AME SPEAKER SERIES

Given we have made the necessary decision to postpone the start date of the next CTEAM program until December 2021, we are offering a series of speakers to highlight CTEAM content and introduce people to the CTEAM program.

Key CTEAM Program themes we are highlighting:

Heather Broughton - Speaker Series Moderator

Larry Martin - March 8, 2021 11:00am EST

What to Expect for the Recovery of the Canadian Economy

The impacts of COVID-19 have been widely varied – some people have actually benefitted while some have been devastated. The overall economy has seen reduced growth at best, and may still see continued decline before the pandemic is over. Many things have changed and will continue to change going forward, from climate to a very different political (but no less unfriendly) regime in our major trading partner, to very substantial growth in international agricultural trade.  

In this presentation, Larry will lead a tour of the devastation that COVID left in its path and examine some changes we may see over the next couple of years. Where will growth occur and where will it be curtailed? What might we see happen to currency values and interest rates? Will commodity prices stabilize or continue their volatility?

He will also consider the implications for management and leadership, both of individual businesses and the leadership needed in the agri-food sector going forward. What role(s) will top managers be expected to play? How can you prepare?

Nicole Davis - March 15, 2021 - 11:00am EST

HR For Farm Leaders:  How Solid HR Practices Can Improve Farm Leadership and Operations Management

This seminar is designed to help farm leaders better their role as the Human Resources manager and to understand the different functions of HR management on your Farm. Nicole provides valuable insight into understanding the Canadian Legal Framework that governs farm operations, as well as providing practical and applicable Human Resources practices tailored to farm operations.  During our session, we will discuss why solid HR practices and farm leadership is critically important to successful farm operations. 

Finally, in light of the business impact and challenges of the current pandemic, we will put a special emphasis on how human resources practices can help you manage through this and any adversity.  We will discuss specifically how HR can impact farms managing through the current COVID 19 pandemic.

Travis Jansen - March 22, 2021 - 7:15pm EST

Making Machinery Decisions: A guide to evaluating machinery options on your farm

This seminar is designed to introduce farm managers to the tools they need to make good investment decisions for their business. While the concepts are applicable to all investments, this seminar will focus on some of the common machinery decisions that farmers make. Replace or repair? Lease or buy? These are just some of the scenarios we will review as we walk through the steps involved in properly evaluating machinery investments and see how this process can help improve management decisions on your farm.

Merle Good & Annessa Good - March 29, 2021 - 11:00am EST

The 10 commandments of Transitioning the Family Farm Business

CTEAM instructors, this father-daughter duo will be highlighting each generation’s perspectives with Merle and Annessa illustrating the opportunities and obstacles of inter-generational farms, while providing practical and unique solutions to discuss with your technical advisors.

Succession is the progression of creating, managing and owning a viable operating business. Estate Planning is not WILL planning. It is the progression of secured access to capital assets such as land, quota, buildings etc and not just through a WILL. Transition is the over-arching process and focuses on being pro-active, rather than reactive when addressing these very interdependent areas.

 Understanding that ownership can be separated from operations, retirement is based on redemption of equity, and fairness for off-farm siblings requires the appreciation that Agriculture is an Equity Game not an Income Game! That is our Goal for participants in this C-team sponsored event!

Program Instructors

AME instructors are internationally renowned experts in agricultural management, and are drawn from both industry and academia. This approach ensures a sound theoretical basis for the program, combined with “hands on” practical experience in the application of ideas.

	Heather Broughton, Principal Agri-Food Management Excellence - Heather and her husband operate a 3rd generation family grain farm in central Alberta. Operating as business manager, she has a strong interest in farm business management and leadership skills, which led her to complete CTEAM as well as the TEPAP program through Texas A & M. She served as Chair for the Agriculture and Food Council of Alberta for four years.
	Larry Martin, Principal & Lead Instructor Agri-Food Management Excellence - Larry is a mentor, author and management practitioner with 40 years’ experience in the agriculture and food sector. His work has garnered him many prestigious awards.
	Nicole Davis - Human Resources Business Partner, Vencomatic North America - Nicole Davis’ career spans 25+ years aligning business goals with HR best practices resulting in high performance workplaces. Dedicated to strategic importance of solid HR practices, employee and leadership development with expertise in compensation, conflict management, communication and coaching. Since 2010, Nicole has been certified coach through Lee Hecht Harrison and has bother her Royal Roads Executive Coaching and International Federation Coaching Certification. Nicole runs Nicole Davis Consulting, providing Human Resources expertise in areas of leadership and employee development, communication and conflict resolution, and managing family dynamics in the workplace. Nicole has spent the majority of her career working in the agriculture industry, and has experience working with and for family owned and operated private businesses.
	Travis Jansen - Travis grew up on a hog and cash crop farm in southwestern Ontario. After high school, he completed a Bachelor of Knowledge Integration at the University of Waterloo with a Minor in Economics and Management Studies. During this program, Travis tailored his courses to focus on agriculture and after graduating, he continued his studies through a graduate degree in Food, Agriculture and Resource Economics at the University of Guelph. Throughout this degree, Travis continuously worked to develop his farm management knowledge. In addition to his thesis, Travis worked as a research assistant for an international project on young farmers, was selected for Farm Management Canada’s Young Successor Program, participated in Ontario Pork’s Young Leader Program and worked as a contract consultant. Travis now continues his work as consultant and also enjoys helping his parents with improving their farm management and looking after the flock of sheep that he owns with his brother.
	Merle Good - GRS Consulting - Merle Good graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.S.C. degree in Agriculture Economics. Prior to his private sector endeavor, Merle worked for over 30 years as the Alberta Provincial Farm Tax Specialist. Merle continues to work with top accountants and lawyers throughout Canada and on a yearly basis speaks at over 25 public seminars and works with over two hundred farm clients per year. This expertise, combined with years of client consultations, plus his practical experience of owning and operating a multi-generational farm; has created a unique combination of skills and insights to enable clients to meet their business and personal goals. Merle, and his wife Peggy have created GRS Consulting and their company motto is “Succeeding in Succession.”. Merle and his family continue to reside on the family farm near Cremona Alberta
	Annessa Good - Agriculture Transition Specialist -  Annessa specializes in transition conversations, focusing on sharing unique business structures, family dynamics, estate planning processes and innovative tools that can make this difficult process easier. Since moving back to her family’s farm, she applies her personal experience with succession planning to her consulting . Her motto for clients, “Succession is the transfer of a business, while estate planning is the transfer of assets. Transition is a combination of both and is proactive rather than reactive.” Prior to joining FCC, Annessa worked at GRS Consulting Ltd., her family’s succession planning consulting company. She attended Mount Royal University and received a business degree, with honours, specializing in supply chain management.