You assume your doctor has a medical degree. I’m sure you want your lawyer to have a law degree.
You expect grain truckers bringing a B-train into your yard to have a Class 1 licence.
You are relieved when the companies that buy your crops are bonded by the Canadian Grain Commission.
But did you know that your prospective farm marketing adviser might have no education, training, experience or credentials?
Anyone can claim to be a farm marketing adviser. The term essentially means nothing. Anyone can paint up a sign and go into business advising you on how to market your crops.
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Many farmers in the post-CWB monopoly world are looking for farm marketing advisers for the first time, and they need to realize that the title itself means nothing. Farmers need to do background checks to ensure they are talking to somebody who has at least a little knowledge and training in how to market crops and livestock.
There are no specific qualifications or certifications for farm marketing advisers, but I think farmers should look for signs that the person they’re considering employing has shown at least some seriousness about marketing or agriculture. Or anything.
Some advisers I know have university degrees in economics or agriculture. That demands some commitment. Others have business degrees or community college certificates.
There are also professional certifications and memberships that farmers can look for. For instance, futures traders have to be both licensed and regulated. Professional agrologists require specialized degrees, additional training and experience to qualify as a P.Ag.
Some marketing advisers join organizations such as the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors, which provides training and professional development and brings together serious farm advisers in many areas of agriculture from across each province and the country. Belonging to an organization like CAFA probably signifies that somebody is taking his or her job seriously.
Most important, of course, is to check a prospective marketing adviser’s history. Has he or she been in business long? Do they have happy clients?
The large number of farmers who are considering hiring outside marketing help for the first time might be drawing some unqualified, unskilled and uncaring individuals out of the woodwork, people willing to take your money for their advice.
It’s up to you to ensure that if you hire someone to help you market your crops and livestock, they have more than a phoney baloney title on a business card.
