FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food (Farm Credit Canada)

Aimée Ferré Stang is a woman in agriculture – but if you met her, she likely wouldn’t call herself a farmer. She didn’t grow up on the farm. She doesn’t drive a tractor. But there’s no question she’s a major contributor to her operation. 

In this episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Aimée discuss the roles of women in agriculture, accepting and defining her many contributions to the operation and the balancing act it takes to raise a family and grow her off-farm career.

Jill Harvie of Harvie Ranching is one of the most well-known cattle breeders in the industry. And managing a cutting-edge operation with a global reach gives her a lot of insight.

In this episode of Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Jill talk cows, knowing your customers, using data and why making time for “in the office work” is critical to business success.

Sherri Pauls is a farmer from Southern Manitoba – but you might know her better from her hilarious take on farm life on Instagram as The Ginger Mom. She married into agriculture 17 years ago - and that can take some adjusting to.

In this episode, Sherri and Marty explore making that transition into farm life, the family dynamics that go with it and how resiliency, regular farms meetings and open communication – and of course, humour - are key to making their business a success.

In the sixth of a 9-part series, learn how to build a written plan that’s considerate of all generations and consistent with your farm’s values, vision and goals. Transition experts Joel Bokenfohr and Merle Good work through the process from the junior and senior partners’ perspectives in this mock scenario during one of our recent virtual events.

In the ninth and final episode of the series, our Business advisors wrap up and review key takeaways along the path to farm transition.  Learn how to keep the conversation going, check-in, and what you can do to keep your plan current and continue to repeat the process.

How Fanny Delisle is creating synergies for her operation, community and the ag industry to ensure she passes along a sustainable business to the next generation.

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Farm transition happens – are you prepared? In the first of a 9-part series on your path to farm transition, FCC Business Advisors Joel Bokenfohr and Annessa Good share how to gather the correct farm structure and estate documents and details, identify who needs to be involved and ensure they’re committed to the transition process.

Michael Ferguson of Wilmar Farms and his family are in a great spot with their transition. They transferred decision-making control early and maintained the family relationships – an ideal outcome. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Even when he tried to do everything right, there were roadblocks along the way.

In this two-part episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Mike discuss transition from a junior partner’s perspective. Mike shares the importance of trust, hard conversations and taking the time and patience to make it work.

And stay tuned for part two, where we talk transition from a senior partners perspective.

Todd Baker and his Ontario tree nursery are no stranger to adversity. In 2003, when an ash borer pest infestation wiped out over half of his business, he needed a plan to survive — and he did. In this episode of Talking Farm and Food, Todd shares what his operation had to do to overcome financial challenges. He also talks to Marty about his experience as a consultant, his adoption of tech and advice for anyone who manages people.

In this episode, Erin McKnight, a Saskatchewan rancher, shares how she combined her farming passion and nursing expertise to tackle ranching challenges. Learn about her innovative training methods designed to successfully onboard and retain farm employees.

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Doug Bryson and his fiancé, Stephanie, feel they’ve “won the chicken lottery," but this young couple’s poultry farming dream could only be achieved with the help of some amazing people and support programs.

In this episode of Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Doug talk about the ups and downs of chicken farming and how mentorship and a supportive farming community can empower young farmers to realize their dreams.

Dave Semmelink, a Vancouver Island farmer, is a busy guy. He raises livestock, grows vegetables, runs a farm stand and recently invested in an abattoir – and does it all on leased land. It may seem risky, but with a solid business plan, he’s set up for success.

How does an engineering degree help you raise grass-fed beef? For Ben Campbell, of Grazed Right Ranch, his unconventional path to agriculture was informed by the critical thinking and problem-solving he learned at school. In this episode of the FCC Knowledge podcast: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Ben talk about using your numbers and how benchmarking and ongoing learning informs decision-making and helps Ben achieve balance.

Todd and Jennifer Payne of Asphodel Sheep Company in Central Ontario always had big dreams of becoming full-time farmers – but it took time and planning to get there. In this episode, we’ll learn about their journey from off-farm employment to purchasing Shepherd’s Choice, one of the sheep industry’s leading genetics operations.

Learn more about the Payne’s unique transition story in this AgriSuccess article.

Like many Saskatchewan farmers, Curtis Heinen is in the grains and oilseed business. But unlike most, he also operates an on-farm machinist business – and does it all while being visually impaired. 

Backed by a supportive family and community, learn how he’s built a thriving ag operation by learning to adapt, diversify and focus on the big picture. 

How do you build a rapidly growing business - even during a pandemic? Emma Butler, owner of J & E Meats, along with her husband have managed to grow their farm into a successful storefront operation.

In this episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty talks to Emma about her innovative approach to sales, telling the story of your food and building a personal brand through social media.

To continue our discussion from Episode 6: Business plans – Creating one that fits your farm vision, Joel and Merle invite FCC Business Advisor Annessa Good into the conversation and they talk about the hard, but important discussions around equity – how to fairly allocate resources, especially to off-farm children.

Show your farm transition plan who's boss. In this eighth episode, FCC Business Advisors role-play conversations and share best practices, showing you how to lead through ongoing alignment and activation. See firsthand how to work through challenges and towards agreement on timelines and implementation of your plan.

Is your successor set up for transition success? In the seventh of a 9-part series, learn how to share knowledge and help the next generation. FCC Business Advisors Annessa Good and Andrea DeGroot will help you gain the skills and experience needed to move the farm business forward.

Is everyone on the same page when it comes to transition planning? In this episode, Patti Durand, FCC Transition Specialist and Kent Gulash, Director of Industry Relations at AG-West Bio, walk through how to create a shared vision, values and goals that everyone can connect with.

When farm manager Lori Robinson started in ag, she didn’t have many female role models to look up to – so she became one. In this episode, learn how she built a successful career by embracing mentorship, joining boards, and surrounding herself with good people.

Are you financially ready for farm transition? In this episode, FCC Business Advisors, Andrea De Groot and Corey Henderson share how to assess and summarize your current financial picture while considering your family dynamics. 

In 1996, Carol Poole, owner of Tigerlily Ranch, was at the forefront of an innovative, new business – raising alpacas on the Canadian Prairies. At a time when exotics like bison, ostrich, and elk were all the rage, she and her business partner formed Tiger Park Alpacas. Today, they focus on producing world class alpaca fiber and have developed some of the best breeding stock in the industry.

In this episode, we’ll learn more about this unique industry and Carol’s path to business success. How do alpacas survive a Prairie summer?

Kenneth Carrier may only have 5 years in the apple business, but his long history in food-related industries and talent for marketing and finance has fast-tracked his ag success.

In this episode, Kenneth and Marty talk about his journey to the orchard business and how good data management, careful planning, creating balance and defining career satisfaction helps with his new venture.

Calgary lawyer, Eric Dalke has helped many a farm family navigate the complexities of transition and will and estate planning – and he has some plain-spoken legal advice to share.

In this episode, Eric and Marty discuss why a will is the cornerstone to any good transition and how early conversations and putting pen to paper are essential to everyone getting on the same page.

Garnet Martin of Evergreen Wood Creek Farms and his junior partners are at the end of their farm transition journey. While they’ve overcome hard times, his family’s open and intentional approach to the process brought it to a successful fruition.

In this two-part episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Garnet discuss transition from a senior partner’s perspective. Garnet shares his philosophy on bringing advisors together and the hard work and pride in seeing your kids take over the farm.

And be sure to check out part one, where we talk to a junior partner from a different operation about his farm transition experience.

Trent Hilderman, a producer and agronomist has a clear vision of what he wants to accomplish - to leave his farm better than he got it. And to have the best-producing, sustainable land that’s profitable takes insight and practices from many different places.

In this episode, we hear how involving different ideas and perspectives in decision-making can lead to better farm management.

Carlie Bowditch and her family are forward-thinking farmers. They’ve embraced social media to help them engage with the public, advocate for ag and even recruit and retain employees. They also see the benefits of digitizing their accounting and field records.

In this episode, Marty and Carlie talk about how social media and tech can be valuable additions to any farm management toolkit.

What’s the secret to a successful and profitable farm operation? In this special episode, recorded at Canadian Western Agribition, Marty chats with fellow CWA Top 50 Influential in Ag winners Alanna Koch, Dr. Joy Agnew and Brett McRae about strategic planning, digitization, mentorship and the future of agriculture.

What do you get when you have a lender, lawyer and accountant in the same room together? Great advice! In the fourth of our 9-part series, learn how to identify who’s on your professional advisory team and what skills and expertise are needed to fill the gaps. 

In this episode, Patti Durand and Tom Deans address incorrect assumptions people make about estate planning and why having a current, well-considered will is a critical part of any transition. 

How did a former town kid with a 20-year career as a makeup artist end up managing the family dairy? For Ashley Brown of Browndale Farm, coming home to support her father after losing his farm help, empowered her to turn a labour shortage into an opportunity to innovate through automation.  

In this episode, Ashley and Marty talk technology, risk mitigation, diversification, keeping the family legacy and falling in love with her “girls”.

Whether you plan or not, transition happens on every family farm. In this episode, Marty talks to Andrea De Groot, an FCC Business Advisor and Allison Henkell a Tax Partner at BDO about what to consider “pre-transition” and how to determine your farm’s viability to support both generations early in the process. 

Learn how to organize your assets, understand your business structure, assess your personal net worth and ask open-ended questions.

Agriculture is not only a way of life, it’s a business. Talking Farm and Food is a monthly podcast that highlights the stories and experiences of farm business entrepreneurs and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Join Marty Seymour as he talks to Canadian producers about their lives, their businesses, and the farm management topics you care about. If you’re looking for advice on money and finance, transition, managing people, strategy, leadership and more, this is the podcast for you.

The pace of conversation may be a bit slower than what Jordan Clarke from Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers is used to, but he has a lot of valuable insight to share on the auction business.

In this episode, Jordan and Marty discuss using online sales to broaden your customer base, the benefits of adding an auction person to your advisory team and how auctioneers can help when it’s time to offload assets before you retire.