After earning a bachelor’s degree in Agronomy from Laval University, Genevieve began her career in agriculture in Western Canada by implementing integrated pest management strategies in berry and potato crops. Upon her return to Quebec in 2010, she first worked in organic certification for Ecocert Canada and then moved on to the Quebec Agriculture and Agri-Food Reference Center (CRAAQ) where she coordinated the activities of Economic References committee and several other animal production committees. From 2013 to Spring 2022, Geneviève was responsible for managing the Economics and Management Department of the Quebec Pork Development Center (CDPQ) where she oversaw the edition of a weekly publication on the pork market and several other projects related to pig production. Since spring 2022, she has joined the Center of Expertise in Agricultural Management (CEGA) and the Aleop team of advisors. Within these organizations, she participates in innovative projects in terms of financial management tools and supports the deployment of Aleop across Canada.

The Honourable Rob Black has worked in the rural, agricultural, and leadership arenas for much of his working career. He has been involved in 4-H for almost 50 years and other leadership programs along the way, such as Junior Farmers and the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP). He credits his involvement in these programs with allowing him to develop the skills that would lead him to apply to be a senator.

On February 27, 2018, Rob was sworn in as a senator representing the province of Ontario. He is the Chair of the Standing Committees on Agriculture and Forestry, and has been the Chair of the Canadian Senators Group (CSG) since its inception.

In 2012, Rob was honoured with the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and in 2021, was recognized as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in Agriculture by Canadian Western Agribition.

Rob and his wife Julie live north of Fergus, ON and have four grown children and three grandsons.

Photo Credit: © Senate of Canada

Jordan Bowles, CPA, CGA, is a Business Advisor and Partner with MNP in Stratford. A member of the firm’s Assurance and Accounting group, Jordan works with owner-managed businesses in various industries, including agriculture and agri-business, manufacturing and construction, delivering advice and solutions customized to their unique needs.

Jordan draws on a wealth of experience to help clients keep their businesses current, competitive and profitable. He also applies his extensive knowledge of all government farm support and income stabilization programs to help agriculture clients. In addition to delivering accounting and tax services, Jordan assists with succession and estate planning, helping his clients take care of the future as well as of today.

In 2007, Jordan obtained his Bachelor of Applied Business Administration (Accounting and Information Technology) degree and became a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), qualifying as a Certified General Accountant (CGA). He has completed CPA Canada’s In-depth Tax Course.

Ed started with Cargill as a grain buyer in Balcarres, SK, and became a grain marketing advisor in 2017, then moved into the Cargill MarketSense Lead Market Analyst chair in 2022. He currently lives with his partner Lisa and family, in Battleford SK. He was raised in rural Ontario and learned the value of hard work at a young age in the dairy barn and tobacco fields. Ed moved to Western Canada in 2005 and spent 10 years working in the energy industry. During that time he earned a degree in Economics and Business Management from the University of Calgary. Ed has written research papers on optimizing economic regulation and forecasting commodity prices based on inventory levels.

Ed will be presenting and will also be a Coach on Call throughout the 2023 Agricultural Excellence Conference.

Catherine Burns is a government and stakeholder relations professional at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). She joined the Canadian Federation of Agriculture in 2020 and has held various roles within the organization, from conducting policy research to organizing impactful events and conferences. Catherine holds degrees in Sociology (Trent University), and Communications (Carleton University). Today, her role allows her to exercise her passion, which is engaging with people. She’s an advocate for farmers and producers on domestic and international policy issues. A policy issue of particular interest is Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion, where she is the project manager of the CFA’s Engaging and Advancing Women in Agriculture Project.

John’s public policy experience is informed by degrees in Economics from the University of Ottawa (BA) and University of Guelph (MA) and work experience with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Statistics Canada, Agriculture division. Earlier in his career at OMAFRA, John worked on loan guarantee programs and policy instruments such as Farm Business Registration and Farm Property Tax.

For the last ten years, he has been the Senior Policy Advisor responsible for Federal/Provincial/Territorial Business Risk Management negotiations and programming as well as provincial Risk Management Programming Ministry operations. John has been the FPT co-chair of the Business Risk Management working group and represents the Ministry at the Ontario Agricultural Commodity Council meetings, centered around BRM programing and issues.

John and his family live outside of Fergus, Ontario with a small number of farm pets.

Executive Director at the Fédération des Agricultrices du Québec (Quebec Federation of Farm Women), France De Montigny, has overseen the organization for over a decade. Created in 1987, the Fédération des Agricultrices du Québec is a union representing all women farmers. During this time, she has created and implemented various programs to support women farmers in their entrepreneurial endeavors and facilitate access of their decision-making across different agricultural organizations.

With a bachelor’s degree in biology and a specialization in ecology, Mrs. De Montigny, has used her knowledge and skills to develop various social economy initiatives in the food security sector in the city of Montreal. She has also worked in areas to create environmental awareness and combat climate change.

Kelly Dobson is President of LeaderShift Inc. and is Head Coach of the National Farm Leadership Program.

Kelly has been formally coaching in the ag space since 2017. Initially working with farm families – primarily dads, sons & siblings, which expanded to include cohort based coaching through the National Farm Leadership Program (NFLP). The success of the NFLP branched Kelly’s client base to include agribusiness managers of both private and multinational firms.

Kelly’s primary interest is in equipping and supporting people to adapt to their changing environment, roles, responsibilities, and relationships. Over time, their work becomes a catalyst for personal innovation and growth that underpins their professional success.

Kelly is also the current leader of a fourth-generation farm at Fairfax, Manitoba. Kelly has served agriculture for over a decade, chairing groups provincially and federally. Kelly is a Certified Executive Coach and holds MA in Leadership from Royal Roads University.

Kelly will be presenting and will also be a Coach on Call throughout the 2023 Agricultural Excellence Conference.

Froese Family Farms near Boissevain in Southwestern Manitoba is her home base, where she farms with her husband, son, and daughter-in-law. At 66, her succession plan is building a team of 7 coaches to replicate her work.

Elaine understands the culture of agriculture and is gifted at helping folks see great outcomes and workable paths for their family farms.
Froese has coached over 1000 families helping decrease their anxiety over the uncertainty of their future. She has authored 5 books, and written a column for 28 years in Grainews, and is seen in Progressive Dairy and Spud Smart magazine. She is also a Wilson Loree Excellence in Farm Management award winner. Her mission is to help families find harmony through understanding.

Elaine will be presenting and will also be a Coach on Call throughout the 2023 Agricultural Excellence Conference.

Andrea M. Gal is a farm manager in Oxford County, Ont. She also works as a consultant at Wilton Consulting Group (WCG).

Andrea and her family operate Morning Glory Stream Farming. They run a cash crop operation, as well as seed and fertilizer dealerships. They also have a small cow-calf herd. The Gals work closely as a team to run the family business. The Gals also operate a research farm focused on environmentally responsible crop nutrition programs that provide a strong return on investment.

At WCG, Andrea supports innovation and sustainability in the Canadian agri-food industry and rural communities. The WCG team collaborates with people and organizations throughout the agri-food value chain.

Since 2021, Andrea has served as the Chair of Farm Management Canada. Previously, she held the position of Secretary-Treasurer.

Prior to her election to Farm Management Canada’s Board of Directors, Andrea served on the Board of Directors of the Agri-food Management Institute (AMI). This organization created and delivered programs and resources to help Ontario producers and processors strengthen their business management skills.

Since 2019, Andrea has served on the Policy Advisory Council of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. For four years, Andrea volunteered with the Ag Women’s Network as the Facebook moderator and then the content manager.

Andrea completed her Ph.D. with a focus on rural Ontario history at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2016.

Andrea is passionate about the adoption of best practices for farm management and is eager to continue to advance work in this field.

Founder of RealAgriculture, Shaun Haney manages one of the leading industry ag media companies for Canadian farmers and ranchers. RealAgriculture provides the latest in ag-policy, agronomics, current events and farm management. Shaun is also the host of RealAg Radio which is broadcast across North America on Rural Radio Channel 147 on SiriusXM daily at 4:30 PM Eastern.

Shaun also makes regular appearances on RFD-TV, Agritalk and US Farm Report.

Sangeeta Lalli has extensive policy, government, and communications experience in the agriculture and agri-food industries across the public and private sectors. From advising the Prime Minister of Canada and Cabinet Ministers, to shaping a $3 billion partnership supporting Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector, Sangeeta brings unique experiences to policy development.

Sangeeta is currently a Public Policy Director at TELUS Agriculture & Consumer Goods where she works with industry, government, and academia to accelerate agriculture technology adoption supporting sustainability, food safety, and supply chain outcomes for Canadians.

She previously worked as a Regional Advisor to the Prime Minister of Canada and as a Policy and Communications Advisor to the federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food where she contributed to the development of the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations, the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, and Canada’s negotiations in CUSMA.

Sangeeta’s professional experience spans from farm to retail, and now focuses her efforts on innovation and technologies. She was selected as one of Vancouver’s 50 most influential people in 2020 by Vancouver Magazine, and is a recognized leader in public affairs and politics.

Wilson Loree who retired as Branch Head of Agriculture Business Management after 27 years with Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development. A past director and one of the founders of the Canadian Farm Business Management Council (now Farm Management Canada), he has been cited as “an individual who exemplifies innovation, wisdom, and a constant focus on the farm manager and the farm family.”

Darlene McBain is Director, Industry Relations at FCC. She works closely with various partners, associations and stakeholders to further help grow the agriculture and food industry across Canada.

Born and raised on a poultry farm outside of Quebec City, Darlene has first-hand knowledge of the hard work and dedication that goes into a successful farm operation. She has been working in the agriculture and agri-food industry for more than 20 years and is passionate about food, business strategy, relationship building, and coaching.

After graduating from Laval University with a Bachelor of science in agriculture, she started her career in the banking industry as an account manager. She worked in different geographical areas in the province and built relationships with customers from various agricultural sectors across the province of Quebec.
In 2007, Darlene joined FCC as a manager of customer service. She was responsible of the sales support team and contributed to the strategy, building strong customer relationships and helping farmers and business owners grow their operations in Eastern Quebec.

Darlene has been a member of “l’Ordre des agronomes du Québec” for 20 years. In addition to her professional roles, Darlene has also participated and volunteered in several community organizations and education boards

Since founding the Leadership Difference in 1995, over 450,000 people have attended Dave Mitchell’s “enter-TRAIN-ment” seminars on topics that include leadership, customer service, selling skills, and personal performance enhancement. His clients include Allstate Insurance, Bank of America, Universal Studios, Hilton Worldwide, Sub-Zero Wolf Appliances, Electrolux Appliances, Trek Bikes, Walt Disney World and the CIA.

Prior to starting his own organization development consulting firm, the Leadership Difference, Dave was the Vice President of Human Resources and Quality for Buena Vista Hospitality Group, Corporate Director of Training and Development for Marshall Field’s and a television reporter and producer for CBS News. He has a B.A. in Mass-Communications with an emphasis in Business Administration and a Masters Degree in Global Human Resources Development. Dave has served as adjunct professor at the University of Illinois and has been designated as a Certified Advanced Wine Sommelier (som-uh-yay) by the International Wine Guild. Having failed to achieve his dream of playing professional baseball, he went on to a successful coaching career at the tee ball level.

In 2015, Meetings and Conventions Magazine named Dave one of the “Top Speakers of the Year.” Meetings Professionals International named Dave the Meeting Madness “Best Speaker of the Year” at the 2013 World Education Congress in Las Vegas. Eagles Talent Speakers Bureau named Dave one of the top 10 best business speakers.

Dave is the author of the book Live and Learn or Die Stupid! The book focuses on personal contentment and performance excellence. It was released in July of 2006 and was at the top of his publishers’ best seller’s list in the very first month of its release. In December 2013, The Power of Understanding People hit book shelves. Amazon selected it as Editor’s Choice for best business book. His next book, The Power of Understanding Yourself was released in January 2019 and was named “Top Read” by Training Magazine and Editor’s Pick by getabstract.com. Dave’s fourth book, Peak Performance Culture: The Five Metrics of Organizational Excellence, was released in September 2020 to critical acclaim.

Dave lives in the wine country of Washington with his wife of 35 years, Lori. He has two adult children: Brooklyn and Slade. Among the Mitchell critters are three horses and Mingus the Menace – a large, smart, scary dog who is secretly a cuddler.

Audrée grew up on a broiler operation in Québec. After earning a degree in Agriculture Business at the University of Guelph, she worked for Farm Credit Canada (FCC) as a lender throughout Ontario. Today she is an FCC Business Advisor, helping farm families with their pathway to transition. In addition, for the last 4 years, she has served as a delegate for the Egg Farmers of Ontario. Audrée and her husband own and operate a layer and dairy operation in Norwich, Ontario.

Audrée will be a Coach on Call throughout #AgEx2023.

Eric Olson, BSAg, PAg, is a Farm Management Consultant working out of MNP’s Winnipeg office. Working closely with his clients, Eric helps owners of small and large farm operations make effective business decisions so they can increase the profitability of their farms and enhance their competitive edge.

With more than 28 years working in the agricultural industry, Eric has an unparalleled understanding of local and international market conditions, which he uses to help producers strategically develop their operations. His services include assisting with strategic planning — helping clients identify and take action toward long-term goals — as well as engaging in business planning to set goals for the next 1-3 years.

Eric uses his extensive client base and in-depth industry knowledge to review clients’ operations and compare them to industry benchmarks. These valuable reviews provide producers with the information they need to grow their operations effectively and efficiently. In 1989, Eric earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba. That same year he was designated a Professional Agrologist.

Dr. Lysa Porth is a Professor of Finance at the University of Guelph's Lang School of Business and Economics and an Adjunct Actuarial Science Professor at the University of Waterloo and the University of Manitoba. Previously, she served as Dean at Lang School (2020-2022) and held leadership positions at the University of Manitoba, including Research Chair and Director of the Warren Centre for Actuarial Studies.

Internationally recognized, Dr. Porth specializes in actuarial science with a primary focus on agricultural insurance risk management and predictive analytics. Her research aims to strengthen public-private partnerships in the agricultural insurance sector. She has collaborated extensively with Canadian governmental bodies, from provincial crop insurance organizations to federal departments, in addition to working with international governments an industry. Dr. Porth serves on the board of EMILI (Enterprise Machine Intelligence & Learning Initiative), recently served on the Society of Actuary's Climate Risk Committee, and was co-organizer of the Fields-CFI Workshop on Impacts of Climate Change on Economics, Finance, and Insurance.

Dean grows canola, wheat, barley, lentils, and flax on his grain farm in west central Saskatchewan, near Kindersley. He also operates a service company that provides land maintenance to the region’s oil companies.

Dean holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and is an active member of local community where he and his family live. Dean sits on several local, regional and national councils and boards including the Rural Municipality, Synergy Credit Union, SaskCanola, and Canadian Canola Growers Association.

Will is a member of MNP’s Farm Management Consulting Team in Stratford. Will serves primary producers and farm businesses with a focus on helping them bring their operation to the next level of success.

Will brings a deep understanding of agriculture to his role, with a background as a farmer, a commodity marketing agent, and a research and extension lead for agricultural development in Haiti.

Will earned a Bachelor of Commerce in agricultural business and agricultural business operations (BComAg) from the University of Guelph in 2014. He sits as a project board member for SHARE, an agricultural non-profit in Ontario

" Viktoria Schuler is a driven HR Professional offering 15+ years of experience in recruitment, global mobility, and immigration. She brings strong expertise in full-cycle recruitment, project management, and HR administration.

Before joining the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC), Viktoria supported agricultural producers in Western Canada with the foreign and local recruitment process by assisting with strategic workforce planning, developing job descriptions, personal worker profiles and job profiles, determining immigration pathways, facilitating interviews, advising on settlement support, retention strategies, and providing on-going assistance throughout the entire process.

With her experience and connections with the producers, Viktoria has a strong understanding of labour market trends, challenges and opportunities within Canada’s agricultural industry."

Born in South Africa, Derryn completed his undergraduate degree in mathematics and did his honours in Australia and finally finished his studies with a Master of Science in mathematics from The London School of Economics.

Derryn worked in Tokyo for 5 years and on Wall Street for 5 years structuring and trading credit derivatives before shifting his attention to personal wealth creation.

The last 16 years has been dedicated to building financial freedom. Derryn lives with his wonderful wife and three boys on a farm in the middle of a forest in southwestern Ontario.

Derryn will be a Coach on Call throughout the 2023 Agricultural Excellence Conference.

For more information about 33seven, check out their video below.

Michael’s interests in agriculture and economics make a perfect pairing in his role as BRM Manager at CCGA. Michael grew up on a grain farm in southern Alberta and spent time farming before pursuing a degree in Agricultural Economics at the University of Lethbridge.

Michael worked as an agricultural economist for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada focusing on BRM program development. After 13 years with AAFC, he joined Alberta’s Agricultural Financial Services Corporation where he participated in various multi-level working groups that focused on the design and delivery of BRM programming.

Michael and his wife live in Edmonton, close to their three adult children.

Heather Watson is the Executive Director of Farm Management Canada (FMC). Heather obtained her Bachelor’s from the University of Guelph, and went on to obtain her Master’s degree from the University of Warwick in Coventry, England.

Heather’s passionate about education and committed to enhancing efforts to encourage better business management practices for a sustainable and truly remarkable agriculture industry in Canada. Before joining Farm Management Canada, Heather was a project coordinator within the Business Development Centre of the University of Guelph Kemptville Campus.

Heather grew up in South-western Ontario and now lives in Ottawa, Ontario.

Heather Watson will welcome delegates to the 2023 Agricultural Excellence Conference Ontario for a truly remarkable learning experience working towards innovative, collaborative solutions to collectively raise the bar when it comes to farm business excellence. At Farm Management Canada, we know farm managers must be able to access the information, resources and tools to continue to enhance their business acumen to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity. Heather will encourage you whether you’re just starting out or well on your way on your lifelong learning journey.

The highest performing organizations separate themselves from others with five critical strategies. The metrics of Peak Performance combine to create fiscal success, operational efficiency and stakeholder satisfaction-for both customer and employee loyalty. Dave’s keynote will provide a high-level road map for implementing the five peak performance metrics and provide the cornerstone of a strategic plan for performance excellence. Dave has used these concepts with organizations worldwide to drive better results. Get ready to create a strategy that maximizes your farm business’ future success!

The National Farm Business Management Resource Showcase provides an opportunity for cross-country speed-learning! Tables are hosted by industry groups including non-profits, private companies, government and academia, with delegates rotating every 15 minutes. Delegates will learn about the farm business management programs, resources and tools available from across Canada.

Host Shaun Haney will record a LIVE! edition of RealAgRadio right in front of the AgEx audience! Stay tuned for more details.

Click on the icon below to listen to last year’s edition, Building a high-performing farm team.

#RealAgRadio

How powerful would it be for you to uncover your positive conflict behaviours, the destructive ones to let go of, and recognize your hot button triggers?

Certified coach Elaine Froese will outline 5 key positive behaviours: creating solutions, expressing emotions, reaching out, adapting, and taking perspective so you can get better at conflict resolution as a business risk management skill.

Many folks are struggling with managing transition conflict and unrealistic expectations of roles. This session gives language for navigating in-law factor expectations, succession tension and understanding the questions needed to get clarity for better conflict resolution. Come prepared to unpack the issues you need to address.

As a follow up to this session, participants will have access to the Conflict Dynamic Profile, an online tool to give clear awareness to farmers, ranchers, and risk-takers who want to understand key questions to get better at resolving conflict.

Women have been contributing to the success of farming in Canada since time immemorial, however their contributions have historically been unrecognized, uncounted and undervalued. In this panel discussion, we will discuss ground-breaking new research that reveals women are influencing and positioned to influence farming in Canada in ways that go far beyond current measurements including key factors that are shaping the experience of farm women and their ability to succeed. We will also discuss exciting new programs that have been designed to support the unique needs of farm women.

Join us as for a semi-formal evening as we honour an individual or group with the 2023 Wilson Loree Award. This prestigious award was established over fifteen years ago, to honour those that have made an extraordinary contribution to developing and promoting new and positive change in agricultural business management practices and expertise in Canada.

After the award presentation, we will enjoy a casual evening of food stations and networking. This is a great opportunity to meet new people and catch up with old acquaintances. There will also be a photographer on site to capture photos and take complimentary portrait photos to update your headshots!

Click on the icon below for more information on the Award.

To be in Canadian Agriculture, you need a healthy combination of guts -and heart. MNP's National Leader of Farm Management Consulting, Eric Olson, will share his insights and experience on how you can convert risk into a competitive edge while relishing the journey of farm management. He'll explain the critical role of insurance, strategic planning, and continuous learning in mitigating risk. You’ll discover how to spot and take advantage of opportunities in both market and industry spheres.

Tailored for farmers and agricultural leaders keen to bolster their management skills, Eric will share ways that you can take challenges in stride and cultivate sustainable growth for your operation.

Explore the pivotal role that digitization plays in advancing climate goals within the agricultural sector. This session will unravel the transformative potential that a technologically-connected agricultural landscape holds. Gain a deeper understanding of how embracing connectivity and implementing effective digital policies can serve as powerful catalysts for achieving sustainable agriculture and climate objectives. Join us in this forward-looking discussion to chart a path towards a greener, more connected agricultural future.

Why is it so hard for people show up the way they know they need to, when they most need to, on the issues that are critical to their success?

Everyone has heard the advice, “Don’t work in your business, work on your business.” Knowledge and skills development have been available for decades and yet many still struggle to apply best management practices and make effective changes to their farm businesses after training. This outcome often has nothing to do with their level of skill or their capacity to think and act strategically.

In this experiential workshop, Kelly Dobson of LeaderShift and the National Farm Leadership Program will invite participants to explore how ambivalence impedes growth and success. Our ambivalence exhausts us, stalls action, stymies clear communication and ultimately drives behavior and results below our potential. This feeling of being stuck goes with the territory of navigating complex challenges and Kelly will explore the path to knowing and growing our minds, so we can authentically show up, when and where we need to, like never before. And that empowers people to work on their business in ways that were previously impossible and maybe unthinkable.

What are the best practices to manage economic turmoil? What tools can be used to facilitate the process? A quick review of worldwide events affecting the economy will set the table to focus on 5 key practices that a farm business manager can use to navigate these times and how technology can support their implementation. Following that, we will zoom in on how a producer can make their numbers talk with Aleop indicators and use that information to make better business decisions. Let innovation and technology work for your benefit.

In an ever-changing economic landscape, managing risks in agriculture becomes even more crucial when faced with fluctuating interest rates. This session is designed to equip agricultural professionals with the tools and strategies needed to navigate this challenging financial terrain. Led by seasoned experts from MNP in finance and agricultural economics, this session delves into the unique challenges posed by high interest rates and their direct impact on agricultural operations. Participants will gain valuable insights into how to navigate and mitigate risk through soaring interest rates and increase financial viability of farming enterprises.

It’s every farmer’s biggest challenge. Information is everywhere but the more you have, the harder it is to navigate. The OODA Loop (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act) can help you cut out the noise and make solid decisions in a volatile and uncertain environment

Recruitment and hiring strategies for your farm can greatly impact the success of your agricultural operation. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) provides valuable insights and recommendations in this area. Viktoria will cover how to effectively attract and select the right talent for your farm including defining hiring needs, utilizing multiple recruitment channels, crafting compelling job descriptions, implementing a thorough selection process, providing training and development opportunities, fostering a positive work environment, and more! Attendees can expect to gain practical knowledge and actionable strategies to enhance their farm's recruitment and hiring practices.

Business risk management programs are a key tool for managing production and income risk on the farm. With change occurring in Canada’s farming sector and continually evolving policy shifts, gaps have been identified in Canada’s BRM suite. Minor adjustments have been made in recent years to enhance program effectiveness and new ways of looking at BRM have also been identified. In this session, we will explore the historical context of BRM in Canada, program gaps, and the future of BRM in Canada. Join our panelists as they examine BRM from a past, present and future perspective.