Cultivating Business The official publication of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors Winter 2013-2014 Canada Post Mail Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 With compliments of: CURRENT CONNECTED CERTIFIED2013 - 2014 / www.cafanet.com 3 MESSAGES: 5 A Message from CAFA’s National Chairman 7 A Message from CAFA’s Executive Director 8 CAFA Keeps You Current, Connected and Certified FEATURES: 10 Growing the Leaders of Tomorrow 12 Changing Dynamics: Women Increasingly Work the Land 14 Succession and the Family Farm in Today’s Environment 16 Farm Sale or Succession Planning: Not a Simple Process! SPECIAL SECTION 18 2013/2014 Canadian Farm Advisors Resource Guide 18 Alberta 19 British Columbia 20 Manitoba 22 Ontario 30 Quebec 30 Saskatchewan 34 Buyer’s Guide Cultivating Business contents Published By: Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Canada Post Mail Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 Return undeliverable copies to: 309 Youville Street Winnipeg, MB R3C 1L6 Tel: (204) 953-3120 Toll free: (866) 999-1299 Fax: (866) 244-2544 Email: sales@matrixgroupinc.net Web: www.matrixgroupinc.net President & CEO Jack Andress Chief Operating Officer Jessica Potter jpotter@matrixgroupinc.net Publishers Peter Schulz, Joe Strazzullo Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net Editor Alexandra Walld Finance/Accounting & Administration Shoshana Weinberg, Nathan Redekop, Pat Andress, Lloyd Weinberg accounting@matrixgroupinc.net Director of Marketing & Circulation Shoshana Weinberg Sales Manager Neil Gottfred Sales Team Leader Jeff Cash Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Account Executives Angelica Whyte, Bill Burges, Bonnie Petrovsky, Brian MacIntyre, Catherine Motley, Chris Smith, Colleen Bell, Crystal Burke, David Roddie, Denise Lavergne, Frank Kenyeres, Frank McLean, Heidi Hand, Jim Hamilton, John Price, Matthew Paxton, Miles Meagher, Rick Kuzie, Rob Allan, Rob Choi, Steve Gaebel, Tammy Miller Layout & Design Travis Bevan Advertising Design James Robinson ©2013-2014 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Cultivating Business Published For: Canadian Association of Farm Advisors P.O. Box 578 Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan S0J 0J0 Toll free: (877) 474-2871 Direct: (306) 466-2294 Fax: (306) 466-2297 Email: info@cafanet.com CAFA’S NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS BRITISH COLUMBIA • Jim Soldan, The Family Furrow Chilliwack, BC ALBERTA • Sidney Cumming, AccuPro Real Estate and Appraisal Grande Prairie, AB • Janet Nielsen, JRN Consulting Services Red Deer, AB SASKATCHEWAN • André Fagnou, FCC Regina, SK MANITOBA • Myles Pouteau, CAFA Treasurer, Frostiak & Leslie Chartered Accountants Winnipeg, MB • Roger Mills, Manitoba Dairy Farm Management Group Steinbach, MB ONTARIO • Ted Clysdale Peterborough, ON • Amanda Hammell, RBC Royal Bank Hanover, ON • George Sinker, George E. Sinker Law Firm Strathroy, ON • Michael Bossy, BNG Group Tillsonburg, ON CAFA Co-Founders: Donna Hastings and Howard Morry Dan Erlandson and his daughter Calla. Dan is speaking at CAFA's conference in Saskatoon in January 2014.4 The Canadian Association of Farm Advisors2013 - 2014 / www.cafanet.com 5 National Chairman’s Message W e know that from comments and enquiries made to Liz Robertson (CAFA Execu- tive Director), that there are agriculture clients who are actively looking for in- dustry professionals who are experts in their field, but more specifically, sport the CAFA designate. They are aware that CAFA members keep themselves updated with continuous education and by frequent networking with other pro- fessionals. This provides clients with the confidence that they are seeking, when hiring an advisor. But, as industry professionals, do we all use our designation to openly advertise our skills and make our cre- dentials apparent? Do we go out of our way to look for and subsequently help these specific clients? With all the modern communication aids, it should be far easier to connect with clients seeking professional servi- ces. Now, of course, word of mouth is still by far the best recommendation, but have you considered how you can make your company and the services it offers one step ahead of the rest? A friendly helpful disposition is paramount. Timely and accurate completion of the task is essential. So is going the extra mile in order that both your current and future clients will benefit by and appreciate your services. A client will ALWAYS be concerned about getting value for money. Even if the advisor has provided a first class service, equating that to the cost of the service will be readily assessed by most clients no matter how good a name the advisor or their company possesses. A trend that is developing, espe- cially with larger scale production units, is for the producer to form an advisory team of agricultural professionals in or- der to continue to propel the business toward greater profitability. Revenues in all the major sectors of agriculture are basically static and in some cases, volatile. Regular meetings of the ap- pointed management team can help to formulate cost-saving and marketing strategies. As well as taking on crop or livestock production specialists, the producer is looking for accounting, lending, busi- ness management, financial investment and maybe other advice. Having a spe- cialist facilitator to get the most out of these sessions is also a huge benefit. Knowing when to set up term loans and save on interest payments is as import- ant as knowing whether to sell or hang on to the crop. Succession planning has been looked upon as being the way to offer your services to a business, but this opportunity indicates there are additional services that clients want and need. Indeed as businesses continue to grow, then there will be more demand for this type of expertise. Having been a producer for over 35 years, I fully recognize the need for all advisors to be conversant with the most elementary of tasks that a specific farmer has to perform in the calendar year. Advisors going on- farm offering their professional ser- vices without any knowledge of what that producer does, stand very little chance of striking up a successful relationship. The general population today is fur- ther removed from farming and food production than at any time in history. As generations pass, this will become more of a problem as farms become larger units and consequently farmers, by number, become less. So, it is very important that we, as advisors, mentor the future professionals to ensure that they know the basics about agricultural production units in order that they can communicate on a reasonable level. As another incentive, scholarships are be- ing introduced in 2014 for fulltime stu- dents in agriculture. Agricultural graduates leaving our universities now have a wider range of jobs in which to pursue a career than ever before. At CAFA, we are promot- ing to our members that they offer their younger staff a chance to attend chap- ter meetings and conferences in or- der that they can build up some basic knowledge about food production and the challenges that the producer faces in everyday modern farming. Our front-line producers and agri- businesses continue to seek top quality advice. Involvement in CAFA gives many opportunities to network, therefore gain- ing extra knowledge that enables us to offer specialist advice to clients. By re- maining Current, Connected and Certi- fied, we can be the professionals that the modern producers ask to provide a service. Roger Mills, CAFA National Chair Connect With Clients, Showcase Your Credentials Share Cultivating Business With Your Members Did you know you can get an electronic pdf version of this magazine/guide to share with your colleagues and members? There are two easy ways to do this: 1. Contact the CAFA office and request the pdf: lrobertson@cafanet.com 2. Go to www.cafanet.com and download the pdf. Please share this great resource with everyone in the industry!6 The Canadian Association of Farm Advisors2013 - 2014 / www.cafanet.com 7 Consistent. Clear. Concise. The Canadian Association of Farm Advisor’s (CAFA) message and mis- sion has always been clear and con- cise: increase the skills and knowledge of farm advisors to better assist their farm family and business clients. CAFA members are professionals who belong to a primary self-regulatory organization or licensing body that gives them the ability to offer advice to their farm clients in their area of ex- pertise. CAFA, as a secondary umbrella organization, helps ensure that those professionals offering their expertise actually understand the business and dynamics of farm families and farm business—most have a direct personal association with a farm as well. CAFA members are accountants who can help you with various tax scenarios. They are bankers who help with farm financing. They are lawyers who offer legal advice. They are family coaches, facilitators and mediators who will sit with you and offer solutions for your family. Many CAFA members are agronomists and Certified Crop Advisors. Some are specialists in hu- man resources. Some CAFA members can help you mitigate risk in marketing. Some provide insurance solutions. CAFA is an umbrella organization for farm advisors and consultants—of every stripe—to stay current with and get educated about the state of the industry to the benefit of their farm cli- ents. CAFA also offers a very unique opportunity for these professionals to get to know the others offering complimentary advice to help round out advisory services through a team approach. CAFA is the only national network of certified farm advisors. There are over 20 chapters across the country that hold regular meetings and we offer at least eight annual regional conferences to share information and knowledge and build professional net- works. CAFA has quarterly eNews- letters and this annual magazine to further enhance the skills, knowledge and networking possibilities. The dis- tinctiveness about being an umbrella organization is that CAFA is inclu- sive—we welcome advisors, consult- ants, students, government, primary producers and other farm or Ag-re- lated organizations to join us in mem- bership and at all our events. You are invited to contact the CAFA office about a meeting, conference or workshop in your area or ask how you might become involved. For our 2013-2014 fiscal year we have the lo- cal chapter meetings as well as the following regional conferences: Leth- bridge, Alta, and Brockville, Ont., in October. In November, we participated with Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers program in Regina, then had our Manitoba conference and AGM in Niverville. For 2014, we have January 23 lined up in Saskatoon, February 6 in Red Deer and a first for CAFA— Women Farmers Managing Farms & Families: How do they do it all?—in Guelph on February 11. Then our ex- clusive Multi-Disciplianry Advising workshops in Guelph, February 12 and Cobourg, February 13. Our fiscal year wraps up with our annual Wood- stock conference on Thursday, June 5. These events provide a lot of oppor- tunities to connect farm professionals together and share lost of valuable information. Agriculture More Than Ever is en- couraging everyone involved in agri- culture to be an Agvocate. What better way is there, as a professional working with farm clients, to stay on top of what is happening in the industry? Be a part of a national non-profit, membership- driven association that provides edu- cational and networking opportunities. CAFA also offers a way to share your expertise while benefiting from on- going professional development. Join CAFA to stay CURRENT, stay CONNECTED and be CERTIFIED. Liz Robertson Executive Director Executive Director’s Message CAFA is an umbrella organization for farm advisors and consultants of every stripe to stay current with and get educated about the state of the industry to the benefit of their farm clients. Thank You! Thank you to our national sponsor, Farm Credit Canada, who has been with us since 2004. Thank you to our Ontario sponsor, Allied Associates. CAFA Will Keep You Current, Connected and Certified!8 The Canadian Association of Farm Advisors CAFA Keeps You Current, Connected and Certified CAFA CURRENT & CONNECTED Conferences 2013-2014 • Lethbridge, AB, October 3, 2013 • Brockville, ON, October 10, 2013 • AAW Convention with Canadian Agri-women, St. Catharine’s, November 7, 2013 • Regina, SK, November 15, 2013 with OYF • Niverville, MB in conjunction with CAFA AGM, November 20, 2013 • Saskatoon, SK, January 23, 2014 • Red Deer, AB, February 6, 2014 • Guelph, ON, Guelph Farm Women: Managing Farms & Families—How do they do it all?, February 11, 2014 • Guelph, ON, Multi-Disciplinary Workshop, February 12, 2014 • Cobourg, ON, Multi-Disciplinary Workshop, February 13, 2014 • Woodstock, ON, June 5, 2014 The Canadian Association of Farm Advisors (CAFA) Inc. is proud to introduce the Future Ag Leaders Scholarships, to be awarded annually to two individuals pursuing post secondary education in agriculture. Awards Two $1,000 scholarships available: • $1,000 Scholarship East (Ontario). • $1,000 Scholarship West (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Al- berta and BC are considered as the Western region). The program includes • A one-year $1,000 scholarship that may be reapplied for in subsequent years. • CAFA membership, which includes mentorship oppor- tunities through invitations to annual CAFA meetings and regional conferences. Qualifying criteria • Current Grade 12 students. • Recent graduates (within two years) of high school. • Currently enrolled post-secondary students. • Must be entering or continuing in an agricultural-related post -secondary program in the fall of 2014 at an ac- credited post-secondary institution. • Be a Canadian citizen or have permanent residence status. • Deadline for applications: March 15, 2014. • Announcement of successful applicants: April 15, 2014. For further details please go to www.cafanet.com/ scholarships.aspx Join CAFA today! The Agri-food sector in Canada is a colossal contributor to the lives of all Canadians. It contributes $100 billion annually to Canada’s GDP; Canada is the fifth largest agricultural exporter in the world. Your CAFA membership dem- onstrates how you are an integral part of this complex industry called agri-food. Did you know that membership in CAFA offers: • Three levels of membership? Regular = $350; Associate = $130 and Stu- dents = $100 (+GST/ HST); • A personalized advisor page on CAFA’s website; • Discounts at over eight annual regional conferences, numerous chapter meetings across the country and exclusive CAFA workshops; • Professional development opportun- ities for specialists in farm advisory practice; • Invaluable opportunities to make professional connections with other farm advisors locally, provincially and nationally; • A listing in a nationally distributed an- nual magazine; • Certification with Canada’s only na- tional network of Certified Farm Ad- visors; and • A quarterly eNewsletter with in- dustry updates and membership highlights. A decade of surveys and interviews with members always highlights the greatest benefits of being an active member: education and updates (CURRENT) and the face-to-face networking (CONNECTED). Join CAFA today ! NEW! CAFA Future Ag Leaders Scholarship What CAFA Can Do For You2013 - 2014 / www.cafanet.com 9 Connect With CAFA Box 578 Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan S0J 0J0 Direct: 306-466-2294 Toll Free: 1-877-474-2871 Fax: 1-306-466-2297 Email: info@cafanet.com LinkedIn: CAFA / Canadian Association of Farm Advisors Twitter: @cafanet.com YouTube: www.youtube.com/ watch?v=xQnYKyJVTk0 Liz Robertson, M.A. Executive Director Email: lrobertson@cafanet.com Cell: 1-306-466-7528 Glenna Frizzell, CMA CAFA Accounting Email: accounting@cafanet.com Sponsorship Opportunities The annual CAFA Conferences are a yearly event where the best farm advisors come together to ex- plore new strategies in farm business planning to help their farm clients continue to build a sustainable and competitive agricultural sector. Conferences are one of the high- lights of membership demonstrated by the increasing number of regis- trants each year and evaluations that consistently provide positive feedback. This is an opportunity to feature your company at an event that at- tracts a unique mix of farm advisors and consultants looking for business growth with new and existing con- nections, suppliers, resources and contacts. Engage and align your brand with leading farm advisors.Next >