Hello, Northeast Ohio! A few years ago, I heard a great speech from Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau, at an event here in Ohio. One of his points that resonated with me was the need for farmers to reach beyond their fences to expand their management skills and advocate for their cause.
Last month, I had the opportunity to follow Zippy’s advice and attend the 24th International Farm Management Association Congress in Saskatchewan, Canada. This conference brought together farmers, agricultural advisors and university professionals from around the world to further their knowledge of agricultural management.
The theme of the congress was “Resilience through Innovation”. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “resilience” as the ability to recover from or adapt easily to adversity or change, and “innovation” as the introduction of something new.
The Conference Planning Committee has done an excellent job in designing this conference and demonstrating how Canadian farms, families, institutions and ecosystems are adapting to today’s world through innovation.
The conference included two days of presentations at the University of Saskatchewan and two days of farm tours throughout Saskatchewan. Participants came from 20 countries, from New Zealand to Wales to Israel and beyond.
On the first day of the tour, I learned about the advancements in Canada’s barley production and craft brewing industry with stops at the University of Saskatchewan barley research fields, Maker’s Crafted Malts, IntelliYeast and the 9 Mile Legacy Brewery.
On the second day of the tour, I was able to explore the heart of Saskatchewan’s dairy industry and visit the Raynor Dairy Farm at the University of Saskatchewan, Twin Peaks Creamery, Hyljon Holsteins and Prairie West Dairies.
Each of these farms demonstrated a variety of management approaches that leveraged scale, efficiency, innovation and value to create viable business models. With my background in dairy farming, I really enjoyed learning more about Canada’s milk quota system, which is completely different from our milk pricing system.
As I reflected on the conference, I tried to define the characteristics that make these farmers more resilient, innovative and profitable than their counterparts. Below are some common themes:
strategic planning
Failure to plan is planning to fail. Every farmer and speaker stressed that strategic planning should be a normal part of running a business. They stressed that you shouldn’t be afraid to deviate from what you’ve always done. The key is knowing when to change and when to stay the course.
Holistic management
Farmers are on a hamster wheel geared towards increasing yields through increasing use of commercial inputs. Many stressed that we need to look more holistically at our production systems. Our colleagues around the world are very committed to the Paris climate agreements and appear to be more aggressive in reducing their carbon footprint.
Some of the questions and statements in this area included: Why do we plant sub-par soils? Would this land be better suited to sequestering carbon or increasing biodiversity? Have higher crop yields hurt sustainability efforts? Many emphasized the need to limit fertilizer use and treat it as valuable and impactful. The paradigm needs to change to farm the best land and manage it better.
Financial management
Small profits matter and farmers can go broke no matter how hard they work. Every farm we visited had strict accounting practices and quoted the adage that you can’t manage what you don’t measure. Take the time to review your financial metrics and compare yourself to others. The key is standardized and accurate data.
Relationships are important
Iron sharpens iron. Who are your closest advisors? Each of the farms we visited has used mentors, consultants and advisory boards to help them sharpen their management skills and remain resilient. Who is on your team and how do they help you sharpen your management skills?
Wisdoms
There was so much great wisdom shared at this conference. Here are just a few that resonated with me:
• “Is your legacy driven by profit or inheritance?”
• “I would worry a lot less if I thought you worried enough.”
• “Perhaps farmers will just have to stew in their predicament.”
• “Don’t jump back, jump forward.”
• “No is a complete sentence.”
• “Resentment is a cancer on a family farm.”
• “If you’re not at the table, you’re probably on the menu.”
I encourage each of you to come out of your lockdown to grow, survive and thrive despite the obstacles of today.
And remember a quote from Mark Nepo, who said, “We are stronger, gentler, more resilient and more beautiful than we imagine.”
I wish you a nice and safe day!
