worst storms to ever hit Canada, […] Read more

Cattlemen’s Young Leaders help young and older hone their skills
A mentor and mentee in the CYL program look back on years of friendship and how it helped them both
What happens when a young person with an enthusiastic but fledgling interest in the beef industry meets a multigenerational cattle producer with decades of experience under his belt? No, it’s not a pitch for a rural reboot of The Odd Couple. But if you’d like to think of it that way, the “plot” features a […] Read more

Feds apologize for Saskatchewan farming colony scheme
Apology comes year after settlement with Peepeekisis Cree Nation
Just under a year after Peepeekisis Cree Nation’s settlement with the Canadian government over the File Hills Colony forced farming scheme, the federal government has made a formal apology. Operating from 1898 to 1954, the File Hills Colony scheme involved what the government today describes as the “involuntary relocation” of graduates from residential schools and […] Read more

Relationships support transition planning
There are a number of questions you need to ask yourself when transitioning to the next stage
Continuing with the succession planning or transitioning theme, along with a major milestone birthday, I can’t help but reflect from my senior generation position — even though I can hardly believe that is now my vantage point. In his book The Legacy Spectrum, Mark A. Weber stresses, as I have also done, that the process […] Read more

Talking and teamwork ease farm transition
Building a solid foundation helped one family keep their footing when the unexpected happened
Shifting a farm or ranch from one generation to the next is a popular topic at farm events, in the local coffee shop and even in country music ballads. While there are many ideas on how to work toward succession, it takes a willing attitude, some give and take, and a lot of communication. Have […] Read more

Retirement reimagined
When considering the succession plans for our operations it seems we often focus on setting the stage and paving the way for those entering the business and taking over. Often we overlook the exit. Retirement is not the best word in my mind. Perhaps we should call it a redirection of energy, refocus or gear […] Read more

Working between the generations
Life stage is important and not necessarily reflective of age
If there is anything that reveals the chasm between the generations these days, I think it has got to be technology. When sharing the stories of acquiring the first cell phone (it was in a bag), I realized that was just before our middle daughter was born. In 1994. Sociologists studying human behaviour and interaction […] Read more

Finding ways to bring people together
Put a plan in place for both your family and non-family teams
As we continue in yet another year of the pandemic, it seems that there are even more instances of topics and situations that continue to divide us. Looking for new ways to navigate through the coming months with respect and creativity is important. Those of us in agriculture represent two per cent of the population. […] Read more

Change management
Succession of the family business to the next generation is a major change
“Times they are a-changing. Of course times always change but in this period of rapid technological advancement and information accessibility, the change occurs even more quickly and on a larger scale. Change is a part of everyday life. To be successful and progressive we must welcome that change. It no longer works to do things […] Read more