A typical leading farmer in Western Canada is a 41-year-old university graduate who operates a large-scale incorporated farm and has farmed for less than 20 years.
These are among the findings of a project on the best practices of leading farmers, presented at an international conference in Saskatoon Feb. 17-18.
In separate presentations, Darrell Toma, Terry Betker and Al Scholz of the Best Practice Group that conducted the survey, said the findings are meant to help farmers rate themselves against those identified in their studies as among the best.
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The survey found leading farmers had a good understanding of production, solid human resources skills and good marketing skills. They are motivated leaders and risk takers who create networks and practice sound financial management.
They use computers, possess strong decision making skills and surround themselves with teams of professionals.
“They are very quick to dialogue on new technologies,” Toma said.
“If you employ some of the best practices you will get some results if the markets are there.”
Betker said these farmers are typically younger and make investments in farming for their future.
Like chief executive officers in big business, leading farmers take big risks, work with others and understand the future impacts of the decisions they take today.
“They’re not afraid to try something,” he said, citing one example of farmers who captured more of the wealth by creating direct farm- to-consumer sales for the chickens they raise.
“They’ve got things figured out fairly well,” Betker said.
The study found the best farmers manage with vision and purpose, are results driven, action oriented, organized and able to deal with the unknown. They are creative, make timely decisions and have a management mindset.
But they also recognize their limitations and form management teams to help them, do self improvement through further training and plan strategically.
Twisting the old adage of farming as a way of life, Betker said, “farming as a business makes a great way of life.”
Scholz said many Saskatchewan farmers have long held their eggs in the one basket of grain markets, but the province is positioned to create markets for safe, well-prepared food.
“We are on the path to this, but a little behind the curve,” he said of value-added systems.
As examples of success stories, he cited pulse growers at Shaunavon, Sask., selling meatless lasagna through Federated Co-op stores, farmers at Naicam, Sask., operating a hog operation that employs 14 staff and a Wawota, Sask., couple that traded purebred cattle for organic food products.
For producer Garry Meier at Tisdale, Sask., it meant auctioning unnecessary equipment and joining with partners to farm 16,000 acres as Corefarm Inc.
Meier said the partners individually brought an area of expertise into the business, allowing each to focus on what they do best and tapping into niche markets and new crop varieties.
The group saw that the change would allow them more time for family, greater profitability and lowered fixed costs. The sale of excess machinery freed up capital of $500,000, he noted.
“We are business, not production focused,” he said, citing clear lines of communication between partners, management teams, joint ventures and business plans that include strategic planning sessions.
“Farming would be profitable if we didn’t have to remortgage every generation,” said Meier.
Betker found such leading farmers were neither reluctant to seek information and resources nor afraid to challenge paradigms and mitigate risk. They also continued employing best management practices even through difficult times in agriculture, he noted.
