Farmers are starting to think about Plan Bs, but there is no sign yet of a major shift in seeding intentions
Wet conditions across the Prairies and the increasingly likelihood that planting will be delayed this spring have some farmers starting to think about “Plan Bs.” “I think what a lot of farmers are probably doing is looking at the Plan Bs because they’re thinking they might have to use them later on,” said Bruce Burnett,The federal government expects grain and oilseed prices to stay high, input inflation to moderate and a rebound for cattle and hog producers
Strong commodity prices and healthy world demand have put Canadian farmers in an enviable position, says Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in its annual crystal ball look at the industry. Net income for most producers will be at or above record levels once all the data for 2012 is added up, thanks to better-than-forecast crop pricesChanges to the immigration rules introduced in 2002 have not resulted in a flood of foreign farm buyers
Who is buying up all the farmland in Manitoba? Coffee shop gossip aside, statistics from Citizenship and Immigration Canada show that the vast majority of farmland buyers in Manitoba are not new permanent residents. In fact, there has been barely any interest from abroad in recent years. Gordon Gentles, a Brandon-based realtor specializing in farmAssociation of Manitoba Municipalities head says amalgamation is a complex process that can’t be rushed
The province has told municipalities to get on with amalgamation, rejecting their plea for more time for orderly planning. “It’s an expedited process,” said Doug Dobrowolski, president of the Association of Manitoba Municipalities. “We’re very concerned that the public is not going to have an opportunity to voice their concern here.” But that argument didn’t
