Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

96% of Ontario Farmers are neglecting this Spring Chore.

It’s that time of year again – the time when goals are set and plans are put in motion. Spring means doing what needs to be done now to give yourself the greatest chance of success later. Waiting to get started isn’t an option. If certain steps aren’t taken now, the rest of the season is at risk. Farmers know better than most that we reap what we sow when it comes to planning ahead and doing the hard work upfront. And they know all too well that not planning and not doing the work leads to anxiety and disappointment. But what isn’t so common among farmers is an appreciation of how these principles apply not just to the harvest, but to their personal and business affairs as well.

 

Just look at the facts: only 18% of Ontario family farm business owners have a valid will. A mere 4% have a fully developed plan to deal with the eventualities of incapacity, retirement, and death. Meaning that 96% of farmers, their families, and their farming businesses are dependent on the farmer never getting sick, never retiring, and never dying. It’s not an ideal plan.


So why do we expose ourselves to this level of uncertainty and risk? It can’t be that farmers aren’t planners, and it’s certainly not because farmers are afraid of hard work. No, it’s that farmers, like most non-farmers, don’t want to talk about death. But good news! Farm Business Succession Planning isn’t about death. It’s about making decisions and working towards goals in a way that maximizes profits and minimizes losses. It’s about identifying opportunities and creating options. It’s about setting you, your family and your business up for success both now and in the future.


If you still aren’t convinced that now is the time to start the planning process, what about if we told you the government was paying for it. Yes, believe it or not the government will pay the professional fees of your advisor through government cost-share funding.


By adding “call my business advisor” to your list of Spring Chores you’ll be taking a significant step toward protecting yourself, your family and your farm for seasons and generations to come.


This discussion thread was written by Ms. Nicole Allen, BA (Hons), LL.B., of ALLEN Trusts & Estates.

Views: 398

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by OntAG Admin on March 29, 2012 at 6:48am

Hi Nicole,

This is a tough topic for most families.

Complex and emotional...

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Joe

Permalink Reply by Roadrunner on May 17, 2012 at 1:24am

We find it hard to talk about and time goes by as you get busy.

RR

Permalink Reply by Chris Allen on May 17, 2012 at 4:48am

That's exactly it RR. The issues are difficult and complex. But they do get easier to address once they're out in the open. People are usually reluctant to open that can of worms, but that's the thing about worms, they dry up when exposed to sunlight.

And that's why I think the cost-share program is such a good one.

It gives farmer's access to professionals who can help with some of the more difficult or delicate issues (family dynamics, financial uncertainty, business management transition strategies, etc.), provides timelines that the advisor is responsible for helping the farmer meet, and by covering a significant portion of the costs, it's essentially reimbursing the farmer for the time spent away from the day to day business of running the farm. It removes the issue of costs from the equation while giving farmers access to advice that can save tens of thousands of dollars and years of extra work.  

It's not easy but it's time well spent.

- Nicole Allen


Roadrunner said:

We find it hard to talk about and time goes by as you get busy.

RR

Permalink Reply by Roadrunner on August 6, 2012 at 4:20am

Thanks Nicole,

I am going to look into this program this fall when I have a little more time.

RR

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Scouting and Managing Resistant Weeds in Ontario

Ontario farmers encouraged to scout fields now to assess weed control, identify resistant species, and plan integrated strategies for next season to protect yields.

New ASF vaccine shows promise against some strains but little to no protection against others

An international team of scientists has found that a promising African swine fever (ASF) vaccine can protect pigs against some strains of the virus but offers little or no protection against others. The findings point to the need for region-specific vaccines to tackle one of the world’s most devastating animal diseases. The research, led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Plum Island Animal Disease Center and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), tested a commercial live-attenuated vaccine candidate, ASFV-G-?I177L, against several African swine fever virus (ASFV) strains collected from across Africa. Results showed that while the vaccine was highly effective against certain strains, its performance varied widely depending on the virus type. ASF is a highly contagious and often fatal disease affecting domestic and wild boars, with no global commercially licensed vaccine available. The disease is endemic in many parts of Africa and, over recent years, outbr

January-June Farm Cash Receipts Up 3.3%

Canadian farm cash receipts through the first two quarters of 2025 were up slightly from the same period a year earlier, thanks mainly to strong livestock returns. A Statistics Canada report Friday pegged total farm cash receipts in the January-June period at $49.6 billion, up $1.6 billion or 3.3% from the previous year. But it was livestock that led the way. Total livestock receipts rose 10.8% or $2.1 billion to $21.3 billion in the first two quarters, on account of higher prices for all livestock types except poultry. On the other hand, crop receipts were little changed – inching up $80.2 million or 0.3% - to $25.9 billion. Meanwhile, program payments declined, falling $584.5 million or 20% to $2.3 billion. While cash receipts increased for most crops in the January-June period, StatsCan said those gains were offset by reduced receipts for barley and lower liquidations of deferred crop sales in Western Canada. Total oilseed receipts through the first two quarters of 2025 wer

Alberta Harvest Advances; Yield Potential Improves

Alberta yield potential is improving as the harvest advances. Friday’s weekly crop report estimated dryland yields for major crops at 19% above the 5-year average and 11% above the 10-year average. That marks a 4-point increase in both indexes from the estimates last reported two weeks ago. Meanwhile, the harvest of major crops (spring wheat, oats, barley, canola, and peas) was pegged at about 8% complete as of Tuesday, up 6 points from a week earlier although still behind the five- and 10-year averages of 15% and 12%, respectively. The harvest of all crops was reported at 11% done as of Tuesday, versus 2% two weeks earlier. The average Alberta spring wheat yield is now estimated by the province at 50.6 bu/acre, with oats and barley at 71.8 and 69.1 bu. Canola is estimated at 39.7 bu/acre, and peas at 47 bu. “The extended period of rain and cool temperatures, which occurred while crops matured, appears to have been beneficial with multiple reports of yields surprising to the up

Pulse Market Insight #281

First StatsCan Crop Estimates for 2025 This week, StatsCan issued its first yield and production estimates for 2025 crops. These numbers are based on computer models using satellite vegetation images which, in our view, have been getting better at estimating yields. That said, these first estimates were based on the situation at the end of July; weather and crop conditions have changed considerably since then, some worse but mostly better. As combines got rolling this fall, one common theme we’ve been hearing from many parts of the prairies has been that yields are coming in better than expected. Rainfall was variable across the prairies but in all regions, 2025 was a much milder summer than the last 3-4 years when extended periods of extreme heat reduced yields. If these early positive results continue through the rest of harvest, we wouldn’t be surprised if these initial StatsCan numbers are the low-water mark for the season. For peas, StatsCan reported a yield of 36.6 bu/acre, up

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service