Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

I am interested in knowing any thoughts on what farmers are looking for from an ag real estate ad or realtor. I want to know the type of person you might want to be looking on your behalf and what type of qualifications they  have to help you.

- is it better that they tell you right out about their farming experience or should they prove it to you through their use of knowledge

- How do you go about finding farm land, hobby farm land, or acres with a home on it?

Any thoughts and advice would be great :)

mac

Views: 143

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Hi Mackenna,

If you are looking at farmland, I would stick with someone who knows agriculture.

We have alot of good members on www.realestate.farms.com website.

Hope this helps,

Joe

 

What great questions.

First of all if you are selling a farm you have to prove its viability especially if it is an existing operation. Too many realtors are very inexperienced when it comes to selling the business end of the farm. They show the houses but nothing on  the operation and cash flow statements. Can't live on a farm if it is not viable. Another argument that can be used by the realtor is to state that it is the future owners responsibility to envision the farms future. This is true only if it is not an ongoing operation. Even if it is an annual crop that was grown on the land a realtor should have detailed information on the crops grown on the land for the past 5 years and types of fertilizer and herbicides used. The realtor should also have detailed soils survey from the current owner if the current owner farms the land. Any farmer worth his/her salt has this information on a split second notice ( or at least should have). This type of information can help sell the operation and also get a premium for the farm.

Thanks to both of you.

 

Joe - I am looking to see what qualities a person might look for in a person who sells AG real estate vs actually buying farmland.

 

David - thank you for the information. It is very true that with farm real estate you need to know as much about the land as you do the buildings on it.

 

Mackenna

If I were buying a farm, I'm not sure that I would take the realtor's or the vendor's word on the viability of the farm. After all who's responsibility is it to know what will work?

 

Furthermore, it would be interesting to assess the stand-alone viability of many of the farms that have sold in this area in the past year or more. Growing legal crops, that is . . .

I am not a farmer, but I do plan on buying arable land in the mid-term and perhaps in the long term farming such land. 

 

To date I have made several serious enquiries about certain parcels of land, while I don't know much about farming I know enough to ask some basic questions regarding crop history, soil samples and typical yields.  Every realtor I have asked these questions of either did not know the information or stated that such information would be provided on making an offer.  Sorry, but both excuses are weak.  I kind of want to know that information up front when considering a purchase.

 

I should say that my father has been in the real estate business for close to 40 years.  He has never really sold farms or arable land.  If he listed such property he may not know enough about the business end of the operations to speak to them with any confidence. 

 

I think there may be a need for realtors with expertise in farming, but to effectively do so they would have to have enough business to make specialization worthwhile.

Reply to Discussion

RSS

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

Targeting weeds on oil and gas sites

The new Oil and Gas Conservation Regulation under the Oil and Gas Conservation Act will provide the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) with the ability to hold companies accountable for controlling weeds and agricultural pests on their sites. For sites that do not have a responsible owner, the Orphan Well Association will be responsible for conducting required weed and pest control. Under the regulation, the AER now has the authority to enforce the requirement that oil and gas companies conduct weed or pest control. Municipal weed inspectors will be able to notify the AER and trigger compliance activity. The regulator can then take steps under the Oil and Gas Conservation Act and use tools available in the Responsible Energy Development Act to direct companies to conduct the necessary weed and pest control as part of the “reasonable care and measures” requirements under the law. “Weed and pest control is an important issue for Alberta’s farmers that previous governments failed to addres

Strychnine Emergency Use Registration: Minister Sigurdson

“I am pleased that the federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has accepted Alberta and Saskatchewan’s re-submission for emergency use registration for two per cent liquid strychnine for Richardson’s ground squirrel control. We heard concerns from farmers and ranchers across the prairies and successfully advocated on their behalf for the federal government to reverse its decision. “This decision means that many prairie farmers will have another tool back in their toolbox for gopher control. Alberta’s producers have faced significant challenges managing Richardson’s ground squirrels and the loss of this effective control method has been difficult and costly for many in the agriculture sector. Some of Alberta’s producers saw thousands of dollars in crop and pasture damage last year alone, and many faced livestock injuries and equipment damage. “I’d like to thank Premier Danielle Smith for her advocacy directly to Prime Minister Carney. Ensuring we have open lines of communicat

Southeastern Manitoba farmers face soaring fuel, fertilizer prices caused by Midde East war

Southeastern Manitoba farmers are facing extra strain ahead of the spring planting season as fertilizer and fuel prices surge due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Randolph-based farmer Kevin Peters is watching the price turmoil closely. He plants rye, canola, wheat, soybeans, corn and sunflowers on his 7,500 acres. Peters locked in pricing for his year-long fertilizer supply in November and considers himself lucky. “There’s always concern about geopolitical issues.” he told The Carillon. “Whether it has to do with trade or, in this case, fertilizer supply…it can really affect imports and exports for a lot of things.” The United States and Israeli attacks on Iran began Feb. 28, striking multiple targets throughout the middle eastern nation and killing its Supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Iranian military personnel retaliated, launching missiles and drones at neighbouring nations and vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, which flows between Oman, the United Arab Emir

‘Engage urban kids on agricultural activities’: Aggie Days underway in Lethbridge

Aggie Days has returned to the Lethbridge Trade and Convention Centre after a seven-year hiatus. The educational event is designed to connect students in Grades 4 to 6 with agricultural and world of farming. “We’re trying to engage urban kids on agricultural activities,” said Cody McIntosh, Lethbridge and District Agricultural Society (LDAS) director. “What’s happening around them - so when they’re driving down the road and they see a crop out there, they know what it is, what it’s used for and that it’s actually processed here in Lethbridge and southern Alberta.” This is the first year Aggie Days has been held since 2019. The event is being put on by the LDAS in partnership with Agriculture for Life. “It’s an interactive event where we can have the students come together and learn together and experience it as a large group, which is always a different dynamic,” said Luree Williamson, Agriculture for Life CEO.

Alberta Crop and Livestock Producers Welcome Emergency Authorization of Strychnine

Alberta crop and livestock producer organizations are welcoming the Government of Alberta’s success in securing an emergency use registration of strychnine to help manage Richardson Ground Squirrels. This authorization provides an important and immediate tool for producers facing increasing infestations that threaten pasture, rangeland, and cropland across the province. Left unmanaged, ground squirrels can cause significant economic damage and undermine the productivity of farms and ranches that rural communities depend on. With no viable, scalable alternatives currently available, this authorization is critical for producers dealing with widespread infestations. Strychnine remains the only proven tool that can be effectively deployed at the scale required in severe situations. This outcome reflects sustained advocacy from Alberta’s agricultural sector and strong leadership from the provincial government. The efforts of Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation RJ Sigurdson, alongside

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service