ANGUS TRIPLETS Checking In 34
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EQUIPMENT PREP
16
JUNE/JULY 2021 $8
ANGUS TRANSITION
TRIPLETS PLANNING
Checking In Crisis Management
34 18
MANGANESE LATE-SEASON
DEFICIENCY NITROGEN
Diagnose & Treat Strategic Approach
52 26
WEATHER OUTLOOK STANDARD PROCEDURES HURON COUNTY FARM
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Cover: Jodie Aldred photo; AGCO Corporation photo
1-888-248-4893
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR full of waste up against my gate. PUBLISHER & EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
TRESPASSERS ARE AN These people have no scruples.”
She’s a single senior, farming 100
PAUL NOLAN ext 202
Paul.Nolan@BetterFarming.com
ONGOING THREAT acres northeast of Toronto – and she
I had a discussion a couple weeks ago admits she’s getting a bit tired of the FARMS.COM OFFICE ADDRESS
90 Woodlawn Road West
with a farmer who’s feeling fed up in fight. Guelph, ON N1H 1B2
her ongoing battles with trespassers. “There are so many places they
“They’ve stolen from me, they could go with their ATVs. Places that EDITORIAL TEAM
come onto my property with their would be better than a field of soy- ASSOCIATE EDITORS STAFF WRITERS
ATVs, they hunt deer in my bush out beans. The farmer is waiting for that MICHELLE JONES JACKIE CLARK
of season,” she explained. crop to come along, to pay the bills, JAN KERTESZ DIEGO FLAMMINI
Her call came at a time when the to pay for their children’s education.”
OFA has been raising awareness with And I thought back to a 2018-19 CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS EDITION
local OPP units to educate respond- story from rural Alberta, when a MOE AGOSTINO CAMPBELL CORK
ers on the provisions proclaimed in landowner faced criminal charges for DALE COWAN RACHEL GINGELL
ABHINESH GOPAL PATRICK LYNCH
the Security from Trespass and Pro- defending his property from suspect- EUGENIE OFFICER RALPH WINFIELD
tecting Food Safety Act, 2020. ed thieves, after firing off warning
You may have noticed the OFA’s shots. He was later sued by one of the
ADVERTISING TEAM
message in last month’s magazine. intruders, as you might recall. GLENN RUEGG JEFF McKEE
Put up signage, lock building doors (Charges were eventually dropped JENNY LONGSTREET SCOTT FARHOOD
and vehicles, install video cameras, and the lawsuit dismissed.) SAMANTHA RENAUD JOAN SPIEGELBERG
be aware of trespassing laws, train “I’m afraid that serious conse- LESLIE STEWART
family and employees on your plan quences could happen one of these
to deal with unwanted visitors, and days here in Ontario,” worried the DESIGN & PRODUCTION TEAM
call police when necessary. Sunderland-area farmer. “It’s very TANYA MYERS GREG MARLOW
SHAUN CLARK ANDREA WILLIAMS
“I put up No Trespassing signs troubling, and so discouraging.”
and they take them down,” said the With warmer weather now here,
Better Farming magazine is mailed as a
caller. “I call police, and the OPP let’s all watch out for each other, and member-benefit to all farmer members of
have been excellent, but they say they follow the OFA’s advice. the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. If you
are not an OFA member, subscribe at:
need stronger laws to do more.
“They throw their garbage bags Paul Nolan 1-888-248-4893 ext 281
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Ag minister Marie-Claude Bibeau recently announced an investment of $4.2
million to launch Living Lab – Ontario in the Lake Erie region. Led by OSCIA, Follow us on Twitter @BetterFarmingON
research will focus on reducing the soil and nutrient runoff from agricultural
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The Business of Ontario Agriculture 4 Better Farming June/July 2021
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ONTA R I O FA R M H E A D LIN E S
OAC STUDENTS
SimplyCreativePhotography/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
REFLECT ON YEAR
Ontario Agricultural College (OAC)
students at the University of Guelph
knew they’d need to find innovative
ways to maintain community spirit
while receiving most of their educa-
tion virtually amid the COVID-19
pandemic this school year.
Online learning was challenging,
Joshua Moran, outgoing president of
the Student Federation of the OAC
(SFOAC), told Better Farming.
“On the other hand, there was a lot
of opportunity from a teacher stand-
point to get guest speakers in from all
over the place; it wasn’t just restricted
to who was on campus,” he explained.
“A lot of teachers stepped up in a lot of
ways to make things unique.”
The students, who are known as
The spring strip and fertility system tended to yield slightly higher. Aggies, and SFOAC executive also
went above and beyond to adapt com-
OPTIMIZE P & K IN STRIP-TILLED FIELDS munity events to virtual formats.
Ben Rosser, OMAFRA’s corn special- and K fertilizer is put down with “Capturing the heart of these events
ist, has designed an experiment to strip tillage, compared to broadcast and recreating some of the spirit was
investigate timing and placement of with conventional, particularly if our main goal, and I think we found a
phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) you’re in a low soil test situation. certain degree of success,” Moran said.
fertility in strip- and conventionally Growers also ask if “there is a bet- Aggies host themed pub nights ev-
tilled corn fields. ter time to strip till and put fertilizer ery Wednesday. This year, the SFOAC
Rosser planted treatments on on comparing fall versus spring,” asked for themed photo submissions,
low-P and -K testing fields at 10 sites Rosser said. “The spring strip and and winners collected spirit points for
over two years. Studying the impact fertility tended to yield slightly their Aggie year.
on low-P and -K testing soils helps higher than the fall strip and fertility Many students are looking forward
identify yield responses in corn. system.” to being able to safely gather in person
First, Rosser looked at “broad- Finally, Rosser tested splitting again soon, Moran said.
casted and incorporated fertilizer applications, applying the same total “The Aggies are a pretty spirited
in a conventional-till scenario, amount of P and K, but with half at bunch, and that interaction is half of
compared to putting fertilizer in the tillage and half at planting. what being an Aggie is, that communi-
strip,” he explained to Better Farm- “This data would suggest that ty aspect and togetherness of it all,” he
ing. Growers want to know if there there was no benefit from moving explained.
is an advantage to placing fertilizer fertilizer to the planter, and you were Next year’s SFOAC executive team
near the seed. fine running the fertilizer in the fall hopes to warmly welcome the class of
“We saw a yield advantage for the in the strip,” he said. 2025 and the class of 2024 who they
strip fertilizer compared to where Ultimately, “the more fertilizer weren’t able to greet as usual this past
fertilizer was broadcast and incorpo- you’re putting closer to the seed on year, given the circumstances.
rated with full-width tillage,” he said. low-fertility soils, and the closer to However, the online format helped
However, Rosser cannot definitively planting you’re putting that fertilizer, some students get more involved in
say whether tillage method or fertili- we seem to get more response out of the OAC, Moran said. “You have such
ty alone caused the response. it,” he added. a wide reach when things are online.
“If I had to speculate, I think it’s The third and final year of this So, we ended up getting students from
fertility driving that response,” he study is now in progress. BF programs that typically don’t partici-
said. A yield benefit exists when P - Jackie Clark pate as much in the OAC events.” BF
- Jackie Clark
News stories from Farms.com 8 Better Farming June/July 2021
@#&*! HAPPENS As a long-time farmer, Bradley knows stuff happens when he's juggling work sunup to sundown everyday. Good news is, he also understands his insurance coverage thanks to The Commonwell and our local, insurance-savvy brokers. Knowing you're covered and understanding that coverage creates confidence. It's our job to ensure that happens - so no matter what else happens, you come out on the right side every time. Take the surprises out of your farm insurance by visiting thecommonwell.ca/farm to find a Commonwell broker.
PRECISION AGRICULTURE
MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR FARM’S
DATA FOR YOU AND YOUR TEAM
There’s a ton of important data out there that can really ons, crop protection management and more. Plus, with
help you understand your season. But it’s no good to FieldView’s Field Health Imagery you can analyze
you if it stays out there. With the advent of digital ag satellite imagery to better understand the factors
tools like Climate FieldView™, there’s never been an affecting your fields including biomass, so you’ll always
easier or more accurate way to look back at your season, know which fields to scout first.
analyze the data and make informed decisions about In other words, using a digital farming platform like
what’s coming next. Andria Karstens, Field Product Climate FieldView allows you to create efficiencies that
Specialist at Climate FieldView, puts it best. mitigate risk while maximizing productivity.
“The benefit of using a platform like FieldView to But if the last year has shown us anything, it’s that it
help you collect and organize your field data is huge! has never been more important to be able to stay in
We’ve come a long way with the tools available to touch with the people who help you manage your
farmers and cleaning up your data is easier and more operation. The good news is that FieldView allows you
effective than ever.” to share your data with others who can help you get the
So, what do you do with all your planting and appli- most out of your operation.
cation data? If you’re a Climate FieldView user, you’re “With FieldView, you can choose to share your fields
already on your way to a more informed and more with anyone who has a FieldView account,” notes
efficient 2022. Andria. “It could be an adviser, it could be another
The Season Summary function allows you to see an farmer, it could be someone who works for the com-
overview of every equipment pass in every field that pany you purchase your seed from. The decision on who
happened throughout your season so far. Get more to share with is always the farmer’s to make.”
targeted by getting reports on specific zones in your Here are just a few of the ways FieldView can help
fields just by circling it with your finger. Or even genera- bring your team together:
te a side-by-side view of your seeding map vs. Field • Share your operation with your farming team
Health Imagery. So what does that mean for you? • Watch field activities in real time with RemoteView
Andria puts it into perspective this way. • Track application timing, rates and field conditions
“So if you have a field that you try a new fungicide on • Develop spray reports for any field
and leave a check-strip, you want to know the impact of • Track focus areas with field region reports
that on your farm from a yield perspective. You can • Monitor your trials and crop health with Field Health
select that pass where you applied fungicide and right Imagery
beside it select the pass where you left that untreated • Share Location of your fields with anyone you choose
check and get the performance just on that small area • Scout faster together with scouting pins
of the field.” • Keep tabs on the weather for each field
In fact, FieldView can help look at a wide variety of For more information on Climate FieldView or to talk
factors that affect how much yield you manage to to a FieldView rep, call us at 1-888-924-7475 or email us
produce, including weather, seeding data, soil conditi- at support@climate.com.
Climate Fieldview 10 Better Farming June/July 2021CLIMATE FIELDVIEW
S .
EN es,
ON APP bette r upda ssing
r t
AS H e e
SE E IT to mak weath each p e yet.
a
T
B ES EFOR need l time with est on
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N EX tio
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yea
KNOW MORE. GROW MORE.
Services and products offered by The Climate Corporation are subject to the customer agreeing to our Terms of Service. Our services provide estimates or recommendations based on models.
These do not guarantee results. Consult with your agronomist, commodity broker, or other industry professional before making financial, farming, or risk management decisions.
More information at https://climatefieldview.ca/legal/disclaimer. FieldView™ is a trademark of The Climate Corporation, Bayer CropScience Inc. licensee. ©2021 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.
Better Farming June/July 2021 11 Climate FieldviewONTAR I O FA R M H E A D LIN E S
4-H ANNOUNCES
Dopeyden/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
AWARD WINNERS
Recently, 4-H Ontario awarded the or-
ganization’s most prestigious volunteer
honour to three recipients from across
the province. Carol Williams from
Peel, Joe Krol of Stormont, and Jean
Morris from Perth received the 2021
4-H Ontario Arbor Awards.
These individuals have been sup-
porters of 4-H for over 10 years, Evelyn
Chambers told Better Farming. She’s the
senior manager of volunteer and com-
munity engagement for 4-H Ontario.
Dedicated volunteers “are the
reason we have a 4-H program. They
serve as mentors to the youth, they
serve as teachers, tutors,” she said.
“The sustainability of the 4-H program
as a provincial organization does rest
with the volunteers who give of their
time, talents and skills.”
Arbor Award recipients are nom- STRATEGY FOR WILD PIGS PROPOSED
inated by their local organization,
The Ministry of Natural Resources “Under the current proposal, in
and a panel of previous Arbor Award
and Forestry (MNRF) is seeking the event of an accidental escape, pig
recipients reviews the nominations.
public input on their collaborative owners would be required to notify
Exceptional 4-H volunteers em-
proposed strategy to address the MNRF immediately, and to recap-
body the organization’s mission and
threat of wild pigs. ture or dispatch each pig as soon as
“ultimately leave a lasting impact on
A wild pig is any pig outside of a possible,” Walpole explained.
the 4-H youth and on the community
fence or building. Conservation officers will con-
by their actions,” Chambers explained.
“Most wild pigs in Ontario are duct inspections “and enforcement
4-H volunteers “commit our heads,
common domestic breeds of pigs, in- action may follow, which could
our hearts, our hands and our health,
cluding farmed pigs and pot-bellied result in the issuance of a fine or
not just to our club, but to our com-
pigs,” Bree Walpole, a spokesperson charge under the Invasive Species
munity, our country and our world.
for the biodiversity and invasive spe- Act,” she added.
“4-H Ontario initiated the Arbor
cies section of the MNRF, told Better The proposed strategy also
Award in 2001, which was also when
Farming. “Pet pigs can become wild clarifies that hunting wild pigs can
the International Year of Volunteers
when they escape or are purposeful- exacerbate their spread.
began,” Chambers said. Each year “a
ly abandoned by their owner.” The proposal states the MNRF “is
tree is planted and that tree represents
In terms of farmed pigs, “the vast pursuing a regulatory amendment
the recipient and the roots of all that
majority of producers who allow to prohibit hunting wild pigs.” The
they have done to help to build their
their pigs to have outdoor access proposal also sets out a plan for the
community, within the 4-H program
keep their pigs contained. Occasion- phased prohibition of Eurasian wild
or the community at large.”
al escapes can occur,” she added. boar.
4-H Ontario has more than 1,800
To help prevent escapes, Swine “Wild pigs are recognized as a
volunteers. “They range in roles from
Health Ontario, Ontario Pork and significant threat to Ontario’s $24-
working right at the club level, leading
OMAFRA have developed resources billion swine industry that employs
the 4-H club at the grassroots level
for responsible pig ownership. more than 100,000 people,” Walpole
to serving on local 4-H associations.
“There are strong inherent in- said.
Some of them will be what we call
centives for producers to keep their Any sightings of pigs outside
volunteers-at-large, so they may not
pigs contained,” she added. Good of fences should be reported to
lead a specific club but they make
enclosures safeguard the biosecurity wildpigs@ontario.ca. BF
themselves available to assist.” BF
of pig herds. - Jackie Clark
- Jackie Clark
News stories from Farms.com 12 Better Farming June/July 2021Long-Distance
Grain Rescue.
Harvest 2019 was a tricky one for Blake Bergen of 3B Acres. The dry “Spoilage set
spring led to late crops… The canola was straight-cut and that year into one of
there was no ideal time for swathing it… The grain dryer got lots the smallest
of use that September. bins yet the
It was in November during a family trip to Orlando when the
value of the
trouble became real, but the Bergens had BIN-SENSE® Live. canola saved
“On day 1 after landing, we got a chirp on our phone that a bin was greater than
of canola had increased in temperature,” said Bergen. “We the cost of the entire
decided to watch it for two or three days and could see a constant BIN-SENSE® system.”
climb of 1 to 1.5 degrees every day.” He called home and his
Blake Bergen
coworkers took a load of canola to the elevator. Bin saved!
3B Acres
Bergen came home bearing gifts to settle up with his coworkers
and friends. A small price to pay, he still came out ahead.
For all your
grain monitoring
needs, consult
a BIN-SENSE® dealer.
Visit secureyourharvest.ca today!PR ODU CE R PA N E L
DECISIONS FOR THE GROWING SEASON
Producers explain factors in their management and pest-control strategies. By Jackie Clark
How do you make management decisions before, during PAUL BURNHAM
and after growing season?
Paul’s Cobourg-area farm consists of
Paul Burnham: Rotation is a major factor to determine two operations. He and his family cash
what cash crops we grow. We try not to repeat the same crop about 1,900 acres of corn, adzuki
crop two years in a row. Market conditions also factor in. A beans and wheat, and market garden
couple of years ago we started growing adzuki beans for the asparagus, berries, sweet corn, apples
potential higher profit margins. They replaced our white and other fruits and veggies.
bean acres because of some of their growing characteristics.
At harvest, they are not subject to damage by rains like
white beans are.
BRAD LOWRY
As far as vegetable farming goes, we try a couple of new
crops each year to add to our staples of sweet corn, green Brad, his wife Lindsay, two young boys,
peas and beans, strawberries and raspberries. Customer and mom Donna are dairy and cash
crop farmers in Lanark County. The
response tells us what track to take.
family milks 55 cows and grow 650
Brad Lowry: I work closely with our agronomists to make acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, barley
choices that work for our farm, especially for spraying and hay/pasture.
recommendations. I can’t keep up on all the new chemicals
and tank mixes that work the best, so I rely on people who
do that every day.
Feed inventory is also important to us. We’ve had a BRIAN STEEPER
couple really trying years with winter kill and drought, so Brian farms turkeys, corn, soybeans
making sure we have adequate high-quality forages for our and wheat. He also runs a custom
dairy herd is important. Fall forages like August-planted grain-roasting business in North Mid-
oats and barley have worked for us. dlesex.
Brian Steeper: I work closely with our seed rep and agrono-
mist to know what I should be on the lookout for at each
stage of the season. Our seed rep is very good at emailing
everyone with trap counts for various pests in our local area
and advises us if we should be out scouting the fields, what Brad: We seem to be hit with one or more pests every year.
we should be on the lookout for and what necessary steps Last year, leafhoppers in our alfalfa, multiple years of high
would need to be taken if thresholds were met. This is vital toxin levels in our corn silage and a fair amount of smut in
for me to make proper decisions throughout the season, our grain corn last year. Leafhoppers are fairly easy to con-
and they are always good to talk to so you can have a better trol as long as I’m diligent at field scouting. We’ve never
understanding if action is needed, and if so, what the next applied fungicide to our corn before, so this year would be
step is. a good time to start. We’ve been fortunate to not have any
critical infestations in our soybeans for a few years now. So,
in the back of my mind I’m thinking we are due for one and
What pests and diseases are you on the lookout for this
should be ready. I hope not.
year? Will you use any in-season control strategies?
Paul: Western bean cutworm in corn can be a concern, Brian: This year, we might be on the lookout for white
especially in the non-GMO corn we grow. Corn borer in mould in soybeans. Last year, there seemed to be a lot of
sweet corn is controlled by insecticide starting at tasselling. armyworms in the wheat in our area, so we will be keeping
Adzuki beans are treated for white mould and are also an eye on that this year as well. We have a few areas where
susceptible to blight, which has no cure. Fusarium needs to white mould is an issue in soybeans. In those areas we have,
be controlled in wheat. Apples have numerous insects to in the past, changed row spacing to prevent it from happen-
watch for as well as scab. The newest threat in berries is ing and if it gets bad enough, we will spray. BF
spotted wing drosophila which is a fruit fly that can destroy Our Producer Panel shares ideas, challenges and solutions among
fruit quality in the field. Ontario producers. Please let us know if you would like to partici-
Did I mention weeds? pate in a future edition by emailing Paul.Nolan@Farms.com.
The Business of Ontario Agriculture 14 Better Farming June/July 2021Because you learned
from the best, who
learned from the best,
who was self-taught.
Grow your margins with
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Bayer CropScience Inc. is a member of CropLife Canada. ©2021 Bayer Group. All rights reserved.m ac hi n e ry a l l e y
HAY EQUIPMENT PREP TIPS
Taking time now will save you time later. By Diego Flammini
AGCO Corporation photo
Complete a thorough check and ensure your equipment is in peak working order before the season begins.
Hay season will be here before you know it and as with Mosel advises.
many aspects of farming, time is of the essence. “If you get a hot bearing, it can turn into a thermal event
Completing a thorough check and ensuring your equip- and next thing you know you’re looking for a new baler,” he
ment is in peak working order before the season begins can says.
help minimize downtime and increase productivity. “On my farm I use a thermal temperature gun to make
To help you prepare your hay equipment for the season, sure the bearings aren’t getting overheated. If I do have a
Better Farming connected with Dane Mosel, product mar- bearing that’s running at a higher temperature than the
keting specialist for hay and forage at AGCO Corporation. others, then that’s a good indicator it needs to be replaced.”
At the top of your to-do list when you bring your baler Two specific components you may want to check on
or other piece of haying equipment out of storage is to clean your square balers are needles and knotters.
it off properly and take the time to Overlooking these items at the beginning of the season
walk around it. could cause issues later on, Mosel says.
“Almost before anything else, a “Always make sure they’re adjusted properly,” he says. “If
farmer should walk around the you’re getting missed ties and things have been adjusted
equipment and do a good visual basically as far as they can be, then it might be time to
check,” he says. “The equipment has replace those items.”
been sitting for months and it’s If your baler has a scale, be sure to calibrate it properly.
possible small animals got into the This may require a software update, Mosel says.
Dane Mosel
equipment during the winter.” “A majority of today’s equipment has an onboard com-
You may not notice anything on the visual check, but puter,” he says. “It’s always good to check with your dealer
turning your equipment on will help identify anything out to see if there’s a new version of the software available.
of the ordinary. Sometimes the changes are small and won’t really matter,
“I recommend starting the machinery and letting it run but other times some advancements have been made that
at tractor idle speed,” Mosel says. “Not only is it just good are important for accurate readings.
practice to get everything warmed up and running again, “The name of the game is to prevent downtime, and
but you can listen for any strange noises that are unfamiliar making sure your software is up to date can help with that.”
for your equipment.” For growers with mowers, Mosel recommends making
A key set of items on a baler is its bearings. sure the gearboxes and bearings are checked over and
Make sure they are greased properly and in good work- cutting components like knives and discs are in good shape
ing order. Otherwise, it could result in equipment failure, before heading into the fields during hay season. BF
It’s Farming. And It’s Better. 16 Better Farming June/July 2021The Bonnefield Story
Since 2009, Bonnefield has worked alongside farmers to help grow their operations,
reduce their debt levels, and finance retirement. Proudly Canadian, Bonnefield is
dedicated to preserving Canadian farmland for farming. The company provides an
alternative source of capital to farming families to give them the freedom to grow their
business.
While trying to get an agricultural business back on its feet in 2005, the company’s
founders learned that restructuring the balance sheet was the path to financial
success. While the business had a healthy income statement, cash flow was limited
by an inefficient capital structure. By selling some of their land and leasing it back on
a long-term basis, they could unlock some of their equity and finance their business
appropriately.
When Bonnefield’s founders were unable to find a company that would provide
lease financing, they saw the opportunity to create a business and provide the service
themselves. Thus, Bonnefield was born to help other individuals out of a similar financial
situation.
Over the past decade, Bonnefield has been working alongside Canadian farmers to
Farmland Lease Financing
understand and meet their unique real estate needs. Whether that is in providing sale-
leaseback opportunities for those looking to improve cash flows, helping farmers grow Solutions to help farmers:
their operations with new acquisitions, or supporting families planning for retirement or
transitioning the farm to the next generation. • Grow their operations
“Every farmer I’ve met understands that their greatest challenge is their access to • Reduce debt levels
capital,” Wally Johnston, Bonnefield’s Vice President of Business Development says.
“Farming is a capital-intensive business and without it, it’s hard to reach the scale • Plan for retirement
required to be successful.”
Bonnefield recognizes that the nature of farming requires leadership at the farm.
Through its lease financing model, Bonnefield leaves the farming decisions to the
talented farm operators who know how to farm sustainably and profitably.
Case Study
The Smiths were a young couple who inherited a family farming business along with a
heavy debt load. They were looking to grow their operation to a more efficient size and
improve their financial situation. An equity investor would limit their freedom to make
decisions about their business and going to a bank for a loan would increase their debt
level, so they went to Bonnefield for help.
After a few short meetings with the team, the Smiths learned how working with
Bonnefield could help them to strengthen their business. Within several months,
Bonnefield purchased 500 acres of their land and leased it back under their revolving
lease structure. This guaranteed they would have long-term access to the land.
The following season, the Smiths found a large 2,500-acre block of land nearby that
Bonnefield bought and leased back to them to farm on a long-term basis. Through
these two transactions, the family now had a larger land base to run a more efficient
operation. They paid down debt and covered their input costs. Now, for the first time in
multiple generations, the Smiths had a healthy balance sheet.
It’s your turn. Reach out to Canada’s foremost provider of farmland-lease financing
today. Learn how you can strengthen your balance sheet, improve your cashflow, and
grow your business by partnering with Bonnefield.s uc c es s i o n p l a n s
Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com 18 Better Farming June/July 2021successi on p l ans
You did what every farm-business adviser putting a plan in place, crises such as death,
suggests about transition planning – you divorce or critical injury can disrupt transi-
started early. tion. Each scenario will impact the plans to
You put in all the hard work and years of a different degree, Andrea De Groot, a
soul-searching, discussions, meetings, ne- Stratford-based ag transition specialist at
gotiating, paperwork and finally have a Farm Credit Canada, tells Better Farming.
transition plan in place. “When we think of a transition plan, we
But then something changes – maybe a have a fiscal reality where we’re trying to
death or life-altering injury, divorce or protect the business, but we also have an
separation. Maybe someone has changed emotional reality where we’re trying to
their mind. protect the family,” she explains.
Now what?
Better Farming connects with experts in Don’t panic
farm transition to find out what happens When a family is “working through death,
when a plan starts to go sideways or is de- serious life-altering injuries or divorce … at
railed by a crisis situation. They provide the end of the day emotional baggage comes
advice on how to prepare for and respond with this kind of
to such a situation. event and it can be a
traumatic experi-
What is happening? ence,” De Groot says.
A transition plan involves “the transfer of It is important to
labour, management and ownership,” says “take some time to
Elaine Froese. “Things can go sideways recognize that it’s a
when the first generation dictates to the traumatic experience
Andrea De Groot
second generation, ‘This is the way the plan and it’s important to
will be.’” grant yourself the grace to not have all the
Froese is a Manitoba-based farm-family answers immediately.”
coach and member of the Canadian Associ- The farm likely “has some immediate
ation of Farm Advisors (CAFA). needs that need to be addressed,” she adds.
In addition to generational disconnects, “Break the bigger issue down into smaller
disrespect among in-laws, non-farming issues … and then delegate.”
siblings or partners can lead to unworkable Asking for help when responding to a
situations when attitudes of greed, entitle- crisis is a key strategy.
ment and bullying come into play, she ex- “It’s so important for people not to feel
plains. overwhelmed,” De Groot says.
Elements of a strong foundation for farm The goal of responding to the situation is
transition include “storytelling about a likely similar for most families.
passion for farming, an attitude that’s posi- “We want to make sure we protect the
tive, mental health for the whole farm team, family harmony, protect the legacy of the
affirmation, appreciation and celebration, farm and make sure that we can reduce the
communication skills, team-building and risk associated with the farm in the future,”
trust-building, conflict resolution, and Andrew Leach says.
nurturing resiliency and the ability to Leach is a member of CAFA and an
bounce back,” Froese adds. The absence of adviser at Farm Life, a Peterborough-based
those prerequisites can lead to rocky transi- company that helps producers with transi-
tion planning. tion, estate and business planning.
Aside from the universal challenges of Though it may seem overwhelming to
Better Farming June/July 2021 19 Story Idea? Email Paul.Nolan@Farms.com
emholk/iStock/Getty Images Plus photoT R ANS I TI O N P L A N S
have a wrench thrown into plans you
kali9/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
have already worked so hard to create,
it is usually advantageous that the
farm has some existing structure to
work from.
“One of the key things that we’ve
realized is that it’s much easier to ad-
just an existing plan than to start from
scratch after one of these events has
occurred,” Leach explains. “This is one
of the key reasons to have a succession
plan, because it’s easier to edit your
plan than it is to start a new one after
the event.”
Brent VanParys agrees. He’s a part-
ner in business transition services at
BDO Canada’s office in Woodstock.
BDO Canada is a national accounting
and financial advisory company.
“For the most part, the work that
we do to prepare the business and the
family and the family wealth – all of
that work is still valid, without ques-
tion,” he says.
Transition planning “often starts “Family members are going to be at different emotional states.
with visions and values, then princi- Not everyone’s going to feel the same way at the same time.”
ples and policies, and then it will get
distilled into legal agreements when ready have some risk management and governs if somebody does change their
the actual ownership transfer takes contingency planning in place so that mind and wants to leave.
place,” he explains. “So, the further if those things are to happen, we can “The legal and tax steps to orches-
along you get in the process, the more really reduce the impact of those trate that exit are governed by the
protected the company is and the events on the farm itself.” shareholders’ agreement.”
clearer the policies around ownership A family “never knows when trage- In the case of critical injury or
entering and exiting become.” dies are going to take place, but we death, “the shareholders’ agreement
make sure that the farm is best suited will kick in and protect the company,
Be prepared to react to the deceased shareholder’s family and
It is beneficial to include some flexibil- those situations the other stakeholders from an un-
ity or contingency strategies as you and have some timely exit,” VanParys adds.
build the initial transition plan. risk manage- “Most often it will provide for a
“You might have different what-if ment in place,” termed-out buyout, so it takes place
scenarios that you’re thinking Leach adds. over a number of years to make sure
through,” De Groot says. “When you That approach the company remains financially
think through those scenario-based may include healthy. And if it’s an early voluntary
Brent VanParys
examples, you’re going to build a bet- specific insur- exit, there are ways to build in little
ter plan. Knowing that you built that ance strategies or corporate structures penalty provisions.”
plan so you can alter it as life happens to ease the transition of ownership. Punitive provisions can help the
is a good thing,” she adds. A transition plan will include own- farm business recover costs if someone
Leach agrees. ership principles, corporate gover- wants out of an agreement earlier than
“When we’re creating succession nance, policies on return on invest- expected, VanParys says.
plans, there is usually a definitive goal ment and compensation, explains Another preparative action to take
in mind for the family, but during the VanParys. is working on the incoming genera-
course of the conversations we always Those “help build the foundation tion’s strengths and weaknesses, ex-
like to try and protect from the what- for a shareholders’ agreement,” he says. plains Leach.
ifs,” he explains. “If you get a shareholders’ agreement “If we start those leader-develop-
Plans “that we build actually al- in place, that’s the document that ment qualities early and we start to
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T R ANS I TI O N P L A N S
identify some areas for improvement,
LivingImages/iStock/Getty Images Plus photo
then if something came along that was
to speed up a succession plan or alter
the course, those successors are al-
ready on their way to developing some
of those skills,” he says.
Logistics and communication
Of course, while the family or farm
team is working through transition-
planning processes and responding to
disruptive situations, the work on the
farm must continue. Good communi-
cation is key for business continuity
during stressful circumstances.
If “a code of silence gets invoked,
people stop interacting with each
Punitive provisions can help the farm business recover costs if someone
other as much as possible and that, of
wants out of an agreement earlier than expected, Brent VanParys says.
course, is like being in a pressure
cooker about to explode,” says Froese. changes that come their way,” Leach De Groot agrees.
“That’s not tenable, healthy or wise.” adds. Families should “be intentional
The farm team must commit to The family can use similar inquisi- about what they are talking about,” she
“compassion and communication,” De tive strategies to understand and work explains. The family and business
Groot says. “Let’s acknowledge what better with aspect of the farm should have some
happened here and communicate what each other. separation.
this means now going forward.” “Can you To help distinguish between busi-
Farm Life advisers “like to focus on put yourself in ness and family conversations and
establishing strong communication, the other per- decisions, “we use a three-circle mod-
creating accountability and creating son’s shoes?” el,” says Froese. This model includes
some governance models for the fami- asks Froese. the family circle, management circle
ly to follow,” Leach says. That approach “Can you cre- and ownership circle.
helps families adapt to change, even ate solutions This approach can help intentional-
Elaine Froese
during a crisis. together?” ly determine which decisions fall un-
“The more we can understand the Work on the farm doesn’t stop and der which category.
family dynamic, the way people com- work on your transition plan shouldn’t “You try to take the family element
municate together, the way decisions stop either. away and depersonalize the decision,”
are made and how the family itself “I think you really do need to pur- explains VanParys. This may be diffi-
works toward the goals of the family posefully continue to execute the cult, but “if the family is still on solid
farm, the more clearly we can identify transition, so you’ve got to block off a ground, you don’t want to jeopardize
some of the barriers that they might period of your week or month and that. You want to reduce the opportu-
face,” he explains. “We start to create work on that exclusively. Make it part nity for conflict as much as you can.
strategies with the family to reduce the of your normal routine,” says VanPa- “The stronger the family bonds, the
impact of those barriers.” rys. better-than-average opportunity
When families address hurdles “Farmers are busy, all business they’ll have to effect a good business
early in the process, “we find it’s often people are busy, and so to add this on transition and a good ownership tran-
a lot easier for the families to stay on top of your regular responsibilities is sition,” he adds. “So that family piece is
track with their plan and adapt to the difficult because it does take inten- important and ongoing.”
tion.” Ongoing attention to the health of
HAVE SOME COOL PICS? both business and family, particularly
Please send us interesting photos Business, family and feelings during a stressful situation or tragedy,
of Ontario farm life. We might
feature them in the magazine! Managing a farm business is made involves the ability to process feelings
more difficult by how tied up the farm productively.
Paul.Nolan@Farms.com
can be with family life. “I think first of all you have to rec-
“The emotional element is difficult ognize that expression of emotions is
for families to manage,” says VanParys. important in conflict resolution,” says
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Froese. “Deep emotions are fine, but event, emotions often run high within think people should go to the doctor
they have to be navigated, so it usually families. And that can lead to conflict and find out if they are mentally de-
helps if you have an outside third-per- and it can lead to poor decision-mak- pressed,” says Froese.
son facilitator who is skilled in keeping ing. But having Staying in good mental and physi-
the family business meetings safe and someone act as cal health is important for running a
respectful.” a facilitator for business.
Families should acknowledge that the family If you find that stress is impacting
everyone processes feelings differently. really helps your mental health, “maybe you’re not
“Family members are going to be at everything stay the right person to be making some of
different emotional states. Not every- on track and the decisions right now because you
one’s going to feel the same way at the allows for an don’t have a clear mindset,” De Groot
Andrew Leach
same time,” De Groot explains. unbiased opin- counsels. There is no shame in farmers
When a farm transition doesn’t go ion to be used in the farm business reaching out for advice or technical
as planned, “I think it’s really import- planning,” he says. support.
ant to allow yourself to grieve,” she Advisers can also help facilitate Having an existing plan and rela-
adds. “In business we don’t necessarily communication with lawyers and tionship with professionals can help
acknowledge that. Somebody doesn’t accountants. make the process of responding to
have to die for you to be grieving. You That external support can “keep the crises easier, she adds. BF
can be grieving an expectation of what process moving without placing the
you thought the future would be.” burden on the family. It allows the
family to focus on the farming and JACKIE CLARK
Access support focus on the family,” says Leach.
In hard times, advisers can “work as Assistance can come in many Jackie graduated in the OAC
class of 2015 and in 2018
facilitators for the family,” Leach ex- forms. completed a master of science
plains. “I think people should ask for help. on sustainable cropping systems.
During a “tragedy or major life I think people should get facilitation. I
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machinery is expanding producers’ other contrib- sor in the University of Guelph’s crop
options for corn management. Nitro- uting factor is science department.
gen (N) fertility is one aspect that likely the adop- “I think the simplest way to refer to
growers and researchers alike strive to tion of corn a late application is something that
optimize. fungicides, you can’t get through with a tractor,”
Late-season N applications are which made adds Greg Stewart, agronomy lead at
more common because of “the intro- driving Maizex. Maizex is a Tilbury-based
Ben Rosser
duction of aftermarket attachments through tall seed company.
and growers who started making their corn more realistic. Late N applications happen “when a
own, and I think the prevalence of Some debate exists around what tractor can no longer pull a side dress-
high-clearance sprayers out there constitutes a “late” N application com- er through a corn crop because it’s too
nowadays that maybe weren’t around pared to traditional side dressing. The tall.”
10 or 15 years ago,” Ben Rosser, corn dividing line is somewhere around the Most growers who apply late N use
specialist at OMAFRA, tells Better V6 to V9 growth stage of corn, says a self-propelled, high-clearance spray-
The Business of Ontario Agriculture 26 Better Farming June/July 2021SimplyCreative Photography/iStock / Getty Images Plus photo
er, says Rosser. options, “there Impact on yield?
“There’s a wide range of ways grow- are distinctly The consensus among experts is that
ers are putting it down. On the liquid three windows applying N with a late split doesn’t
UAN (urea-ammonium nitrate) front, now in the N necessarily boost corn yield automati-
sometimes it’s simply putting a drop application cally.
hose down and dribbling it between game: the Ontario trials conducted by OMA-
the corn rows in tall, chest-high corn.” planting time, FRA and Ontario Soil and Crop Im-
Some farmers use toolbar attach- the side-dress provement Association members show
Greg Stewart
ments on high-clearance equipment time and the that “on average, there was a slight
“like a traditional side-dresser,” he late application time,” says Stewart. yield increase going from pre-plant to
adds. A bar mounted on the sprayer This month, Better Farming checks side dress,” says Rosser. But “in a year
reaches down with “a coulter and an in with corn fertility experts and a where you wouldn’t expect real losses,
injector that’s injecting UAN to the producer to find out how those three generally you wouldn’t see a benefit for
soil.” windows can be utilized most effec- going with delayed N application,
With the variety of equipment tively. whether that was a side-dress or one of
Better Farming June/July 2021 27 The Business of Ontario Agriculturel at e -se a s o n N o n c orn
these late applications.”
Ben Rosser photo
Late N did boost yield at a “small
subset of sites where you were in an
environment that had high losses and
a lot of rainfall between planting and
tasselling,” he adds.
Nasielski agrees.
“If you’re just split applying N, you
will not normally get an increase in
yield versus the same rate applied
early, unless you’re on a really sandy
soil or a soil that has high N losses
early in the season,” he explains.
One exception “is if the farmer is
pushing plant population,” he adds.
“Because when corn populations go
up, they’re going to be taking up more
N later in the season and there’s some-
what of a yield benefit.”
Any yield benefit “will be specific to
that situation,” Nasielski says.
Late applications lead to “a modest
increase in N recovery efficiency
(NRE), about five per cent,” he ex-
plains. NRE is the amount of N in the
applied fertilizer taken up by the crop.
“In theory, if you get a five-per-cent
higher NRE you can reduce your total
N application by five per cent, because Most growers who apply late N use a self-propelled, high-clearance sprayer.
it’s just being taken up more effective-
ly,” he adds. However, he’s never seen says. However, he supports late appli- whether it’s a soil nitrate test or even
that done in practice. cation when considering environmen- just an accurate rainfall accumulation
Typical N recovery is around 60 per tal impact, because more N ends up in for the field” to determine which areas
cent in the above-ground plant materi- the plant instead of being lost to the lack N, you know those areas should
al, but with a late application it can be water table or atmosphere. be targeted with a late application, says
70 per cent or more, Dr. Tony Vyn tells Why doesn’t Stewart.
Better Farming. more N recov-
Vyn is a professor of agronomy in ery increase Rescue and risk
the college of agriculture at Purdue yield? Late application can provide some risk
University in Indiana. “Later appli- management should you experience a
“We get a little more N into the cations seem to high N-loss event, Nasielski says.
plant because it stays green longer and enhance more Stewart agrees.
it’s photosynthesizing later,” he ex- leaf N uptake “Late N application is a rescue
Tony Vyn
plains. during repro- treatment, and it’s a rescue treatment
“In many situations, especially ductive growth, but that doesn’t neces- that 20 years ago we didn’t have the
those that already rely on early side- sarily mean grain-yield increase if the equipment to do,” he says. “That’s
dress N, it doesn’t help yield,” Vyn regular N program already had an really a very positive story.”
adequate plant N status right around Farmers can apply N “as late as
ADVERTISERS REACH ... flowering,” explains Vyn. tassel and silk time and still recover a
… the top producers across Ontario The ability to determine N status at very significant portion of what was
for just PENNIES per adult reader! essential, yield-determining develop- going to be the lost yield if additional
ment stages could help farmers N did not get put down,” he explains.
Paul.Nolan@Farms.com
achieve optimal yields through strate- Hauke Claussen farms with his
gic N application. brother near Clinton, Ont. They have
“If you’ve done some diagnostics, invested time in a strategy that works
It’s Farming. And It’s Better. 28 Better Farming June/July 2021You can also read
