It is true that persistently dry conditions in North America are taking their toll on the agriculture industry. Many climatologists agree that we are experiencing the worst drought in more than 50 years.

As a result, forecasted yields for corn, wheat and soybeans have been revised down significantly. And that is pushing commodity prices up.

A few weeks ago I read a summary of the 2011 Census of Agriculture from Statistics Canada, a report that gets released every five years.

It included some interesting findings. For example, the number of farms in Canada is actually declining but the size of the average farm is increasing – a fact that suggests consolidation continues to be a significant force in Canadian agriculture.

The increasing use of technology brings speed and efficiency to many processes, and business owners are right to leverage it. However, technology also provides opportunities for fraud.

And when times are challenging, fraud increases. In fact, a recent study by the Certified General Accountants Association showed that more than half the businesses operating in Canada today have experienced some form of fraud in the past five years.