Ontario Grain Farmer Magazine is the flagship publication of Grain Farmers of Ontario and a source of information for our province’s grain farmers.

Grain Farmers of Ontario

Author: Rebecca Hannam

Business side: Performance reviews

CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESS EXPERTS

August 2015 - (R.H.) WHAT IS A PERFORMANCE REVIEW? (L.P.) An effective performance review is an annual meeting to evaluate a paid employee. A review should act as a summation of ongoing performance conversations that happen throughout the…
Business side: Due diligence

CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESS EXPERTS

June 2015 - (R.H.) WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS IN AGRICULTURE? (P.S.) The Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act states the duties of all employers in the province and since 2006, has applied to all…
Web Special

The art of spraying

May 2015 - SPRAYER ADVANCEMENTS, TIPS, AND TOOLS WEB SPECIAL CONSISTENT WEED CONTROL is top of mind for many growers at this time of year. New technology to improve fertilizer and crop protection application continues to become available…
Soil economics

April 2015 - HOW MUCH IS EROSION COSTING YOU? GLOBAL POPULATION GROWTH means demand for agricultural products is on the rise. But according to researchers, loss of land to non-agricultural uses and soil resource depletion is also increasing.…
Business side: Safety training

CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESS EXPERTS

April 2015 - (R.H.) WHAT DO FARMERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT WORKPLACE SAFETY? (D.A.) Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) works with 3.9 million employees annually and 90 per cent of those employees work for small businesses, including…
Improving phosphorus management

March 2015 - SMALL CHANGES FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT EVERY GRAM COUNTS when it comes to reducing water pollution. Ontario growers know that phosphorus losses from run-off can contribute to the harm of waterways and now researchers are…
Business side: Financial ratios

CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESS EXPERTS

March 2015 - (R.H.) HOW DO YOU RECOMMEND FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE BE ANALYZED? (B.R.) The process of completing year-end reporting should not stop once the annual financial statements are finalized with an accountant. Good statements — including a balance…
Soil improvement

March 2015 - RECOMMENATIONS FROM RESEARCHERS HOW TO RAMP-UP soil health and maintain good ground has been the focus of field studies for several years. Researchers are revisiting basic soil health concepts and reminding producers of their importance…
Business side: Financial reporting 101

CONVERSATIONS WITH BUSINESS EXPERTS

February 2015 - (R.H.) WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR FINANCIAL REPORTING AND WHICH DO YOU RECOMMEND? (B.R.) It is important to understand that financials can be prepared using accrual or cash-based accounting methods. Farms are the only type…
Cover crop carryover

February 2015 - TRIALS DETERMINE IMPACT OF RESIDUAL HERBICIDES THREE YEARS AGO Ontario growers were unsure of how to incorporate cover crops into fields where herbicides were previously applied and related data did not exist. A University of…