Farm Business Advisory Service Part of Renewal Toolkit

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The provincial and federal governments are making available a range of tools to Saskatchewan agricultural producers through the Renewal Chapter of the Agricultural Policy Framework (ADF). Perhaps one of the most useful of these is the Canadian Farm Business Advisory Service (CFBAS).

“The CFBAS is available to eligible farmers and consists of an independent third party assessment of the current production, marketing and financial areas of your farm," says Gerry Holland, a Business Planning Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF). "A consultant you will select from a list of qualified people we provide will come out to your farm and help you draw a clear picture of your situation."

The Renewal programs aim to help farmers improve the profitability of their operation. Producers are encouraged to contact any of the consultants to determine their availability and expertise in a specific area of interest.

The consultants will work with their clients to review the options available to them. They may help producers identify options that were previously unexplored, which is likely one of the reasons why a fair number of Saskatchewan producers have been taking advantage of this service, according to Holland.

“We were very busy last winter and spring. Things slowed down during the summer, but we are starting to get busy again, now that the harvest is done and people are planning ahead for next season," he says.

“One of the big advantages of this program is that the work is confidential. Of the programs we offer through Renewal, this is the one that people participate in first before they move on to a more specialized business planning process.”

The consultants work with the farm families for a total of five days, for a total cost of $100.00.

Participants can decide to take three days for the assessment of their situation. They can stop there if they wish or they can carry out the three-day assessment, and then take two days to conduct a forward planning exercise.

All consultants have gone through the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada approval process to ensure they have the right qualifications. Some of them are accountants, some are financial advisors and some are agricultural producers themselves. All are private consultants.

The SAF business planning specialist in the area will typically discuss with each farm family what their needs are to help them select the best consultant for their situation. There are 84 people registered in the program as of this fall.

The CFBAS also includes a follow-up component in which the consultant will come out for one day, six to 12 months after the assessment, to update the financial information and to assess how the farm family did with its management plan.

To find out more about the Renewal programs, visit: www.agr.gc.ca/renewal.

For more information, contact:

Gerry Holland
Business Planning Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-4051

Crop Production Week is An Opportunity for a Fresh Start

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

The next edition of Crop Production Week, January 9 to 14 in Saskatoon, will provide many excellent opportunities for growers and industry players to learn what’s new in crops for 2006.

“It is a great chance to get a head start on next year,” says Ray McVicar, Special Crops Provincial Specialist at Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF). “Crop Production Week and the Western Canadian Crop Production Show are big events for grain producers because, for many, they will set the wheels in motion for the new crop year. What they experience during that time will influence their seeding plans for the coming production cycle.”

Central to this are all the annual general meetings of production associations like the Saskatchewan Flax Development Commission; the Saskatchewan Pulse Growers’ Association, whose Pulse Days drew over 1,000 participants last year; the Saskatchewan Seed Growers Association; the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission; Canola Days; and the Canaryseed Association of Canada.

The event also attracts the Saskatchewan Herb and Spice Association, the Canadian Wheat Board, the Saskatchewan Ag Grads Association, and the Saskatchewan Fruit Growers Association, a newcomer this year. All these organizations hold meetings in Saskatoon during Crop Production Week.

What is remarkable about Crop Production Week, according to SAF’s Crop Development Specialist Brian Sim, is the fact that the Production Week and Show—taking place simultaneously at the Saskatoon Inn, Heritage Inn and Prairieland Park—are solely dedicated to grain production.

“Crop Production Week and Show are geared toward producers who can access in one spot all the latest news and developments in crops and technology that is available and useable on the farm now. The quality and depth of knowledge there is absolutely fantastic,” says Sim.

The highlight of this year’s Crop Production Week will be the Wednesday night Special Session titled “What’s the Future of the Prairie Grain Industry?” with Terry Hildebrandt, Ken Rosaasen, Trenton Baisley, and Dennis Wiebe.

Lyle Simonson is President of Crop Production Saskatchewan Inc. “We invite everyone in the industry to join us for what will likely be a turning point discussion, after one of the worst years in a long time for many producers, with representatives from a range of fields in the business. Together, we will explore what the future holds for all of us.”

To find out more, visit: www.cropweek.com, or contact Kevin Hursh at kevin@hursh.ca.

For more information, contact:

Ray McVicar
Provincial Specialist, Special Crops
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-4665

Brian Sim
Crop Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 933-5344

Lyle Simonson
President
Crop Production Saskatchewan Inc.
(306) 553-2307