2 - The number of key ways employers can better motivate employees.

4 - This is the average percent increase in crop production gained by farmers that use
precision agriculture technology.

6.9 - The billion-dollar amount of revenues in the Canadian organic market.

12 - As in the number of grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per megajoule, the expected amount of greenhouse gas reduction by 2030 via Canada’s upcoming Clean Fuel Standard.

34,318 - The total ascent distance—in metres—CAAR Board member Blaine Cochrane has achieved while mountain climbing around the world. That is “ascent” only. He still had to climb down.

42,000,000 - The amount of money the Government of Canada recently invested in the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, raising concerns that the regulatory process has become politicalized.

65,472,516,904 - Total operating costs for all Canadian farms in 2019.

By now you and your team should have received the CAAR Communicator October issue.The October 2021 issue of The CAAR Communicator magazine is now available in print and online.

The business environment is changing for Canadian agribusiness, and so too membership associations are being driven to change to accommodate members. Agribusinesses are increasingly beginning to scrutinize which associations they choose to be part of and support. This has more to do with their time constraints and value added, rather than annual dues and participation costs. Selection of membership associations is now more based on alignment with members’ strategic goals and representation and support of the ag industry.

As Director of AgCareers.com and CareersInFood.com, Kathryn Doan works on leading and developing companies’ business offerings and connecting people to career opportunities across the whole ag value chain.

Benchmarking is the process of comparing and measuring business processes and performance metrics to industry leaders which will help the organization take action to improve its own structure.

Robert Gobeil, Ag Health and Safety Specialist for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) recently provided insights about safety from an ag retailers’ perspective

Dr. Scott Downey, Director of the Centre for Food and Agricultural Business at Purdue University, coordinates Purdue’s sales and marketing degree program.

Jeremy Mollet, who works for the Safety, Health, and Environmental Leadership Team at Nutrien shared an overview of Nutrien’s culture, areas of focus, and significant actions relating to safety at the 2021 Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers Conference in February.

Europe’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals and Feed (SCoPAFF) recently adopted a regulation to set clethodim maximum residue limits (MRL’s) to the limit of quantification (LOQ) for the European Union. Clethodim is the active ingredient in BASF’s Select and Centurion, Loveland’s Shadow RTM, and NuFarm’s Statue, among other brands. Industry experts are not planning to change recommendations around products carrying the chemistry at this point.

The Retailer Hall of Fame award was established in 2008 as the “lifetime achievement award” for our industry. This award recognizes an individual who has consistently demonstrated exceptional performance and dedication over time. Jeff Holmes of Holmes Agro is this year’s winner of the CAAR Retailer Hall of Fame Award. 

At the 2021 Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers Conference, Todd Ormann recently spoke about his business and commercial development with global Telus Agriculture partners and the value of ag tech to the retail channel.

Clyde Graham recently spoke about how Fertilizer Canada is working in partnership with ag retailers, several programs and partnerships to promote sustainability.

“Rosenort Agro has been a member of CAAR since pretty well the beginning of CAAR,” says Denis Benjamin, General Manager, Rosenort Agro. Rosenort Agro was started by Levi Brandt in the late 1940s as a fuel and oil company.

As an independent retailer TerraLink is regularly looking for information on what is happening at both the regulatory and the industry level. Located in the Lower Mainland of BC we are distant from the mainstream ag focused provinces and in south coastal BC there are only a few key dealers who keenly compete against each other, so basically, we are on our own.

Understanding the Carbon Tax

Carbon taxes have a large impact on the profitability and operations of businesses. Jeff Harrison, CPA, CMA, Indirect Tax Partner at MNP LLP recently gave an update on what the carbon tax is and how it might impact the agriculture industry in the future.

By now you and your team should have received the CAAR Communicator August issue.The August 2021 issue of The CAAR Communicator magazine is now available in print and online.

CAAR Communicator chatted with Blaine Cochrane, Sales Manager with Shur-Gro Farm Services in Brandon, Manitoba to learn about the person and career, his leadership within the ag retail sector, and why he decided to become a part of the CAAR Board team. Oh, and something about mountains.

The UK and EU have issues with its organic farming that threaten to eat itself. Who’s to blame and why? European standards are driving reductions in residue limits which will have major impacts on Canadian farming, so it is important to understand what is going on in Europe.

Lack of recognition is one of the major reasons why employees quit. Employee recognition may become even more critical with the rise of teleworking.

Growing with marketing campaigns of agriculture food products in Canada and internationally is the increased utilization of fear as a marketing weapon. Statements of non-GMO, grass fed only, organic and antibiotic-free create doubt and fear in the minds of the consumer. Are the products I purchase and consume less nutritious or harmful to our families?

Soon to be part of our landscape to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Canadian Fuel Standard will affect every Canadian on the grid. CAAR provides information on how it came to be, and how it will work.

New study shows how advanced technology farming can provide environmental and financial benefits.

January 2022 appears to be the groundhog month of January 2021. COVID-19 continues to disrupt our personal lives, businesses and logistics, and divide the nation politically.

Cleanfarms’ empty pesticide & fertilizer container recycling program undergoes a big change in Alberta and Manitoba.

LeftField Commodity Research founder provides an overview of the 2022 Canadian crop market as a thank-you to joining CAAR as a Perk$ Partner.

The good, the bad and the ugly—how COVID-19 has affected the way we run our businesses.

A frank discussion by the Honourable Mike Lake MP on mental wellness issues that need to be discussed and not ignored.

Science and evidence-based data, timeliness, transparency, and clarity of language key factors.

An examination of the fertilizer market provided by Josh Linville of StoneX Financial looking at the global markets, political intrigue, weather, and, yes, Covid.

 A deep dive into concerns of farmers and agri-businesses.