Think locally, nationally, and globally

Jul 22, 2022

FCC article describes how global markets affect Canadian farmers.

By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com; Image via FCC

There is an adage people throw around and hope people get: think locally, act globally.

It’s simple enough… what we do locally has the “butterfly effect” on the whole planet, so make sure whatever we do on our farm is in the best interests of the planet.

But it’s a bit more complex than that, especially for farmers who not only have to think locally, but provincially, nationally, and internationally.

That’s the only way to increase the chance of having a successful season.

According to an article written by Farm Credit Canada (FCC), with input from Kyle Burak, an FCC Senior Economist, farmers need to be aware of how supply and demand should drive their production and marketing decisions.

Anyone can have the best yield of a crop ever, but who cares if there’s no demand for it?

The key is to read the market and where it is going.

Read the FCC article HERE.

Video: Season 6, Episode 12: Veterinarians’ Perspectives on Managing Swine Herd Health Across All Phases

Identifying challenges in swine production and turning them into solutions through research and team development is the focus of this episode. Dr. Christine Mainquist-Whigham of Pillen Family Farms and DNA Genetics shares insights on herd health, biosecurity and trial work to improve pig performance. She also discusses her team’s research philosophy, how they evaluate rate of investment and how they gather feedback from employees to address challenges and maintain herd health across all phases of production. Dr. Carlos Roudergue of Country View Family Farms discusses the growing complexity of swine production, especially as technology increases and employee interaction decreases. He also shares how their workforce is shifting toward more specialized roles to support herd health and efficiency.