Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

The CFFO Commentary: Management Groups Can Hone the Skills of Farmers

By John Clement
July 1, 2011
 
Farm business management groups have been used across Canada over the past few decades but there appears to be a renewed push today to broaden their appeal. Although these groups can vary widely from sector-to-sector, most feature a small group of farmers working with a facilitator to compare individual production and financial records against those of peers. In the process, the aim is to grow and develop the management skills of all participants in the group.
 
Proponents of management groups point out that participants are more likely to experience greater long-term profitability in their farm operations. But management groups don’t perform magic. They require a lot of hard work, commitment and good organization in order to help farmers become better managers.
 
The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario is currently considering the creation of management groups for those members who show an interest. We’ve noted that farmers invariably enter into farm management discussions whenever they get together, regardless of what’s on the agenda for a given meeting. And we’re keen on making sure that we use as many “best practices” as possible in the creation of management groups. Here are some of my observations regarding what seasoned veterans have discovered about making management groups work well.
  • Groups need a recognized farm leader from their community to rally support for the management group. Without these champions, it can become difficult to recruit members or maintain enthusiasm.
  • Groups need a trained facilitator to help groups stay on track and to work their way through various pieces of group process. Without a good facilitator, chaos can quickly result because no one is responsible for ensuring that the group is functioning according to a plan.
  • Groups need to ensure that they have an excellent selection process for membership in the group. A participant who doesn’t live up to the best practices of a group can spoil the experience for all of the participants.
  • Groups need to be structured so that peers are talking to peers. Even within a commodity group, some producers are quicker to adopt new approaches than their neighbours and need to compare notes with like-minded individuals.
  • Groups need to be committed to absolute confidentiality regarding management information from peers. Nothing will kill a management group quicker than finding out that your neighbours know your banking arrangements or how much you pay an employee.
 
Farm business management groups hold a good deal of potential for raising the collective management skills of farmers. But they need to be put together in a way that works for all participants. Through committing to “best practices,” the chances of success are far higher.
 
John Clement is the General Manager of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary represents the opinions of the writer and does not necessarily represent CFFO policy. The CFFO Commentary is heard weekly on CFCO Chatham, CKNX Wingham, and UCB Canada radio stations in Chatham, Belleville, Bancroft, Brockville and Kingston. It is also archived on the CFFO website: www.christianfarmers.org. CFFO is supported by 4,200 family farmers across Ontario.

Views: 44

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

APG Seeks Advisors in All Zones to Grow Pulse Industry

Pulse producers who want to grow the province’s pulse industry while developing their own leadership skills are invited to let their names stand for election as an Alberta Pulse Growers (APG) Advisor at their zone meeting this fall. “Any interested pulse farmers are strongly encouraged to join the APG team,” APG Chair Shane Strydhorst said. “I began as an Advisor like most APG Directors, and the experience has been more rewarding than I imagined. Becoming an Advisor is a great way to get involved in the industry. Each of our five zones has available positions and it’s a good introduction to the organization, working on committees, and making things happen for Alberta pulse farmers.” A team of Advisors leads extension activities specific to each of APG’s five zones. Directors on APG’s provincial board often serve as Advisors first. Producers must have sold pulses and paid service charges since August 1, 2023 to be eligible as an Advisor. Anyone interested in letting their name stand

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Launches Enhanced Pulse Variety Hub: New website delivers advanced tools and data for pulse crop producers

Saskatchewan Pulse Growers is pleased to announce the launch of the new and improved Pulse Variety Hub (https://rvt.saskpulse.com/), a comprehensive digital platform that helps pulse crop producers select the best varieties for their specific growing conditions and locations across Western Canada. The Pulse Variety Hub serves as a central resource where farmers can access detailed variety information, compare performance data across different regions, and make informed decisions about which pulse crops—including lentil, pea, chickpea, faba bean, and dry bean—will perform best in their specific geographic areas and growing environments. The enhanced platform represents a significant advancement in agricultural technology, building upon the proven foundation of the previous tool while delivering substantial improvements across all aspects of user experience and functionality. Key Features and Enhancements The new Pulse Variety Hub delivers enhanced value through several significant imp

Manitoba farmers racing to finish harvest

Rain and strong winds in Manitoba’s eastern and Interlake regions and snow in the Northwest slowed the harvest. In its weekly crop report, Manitoba Agriculture Cereal Crop Specialist Ann Kirk said roughly 93 per cent of the crop is harvested, and farmers are getting close to wrapping things up. “Over the past week, we did have fairly good harvest conditions. We did have rain and then snow which put a pause on harvest over the weekend and the beginning of this week,” Kirk said. Harvesting of spring cereals are basically complete and canola is very close to finished. The dry beans are about 96 per cent complete. Soybeans are also very close at about 90 per cent. “What’s left is about 25 per cent of the flax crop, 80 per cent of the sunflowers and about 60 per cent of the grain corn , so we have made good progress, and it’s just those remaining later season crops to come off,” Kirk added. Spring cereals had a very long harvest season, and as a result, some of the crops are of poorer

Agriculture innovation part of TIME’s list of best inventions

An agriculture innovation from a Winkler, Man. based company has been named to TIME’s list of the Best Inventions of 2025. Thunderstruck Ag was recognized for its Razors Edge Concaves. Thunderstruck Founder and CEO Jeremy Matuszewski said the concaves were designed to minimize harvest loss, maximize machine efficiency, and simplify operations across multiple crops. The system’s patented variable bar spacing tightens where impact is greatest and opens where flow matters most delivering a cleaner thresh, reduced equipment overload, and higher yields, all without cover plates or hardware swaps.

Halloween characters suitable for farmwork

Farmers can use all the help they can get these days

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service