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 | What's the Big Idea?
Farmers and ranchers who attended this annual conference on February 11 in Red Deer found plenty of business-building ideas to take home with them. |
Sometimes, all it takes to kick-start a new business idea is the informed perspective of those who’ve been there and done that. The 200 producers and industry people who attended the AgChoices 2009 conference found many ideas to choose from and much inspiration to take in.
Organized by Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development and funded by the Agricultural Policy Framework, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative, AgChoices 2009 was held on Wednesday, February 11 at the Capri Centre in Red Deer. According to conference organizer Wendy McCormick, the idea was to pack as much relevant information as possible into the single-day format.
“While many Alberta farmers and ranchers are looking for ideas on where to take their businesses, no two operations are alike,” said McCormick. “For this reason, we wanted to present a wide range of ideas and perspectives.”
Morning speakers outlined opportunities and pitfalls
With CKGY radio’s agriculture editor Dianne Finstad serving as the day’s emcee, AgChoices 2009 kicked off with a stirring presentation by long-time agribusiness executive John Oliver. |
John Oliver talks about how several global factors will challenge society and create opportunity for the agriculture industry. | In his presentation titled The Gathering “Perfect Storm” - Consequences for Alberta Agriculture, Oliver made the case that several factors are converging that will challenge
society at large, while potentially creating opportunity for the agriculture industry. These challenges relate to energy security, health care, climate change and water scarcity.
In Oliver’s analysis, the challenges posed by these converging elements have the potential to cause significant disruption but his underlying message was hopeful.
“We must double food production in the next 20 years, and do it on 80% of the farmland we have today,” says Oliver. “Today, no industry other than agriculture has the potential to mitigate the challenges we will face.” |
| Given Alberta’s large agricultural production and relatively small population, it’s a given that we need to export to succeed. The morning’s second speaker, veteran international agri-marketing executive Art Froehlich, brought a practical perspective to the issue of market development. |
In his presentation, Global Markets: Meeting the Needs, Froehlich shared personal stories of selling Canadian food products into Asia – the home runs, as well as the strikeouts – and lessons learned along the way. Perhaps the greatest lesson is to be clear on what you’re selling and why a customer would want to buy it.
“What is your competitive advantage?” asked Froehlich. “What can you do that the big guys can’t? In the end, a lot comes down to marketing: what’s your plan and how well can you execute it?” | 
Art Froehlich says it is important ot be clear about
your product and why a customer wants to buy it.
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Export market development was also top of mind with the day’s keynote speaker, the Honourable George Groeneveld, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development. The Minister discussed how, on a recent trade mission to Asia, government officials and market players in several countries endorsed the main elements of the Alberta Livestock and Meat Strategy.
“These trading partners made it very clear,” said the Minister, “that food safety means traceability and age verification.
”The Minister also introduced the three winners of the 2009 Best Practices Award.
Afternoon: From four leaders, a producer perspective
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Grant Hirsche tells how the challenges of BSE lead him to open his own retail store to sell his own farm-raised meat. | 7For many who attended AgChoices 2009, a highlight was the afternoon round-table session involving four of the province’s most successful, innovative and thought-provoking producers. In a session called Taking big ideas to the next step, these producers shared how they overcame obstacles on the path to renewal for their farm operations. The four producers were:
Rod Bradshaw of Beck Farms of Innisfail, who along with his family, built a vertically integrated vegetable and grain farm.
Grant Hirsche of Hirsche Herefords & Angus and Hirsche Fraser Meats in High River, who creatively navigated the challenges of BSE and producer-owned retailing. |
Doug Livingstone of Val Terra Herefords and Red Feather Ridge Conference Center in Vermilion, who built an innovative ag tourism and event facility.
Leo Meyer of Leo Meyer Grain Production Ltd. in Manning, who established a successful integrated crop management system and logistics and marketing organization.
Ag Info Market: Great ideas, and step on it!
AgChoices wouldn’t be complete without the Ag Info Market. For 90 minutes mid-afternoon, conference participants took in their choice of five information sessions from a rotating selection of 15 presentations. Producers gained concise information on a range of important topics from tax issues to carbon credits to unique opportunities with new crops.
How does that work on my farm?
To close out a very full day at AgChoices, Terry Betker of Meyers Norris Penny outlined how producers can assess and improve their readiness to take on new ventures in 2009 and beyond. In his presentation, titled So What? Now What?, he shared tools and techniques producers can use to make profitable decisions.
“It used to be, if you were an above-average producer, everything else seemed to take care of itself,” says Betker. “Today, it’s more important than ever to consider the relationship between risk and return and how you can manage it.”
As conference organizer, Wendy McCormick was pleased by the excellent producer attendance at AgChoices 2009 and by the high-impact messages of the speakers. The conference set a high standard that organizers will try to surpass in 2010.
Says McCormick: “Our thanks go to everyone who helped make AgChoices 2009 such an important event for so many forward-looking Alberta farmers and ranchers.” |
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