Michael Ferguson of Wilmar Farms and his family are in a great spot with their transition. They transferred decision-making control early and maintained the family relationships – an ideal outcome. But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Even when he tried to do everything right, there were roadblocks along the way.

In this two-part episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Mike discuss transition from a junior partner’s perspective. Mike shares the importance of trust, hard conversations and taking the time and patience to make it work.

And stay tuned for part two, where we talk transition from a senior partners perspective.

Aimée Ferré Stang is a woman in agriculture – but if you met her, she likely wouldn’t call herself a farmer. She didn’t grow up on the farm. She doesn’t drive a tractor. But there’s no question she’s a major contributor to her operation. 

In this episode of FCC Knowledge: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Aimée discuss the roles of women in agriculture, accepting and defining her many contributions to the operation and the balancing act it takes to raise a family and grow her off-farm career.

How does an engineering degree help you raise grass-fed beef? For Ben Campbell, of Grazed Right Ranch, his unconventional path to agriculture was informed by the critical thinking and problem-solving he learned at school. In this episode of the FCC Knowledge podcast: Talking Farm and Food, Marty and Ben talk about using your numbers and how benchmarking and ongoing learning informs decision-making and helps Ben achieve balance.

Todd Baker and his Ontario tree nursery are no stranger to adversity. In 2003, when an ash borer pest infestation wiped out over half of his business, he needed a plan to survive — and he did. In this episode of Talking Farm and Food, Todd shares what his operation had to do to overcome financial challenges. He also talks to Marty about his experience as a consultant, his adoption of tech and advice for anyone who manages people.

Todd and Jennifer Payne of Asphodel Sheep Company in Central Ontario always had big dreams of becoming full-time farmers – but it took time and planning to get there. In this episode, we’ll learn about their journey from off-farm employment to purchasing Shepherd’s Choice, one of the sheep industry’s leading genetics operations.

Learn more about the Payne’s unique transition story in this AgriSuccess article.

In 1996, Carol Poole, owner of Tigerlily Ranch, was at the forefront of an innovative, new business – raising alpacas on the Canadian Prairies. At a time when exotics like bison, ostrich, and elk were all the rage, she and her business partner formed Tiger Park Alpacas. Today, they focus on producing world class alpaca fiber and have developed some of the best breeding stock in the industry.

In this episode, we’ll learn more about this unique industry and Carol’s path to business success. How do alpacas survive a Prairie summer?

Agriculture is not only a way of life, it’s a business. Talking Farm and Food is a monthly podcast that highlights the stories and experiences of farm business entrepreneurs and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. Join Marty Seymour as he talks to Canadian producers about their lives, their businesses, and the farm management topics you care about. If you’re looking for advice on money and finance, transition, managing people, strategy, leadership and more, this is the podcast for you.