Cultivating Business The official publication of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors 2014/2015 Canada Post Mail Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 With compliments of: CURRENT CONNECTED CERTIFIED2014/2015 / www.cafanet.com 3 MESSAGES: 5 A Message from CAFA’s National Chair 7 A Message from CAFA’s Executive Director 9 CAFA Keeps You Current, Connected and Certified FEATURES: 10 CAFA Advisors: Taking the “I” Out of Team 13 Ensuring a Good and Lasting Hiring Decision 15 What is the Alternative Minimum Tax and Why am I Paying it? SPECIAL SECTION 16 2014/2015 Canadian Farm Advisors Resource Guide 16 Alberta 17 British Columbia 18 Manitoba 21 Ontario 29 Quebec 29 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 R2H 2S9 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 Editors Danelle Cloutier dcloutier@matrixgroupinc.net Alexandra Walld Meg Crane Finance/Accounting & Administration Shoshana Weinberg, Nathan Redekop, Pat Andress, Lloyd Weinberg accounting@matrixgroupinc.net Director of Marketing & Circulation Shoshana Weinberg Sales Manager – Winnipeg Neil Gottfred Sales Manager – Hamilton Jeff Cash Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Account Executives Alex Incretolli, Ansuta Louisy, Bartu Yontem, Bonnie Petrovsky, Brian Davey, Brian Fletcher, Brian MacIntyre, Carlos Castro, Colleen Bell, David Roddie, Fatima Khan, Frank Kenyeres, Jim Hamilton, Miles Meagher, Nigel Sheptenko, Rick Kuzie, Rob Allan, Rob Choi, Rob Gibson, Shalynn Ramsden Layout & Design Travis Bevan Advertising Design James Robinson ©2014-2015 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 PO 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 ONTARIO • Amanda Hammel, National Chair Hanover, ON ALBERTA • Sidney Cumming, AccuPro Real Estate and Appraisal Grande Prairie, AB • Janet Nielsen, JRN Consulting Services Red Deer, AB BRITISH COLUMBIA • Jim Soldan, The Family Furrow Chilliwack, BC SASKATCHEWAN • Chris Corbett, FarmLink Marketing Solutions Melfort, SK MANITOBA • James Fehr, RBC Royal Bank Steinbach, MB • Myles Pouteau, Treasurer Winnipeg, MB ONTARIO • Amanda Hammel, RBC Royal Bank Hanover, ON • George Sinker, Vice-Chair Strathroy, ON • Michael Bossy, BNG Bossy Nagy Group Tillsonburg, ON4 The Canadian Association of Farm Advisors2014/2015 / www.cafanet.com 5 National Chair’s Message T he fall represents many chan- ges in a short period of time— the days are shorter, the leaves change colours and the landscape of our fields change as harvest is well underway. Like the fall season, change is occurring at a rapid pace and as your national chair, it is my goal to see CAFA continue to evolve and change. Your board of directors is made up a diverse group of individuals spanning across Canada from a multitude of busi- ness disciplines, which is the very core of why CAFA is so unique. We continue to hold regular meetings to set direction for the organization. In June 2014, the board made a deci- sion to hold a two day strategy meeting in conjunction with our June CAFA con- ference in Woodstock, ON. This strategy meeting was not in our budget; however it was decided that given the amount of turnover of board members, we needed to be energized, focused and have a strategic plan moving forward as a uni- fied voice for our membership. The agri- cultural industry is evolving, adapting to change at a pace that is staggering, and as farm advisors we need to be there in the forefront of these businesses to help our clients achieve their goals. To add value to our strategy meet- ing, we invited Erin Robert from Zzeem, and she developed a presentation named, “The High Performance Mem- bership Organization.” Key messages from that presentation included the fol- lowing: CAFA is a business, we need a board that represents membership in its entirety, we need a strategy around more revenue generation and finally, value=revenue=sustainability. Since our strategy meeting, our board began revamping our mission statement and more importantly, our value propos- ition. This is a member-based organiza- tion; we are only as good as the people in our organization. What is the value to our members and what is the value to our sponsors? Remembering that value=revenue=sustainability. Our organization must continue to grow and evolve as we see the changes in our agricultural clients’ businesses. Our learning continues each day and our advisor teams may change de- pending on the needs and complexity of the client’s request or need. Continuing education is important, which is why our organization spends the time and effort to develop industry conferences for our advisors. It is an incredible example of how individuals from each discipline within our agricultural sector can net- work and gain as much knowledge from the speakers as they do from the indi- viduals at their table. As we know, we are a national organ- ization with strong presence in Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta with growing interest in British Columbia and the Eastern provinces. I encourage you to visit our website to participate in the upcoming conferences. We have joined forces with the Saskatchewan Young Ag Entrepreneurs on January 7 and 8, 2015 in Saskatoon, SK. On Feb- ruary 5, 2015, we will be hosting on con- ference in Red Deer, AB then travelling to Guelph, ON. on February 19, 2015. Rounding out the beginning of our year will be Woodstock on June 4, 2015. Please visit our website as details will be posted as they are confirmed. As we approach the winter months we realize that this is a time where farm advisors have many discussions. I want to encourage you to share your CAFA designation wherever you can. We want to make the brand as strong as we can so that we become recognized as highly rated farm advisors. If you are pre- senting or at meetings, proudly display that you are a CAFA member. After all, it is our mission to continually improve the quality of advice being given to farm producers and their families. From my family to yours, I wish you a prosperous new year in 2015. Amanda Hammell National Chair Thank you! Thank you to the following national sponsors: • Allied Associates LLP Chartered Ac- countants, who has been an Ontario Provincial Sponsor since 2006; • Farm Credit Canada, who has been a national sponsor since 2004; • Farms.com, who has been a na- tional sponsor since 2010; and • farmmarketer.com, who has been a national sponsor since 2011. A CAFA sponsor/advertiser is: • A believer in agriculture’s future; • A believer in the need for profes- sional advice; • A believer in the need for advisors staying current and informed; and • A believer in the team approach to holistic advice. Growing, Changing, Evolving6 The Canadian Association of Farm Advisors2014/2015 / www.cafanet.com 7 Networks open doors After Winnipeg, MB, one of our first chapters was in Steinbach, MB. I phoned Leonard Klassen and told him about CAFA. He understood the value and ap- preciated the need for an organization like CAFA and within one week , he had put together a chapter executive. Within three weeks, they had their first chapter meeting and 10 years later they are still going strong. Klassen used his network. Don McCannell, one of CAFA’s found- ers, started the Saskatoon chapter. Mc- Cannell started what I am going to call, going forward, “The Halloween Count- down.” This is a challenge put forward to all CAFA members. Before the annual deadline for this magazine, there is a bit of a scramble to get as many membership renewals in and new members signed up. That way, they are listed in this publica- tion! McCannell made a few phone calls that immediately turned into new mem- bers. McCannell used his network. At the Prince Albert (PA), SK organ- izational meeting, chair Stuart Person’s energy and enthusiasm with the aim of learning more to better help their farm cli- ents was palpable. The PA chapter gets it—learn more in order to be a better farm advisor. They also practice the multi- professional team approach; Bill Cannon (lawyer) and Jeannette Krakowetz (ac- countant) were extolling the benefits of meeting with farm clients together as a team. That is such an advantage for the client. That is a network in action. Chris Corbett, a PA member, decided to start a new chapter in Melfort, SK this fall. At their first meeting in September they had around 30 farm advisors attend. By second meeting in October, they had 13 members! That was Corbett using his network. Across all provinces, there have been many members who have used their net- work and told colleagues about CAFA. In Ontario, Betty Hansen and Michael Bossy have introduced many members to CAFA. Then there is Nancy Ackert, Barry Fraser and Len Davies. Of course I am missing many. All are appreciated. Finally, the one who probably talks about CAFA the most and to the widest audi- ence is Elaine Froese. Thank you. CAFA’s two strengths CAFA has the following two primary strengths: • Improving the skills and knowledge of farm advisors to the benefit of their farm clients; and • In-person networking so members can learn from each other, brain- storm, build professional relation- ships and provide their clients with all the different farm professionals they need for their planning purposes. The icing ? The dedication to and pas- sion for farm families and businesses that our members share. Thank you to our sponsors who sup- port CAFA. They understand the many benefits that farm advisors offer farm families and businesses. FCC has been a national sponsor since 2004. In Ontario, John Wilkin of Allied Associates recognized the value of CAFA and Allied has supported us since 2006. Our corporate sponsor, farmmarketer.com, has been instru- mental in promoting CAFA and our events via its online resources. Same with Farms.com. The Agricultural Management Insti- tute (AMI), in Ontario, has been a great supporter of CAFA and better farm ad- visors with conference sponsorships and numerous farm advisor projects designed to further enhance advis- ory skills. A recent great supporter is Bonnefield, a company that offers many solutions for farmland sales and leasing. There are many to thank, includ- ing conference and chapter meeting guest speakers who share information on resources and solutions for farm families and businesses, and CAFA’s national volunteer board of directors. The board members take time out of their schedules on a regular basis to provide guidance and make sure that we get it right. The board gets together every two years for a strategy session that takes a couple of days out of their own businesses. That is commitment. Thank you. The main thing There is a quote from Stephen Covey that I think really gets it right (thanks to Helen Lammers-Helps for Tweeting this): “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” The main thing for CAFA members is to be the best farm advisors by con- tinually learning about the farm sector to stay current, participating in face-to- face networking to stay connected and to be certified so farmers know who to hire for credible, qualified farm advice. CAFA is the only national network of certified farm advisors. Be proud. As Daniel Powter sang in the famous ’80s song, “Funkytown,” “Talk about it, talk about it, talk about it...” Join CAFA to stay CURRENT, stay CONNECTED and be CERTIFIED. Liz Robertson Executive Director Executive Director’s Message Dedication to, and Passion for, Farm Families and Businesses CAFA Members Share8 The Canadian Association of Farm Advisors2014/2015 / www.cafanet.com 9 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 AG Farm Advisors; and • A quarterly eNewsletter with industry updates and membership highlights. A decade of surveys and interviews with members always highlight the greatest benefits of being an active member: education and updates (CURRENT) and the face-to-face net- working (CONNECTED). Become a member by downloading the applica- tion form online at www.cafanet.com under the “Membership” tab. For more information, call Liz Robertson at 877- 474-2871. CAFA CURRENT & CONNECTED CONFERENCES 2014-2015 • Lethbridge, AB: October 3, 2014 • Niverville, MB: November 20, 2014 • CAFA Annual General Meeting: November 20, 2014 • Belleville, ON: November 27, 2014 • Saskatoon, SK: January 7 to 8, 2015 • Red Deer, AB: February 5, 2015 • Guelph, ON: Focus on farm women: February 26, 2015 • Woodstock, ON: June 4, 2015 CAFA also holds regular chapter meetings across the country. Please check the CAFA calendar to see what is coming up near you. If there is a meeting in another part of the country you would like to take part in, please contact the chapter’s chair to see if a Skype video is possible. The technology is there; let’s use it! CAFA Member Value Proposition • Enhance the knowledge of members through education, networking and per- sonal development so that members can deliver on their own customer value proposition; and • Expose members to a network of other professionals in various disciplines all with the aim of enhancing the client experience. Customer Value Proposition CAFA provides access to a Canadian network of professionals with a broad spectrum of experience and education as it relates to agricultural advisory services. Join CAFA today ! CAFA Keeps You Current, Connected and Certified What CAFA Can Do For YouNext >