| | Held in Red Deer on February 13, Renewal’s annual conference introduced producers to dozens of business-building ideas.
How has your business changed over the last 10 years? For many farmers and ranchers, the answer lies in three important areas: more globalization, changing consumer tastes and an array of new production and management technologies.
On February 13 in Red Deer, the AgChoices 2008 conference brought producers into contact with a wide range of new ideas, business strategies and global perspectives. The theme of the conference was Capturing Opportunities.
“No two Alberta farms are the same, and each farmer or rancher knows what’s best for their business,” says Wendy McCormick, conference organizer with Alberta Agriculture and Food. “The Conference was designed to take a look at the global picture and identify trends and changes that are impacting agriculture. As the day progressed, the topics became more specific - providing ideas, tools and information that producers can readily apply to their farm business.”
Conference speakers set the stage by looking at changes taking place globally and their impact on agriculture and farm management. In the afternoon, the Ag Info Market’s 26 concurrent sessions drilled down into specific areas of interest.
Speakers shared diverse perspectives
Over the last few years, the AgChoices conference has attracted a high calibre of speakers, and the 2008 edition was no exception.
In his presentation Farming is Changing, Farm Management Should Too, Dr. Dave Sparling of the University of Guelph outlined his view that things have changed for Canadian agriculture. “We’re no longer the low-cost producer. The impact of agriculture is shrinking and we have fewer farms and workers and a smaller percentage of the economy,” says Sparling. “Farmers are still one of the most trusted groups in Canada, however. And on the international stage, Canada has a natural image. Farming is valued for more than just food, but the best opportunities are still in food.”
In Sparling’s view, farmers must do more than supply raw materials. They must invest in research, commit dedicated production to specific or higher-value markets, move along the value chain and develop products with a unique Alberta or Canadian difference.
David Anderson of Newly Weds Foods presented Marketing Your Farm Products – What You Need to Know. He highlighted some of the ins and outs of food marketing strategies and opportunities identified by Newly Weds Foods.
Leadership authority Jim Reger delivered two presentations with distinct yet complementary themes. In Creating a Shared Vision – Successful Succession Planning, he explored how to unite people around a shared vision for the future and how to make it happen. Reger’s second presentation, The Authentic Leader - It's About PRESENCE, Not Position, conveyed his belief that genuine leadership is based on accountability and relationship building.
AgChoices also welcomed Deputy Minister Rory Campbell who spoke on behalf of the Honourable George Groeneveld, Minister of Agriculture and Food. The Deputy Minister spoke on Alberta Agriculture’s Vision and Where We Need to Grow, outlining the government’s strategy to build a strong and sustainable agriculture industry within a globally competitive, agriculture and food industry.
Ag Info Market: ready, set, learn!
A unique feature of the AgChoices conference was the Ag Info Market. Attendees had their choice of 26 experts, presenting specific information to small groups in rotating 20-minute sessions. Several of these topics – branded beef (see page 7), farm direct marketing (page 6), shochu barley (page 4), carbon credits (page 3) and negotiating surface lease agreements (page 5) -- are the subject of stories in this edition of Renewal Now.
Other popular Ag Info Market sessions included:
• How to increase your competitiveness through unique business structures;
• How to improve the prospects of a new farm business venture;
• Current initiatives around livestock traceability and beef age verification;
• Using CropChoice$ farm decision software to reach your business targets while managing risk;
• New opportunities growing pulses, fenugreek, flax, triticale, Rhodiola rosea and organic products in Alberta.
According to McCormick, the enthusiasm felt by AgChoices speakers and Ag Info Market presenters was infectious. Farmers and ranchers who attended the event went home with fresh perspectives and new ideas.
“The focus of Renewal is to bring farmers and ranchers resources they can use to build a more profitable, sustainable business,” says McCormick. “We hope the ideas presented at this year’s AgChoices conference will inspire producers throughout 2008.”
For more information on AgChoices presentations, visit: www.agriculture.alberta.ca/agchoices. |
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