An umbrella for farm business management, Farm Management Canada is the only national organization dedicated exclusively to the development and delivery of leading-edge resources, information and tools to support farm business success. With over 30 years’ experience, Farm Management Canada has the expertise and experience to support your needs.
A resilient and thriving Canadian agricultural industry.
To champion farm management excellence.
To be the Canadian organization that facilitates the improvement of farm management practices through research and education.
Coming from dairy and beef background in Northumberland county, Steve completed a Masters in Ag Economics from the University of Guelph in 1996. Steve joined the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) in late 1997 and for close to 15 years was lead on business risk management (BRM) programs. Steve has chaired several federal-provincial/territorial committees, including BRM Policy, BRM Administrators, Trade Policy, and BSE response. Steve is currently the Co-Chair of the Farm Forecasting Committee and member of the Ag Statistics Committee. In 2016, Steve was the recipient of the University of Guelph Food Agriculture, Resource Economics (FARE) department Distinguished Alumni Award. Steve is currently OMAF’s Chief Economist and an adjunct professor in FARE teaching fourth year ag policy analysis. Steve and his wife Robyn also operate a beef and cash crop operation near Colborne, Ontario. Steven has thoroughly enjoyed his first 3-year term on the Board of Farm Management Canada as a farmer director and is currently serving as Chair.
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.
Andrea is the Vice Chair of Farm Management Canada. She has served on the Board executive since 2020.
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.
Stuart is MNP’s National Leader of Crop Services. Based in Edmonton, Stuart brings more than 30 years of experience in agriculture — specializing in the grain, oilseed, and pulse industry — to his role. Passionate about the agriculture industry, he grew up on a farm, and continues to participate as a producer. This experience allows Stuart to relate first-hand to what Canadian agricultural producers face in their operations — and gives him greater insights into how to help producers overcome challenges and achieve their business goals.
Stuart works with agricultural producers, associations, and other industry stakeholders on a daily basis, providing insight and advice on the complex issues affecting the industry. He has extensive experience as an agriculture business advisor and has helped clients from coast to coast deal with a wide range of issues, including succession, risk management planning, tax planning, digital adoption, and many more.
Stuart is dedicated to the community, including serving on the Farm Management Canada – Gestion Agricole du Canada (FMC-GAC) board of directors and on the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI). Stuart is also a proud member of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors (CAFA, 2008).
Stuart earned a Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) with Distinction from the University of Saskatchewan in 2000. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), qualifying as a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 2003.
Terry Aberhart's agricultural journey began on the family farm where he nurtured his lifelong passion for the land and the agriculture industry. With years of experience working on the farm and then leading the future growth of Aberhart Farms, he founded an agronomic consulting firm, Sure Growth Solutions Inc. in 2005 - earning the 2009 Business Builder of the Year and the 2011-2012 Canadian Agri-Coach of the Year awards. In 2015, Terry, alongside his brother Dan and father Harvey, co-founded Aberhart Ag Solutions Inc., a company that has played a pivotal role in introducing Bio-Sul Premium Plus, a recycled elemental sulphur product, to the market. During this same year, Terry co-founded Convergence Growth with friend Warren Bills, and together they continue working to advance business technologies across health, food, and agriculture.
Terry's commitment to progress is unwavering, being a Farm Management Canada Board member for the past 6 years, attending progressive programs such as Strategic Coach, and implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) throughout his companies to advance his leadership skills and business acumen. With the support of his family, including his wife Lichelle and their six children, the 19,000-acre grain farm thrives as a beacon of agricultural excellence, utilizing new technologies and innovations to advance the future of the industry. Terry's journey is marked by a relentless pursuit of growth and innovation, including his latest endeavour, Pristine Ingredients, a groundbreaking solution bridging the gap between organic and conventional production methods by using modern farming technology to produce high quality and sustainably grown foods. Throughout all his endeavours, Terry carries with him a strong commitment to family, community, and a belief in an abundant future for the agriculture industry.
Curtis is a fourth generation farmer in Fairview, Alberta along with his wife, three children and his parents. In addition to his farm connection, Curtis is a Director of Investment Risk Assurance with the Internal Audit Department of AIMCo.
Curtis has a passion for lifelong learning, having obtained a Masters in Agriculture Economics from the University of Alberta, as well as being a CFA Charterholder and a Professional Agrologist.
Derek Brewin began his agricultural career as a farmhand on his family’s mixed irrigation farm near Purple Springs, AB. In 1986 he graduated with a BSc in Agricultural Economics from the University of Alberta and began a position as a Credit Advisor to farmers with Farm Credit Corporation (FCC). In 1989 Derek took educational leave from FCC to pursue a MSc in Agricultural Economics at the University of Saskatchewan. After that he worked for Agriculture and Agri-food Canada as a Policy Economist and then worked a stint at the Canadian Wheat Board before returning to academics. In 2000, he moved to State College, PA, to pursue his PhD in Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Economics at Penn State University.
Since 2003, Derek has been working as a teacher and researcher in the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics at the University of Manitoba. Starting in January 2017, he has served as Head of that department.
His recent research has focused on the economics of rotations, grain and oilseed markets, grain transportation and innovations in plant breeding. He is an award-winning teacher of agricultural finance, marketing and risk management. Derek has served on numerous boards and committees. He is a Past President of the Canadian Agricultural Economics Society. He has served as a Senator at the University of Manitoba, as a member of Manitoba’s Agricultural Risk Task Force and as a director of the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council.
Erin has spent all her life involved in agriculture. From grain farms, agritourism, marketing communications, sales and now policy, she understands the many facets of the industry in Canada and a number of different countries.
Erin completed her masters of Food and Agribusiness Management in France, focusing her thesis work on the necessity for agricultural companies to maintain a social license to operate.
Currently her work centers around public trust in agriculture, with a focus on communication and analysis of environmental and management concerns that people have about agriculture.
Sustainability, and how that is defined both inside and outside of agriculture, is a critical concept for agribusiness moving forward, whether they like the term or not. Having lived and studied in different countries and attending CFS meetings in Rome in 2019 has allowed Erin to consider varied viewpoints from an empathetic standpoint. Her personal and work experience give her a unique perspective on the challenges agriculture businesses face. She is inspired to listen and learn from what has worked in the past but is also excited to explore new options and solutions for advancing the sector.
Erin is one of those people who truly loves agriculture. Both as it is and for what it can become, and her goal through her involvement in the Farm Management Canada Board of Directors is helping the organization and agricultural sector at large continue to flourish.
Business Development Officer, New Brunswick Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture & Fisheries
Sylvain is a business development officer within the Government of New Brunswick’s Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries. Sylvain has been New Brunswick’s representative to Farm Management Canada’s Provincial-Territorial Ministry Network for nearly a decade and is proud to serve as the Network’s elected representative to the Board of Directors.
Sylvain is passionate about advancing business management skills and practices in agriculture.
Sylvain spent his youth on a large family farm in the Province of Québec, where he acquired tremendous experience in the agricultural sector.
Sylvain graduated in Agricultural Economics from the Macdonald Campus of McGill University and went on to obtain his CMA and CPA designations. Committed to lifelong learning, Sylvain has taken advantage of numerous professional development opportunities including Business Risk Management from the Université de Moncton, Commercial Credit from Moody’s, and Production and Operations Management from Athabasca University.
Before coming to the Department, Sylvain worked as a farm business consultant, as a senior manager in the feed industry, in banking, in education and other industries. As General Manager for a large integrated farm in New Brunswick, Sylvain learned firsthand the importance of having a diverse set of business skills and practices to lead a successful farm business including strategic planning, operational policies, accounting, and information technology.
Sylvain lives in Fredericton with is wife Bette. He loves spending time with his family and son Alexandre. He has been involved in sports all his life (and still to this day). Every year he grows a large garden of fruits, vegetables and flowers that he named his “Lab of Experiments”. His most recent volunteer work was being an Executive member of the YMCA’s Men Club in Saint John NB and reading French to youth at the local library.
siness management practices and program development.
Jim Selman is a seasoned business manager and advisor who is passionate about serving Canada’s farmers and the Agricultural industry in general.
Core to Jim’s broad industry exposure is his experience as Director of Stakeholder Relations, reporting to the National Board of Directors of the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC). Jim advised the Board on strategic issues and drove critical business growth initiatives such as the market launch and processor acceptance of the Blue Cow DFC Logo, the program design and the promotional partnership period of NAFTA re-negotiation, Canada’s Food Guide redesign and member challenges to the DFC federated model.
Jim currently serves as Head of Business Development for Trendi. His focus is working with farmers, processors and packers to address food waste solutions. Prior to joining Trendi, Jim held senior management roles in leading Canadian marketing services agencies and built and managed his own consulting agency advising corporations and brands on business building tactics and organizational strategic planning.
Jim’s diverse background and passion for Agriculture in Canada combined with his experience with the governance challenges and operational realities of a national volunteer board of directors, positions Jim well to be a valued voice and contributor to Farm Management Canada’s board of directors.
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 can be reached by phone at (613) 237-9060 or by email at heather.watson(at)fmc-gac.com.
Colleen holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (Political Studies) from Queen’s University. She looks forward to working with the team at Farm Management Canada to bring projects to life and to help farms become more productive, more profitable and more sustainable.
Colleen can be reached by phone at (613) 237-9060 or by email at colleen.acres(at)fmc-gac.com.
Drawing from her practical experience, growing up on her family’s Red Angus cow-calf operation and currently being involved in their agri-tourism ventures, Heather brings a realistic perspective to business management. A broad knowledge of happenings across Canada related to farm business management along with a national network of experts allows Heather to coordinate connections and identify learning opportunities for Canadian producers.
Heather can be reached by email at heather.oakley(at)fmc-gac.com.
Denise Robertson joined Farm Management Canada in February 2018 as a Project Manager. Denise comes to us with broad expertise on Federal and Provincial policy. Denise graduated from the Event Management Post-Graduate program at Algonquin College in August 2014 and brings a vast knowledge of project and event management skills.
Denise spent two years with the Federal Government working in communications for the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC), supporting the Federal Ministry of Science and research at post-secondary institutions across the country. Denise then spent two years at the Public Policy Forum, a non-profit think tank in Ottawa. At PPF, she was a Project Administrator, supporting and managing projects and initiatives ranging in topics from Indigenous Issues to Agriculture sector specific engagement. In this role, Denise managed and oversaw many federally-funded projects involving a variety of stakeholders from private and public sectors.
Denise grew up in rural Ontario, a small town called Russell, just outside of Ottawa. Denise is eager to join the team and contribute to a resilient agriculture sector in Canada
Contact Denise by phone at 613-237-9060 or by email at denise.robertson(at)fmc-gac.com
Born and raised on a chicken farm in Newfoundland and Labrador, Christa brings over 25 years of experience working in agriculture in various capacities including supply management, farmer organizations, and agricultural education. Christa joined the Farm Management Canada team in July 2024 and is excited about the impact her experience will bring to Farm Management Canada. She sees her role as pivotal in driving initiatives that educate, equip, and inspire farmers to adopt best practices, manage risks, and remain competitive. Knowing that her work will directly impact farmers' lives, advance sustainability, and promote food security across Canada is deeply rewarding to her.
Being part of an organization that advocates for agriculture's long-term success aligns with Christa’s belief in creating lasting positive impacts on both industry and the communities and people that depend on it.
Christa holds a Masters Certificate in Project Management.
Contact Christa Wright at 709-743-4917 or christa.wright(at)fmc-gac.ca
Nick joined the FMC team in 2019 as the Business Development Lead, while also building an Agri-Tourism business just outside of Perth, Ontario.
Nick is dedicated to building partnerships and connections within the agriculture industry to help meet the needs of farmers from coast to coast. He is also passionate about reaching the next generation of farmers to help foster business management practices as they graduate and join the work force.
Nick is also a proud graduate from the University of Guelph.
Nick can be reached by phone at (519) 217-4601 or by email at sponsorship(at)fmc-gac.com.
For questions and concerns regarding membership, ordering products, or other general inquires, please contact us at (613) 237-9060 or via e-mail at info (at) fmc-gac.com.
Farm Management Canada is connected to a network of agriculture professionals who can offer their expertise on various farm business management topics.
Check out our Speaker Listing to see what we can bring to your industry events and meetings.
