The conditions of agriculture are always something of a roller coaster but what do those in the industry see in the near future?
Several questions looking at to the future of the industry were put to a panel at the Sask Grains Expo last Wednesday as part of their Grain Millers Harvest Showdown in Yorkton last week to find out what their views were; starting with whether there was a future for the family farm.
鈥淲ho and when did this 鈥榩erson鈥� set the size of a family farm?鈥� responded producer Kristjan Hebert. He noted in the United States there are farms with 50-70,000 acres still owned by a family.
鈥淢y definition of a family farm is a business that excels,鈥� he continued.
To excel means growing, said Kristjan.
鈥淚nflation is three per cent, so if you don鈥檛 do something to get bigger you鈥檙e going to die,鈥� he said.
Brennan Turner, president, Farmlead.com said 鈥渆verybody has different expectations of a family farm.鈥�
But one thing is a constant, making sure you are getting paid for your efforts on the farm. He said his grandfather always said it was a must 鈥渢o pay yourself first,鈥� and that remains important today.
That said, Turner said farm size changes the role of the farm owner.
鈥淥nce you go big it becomes much more of a managerial position,鈥� he said.
Stuart Smyth, Assistant Professor & Research Chair in Agri-Food Innovations, University of Saskatchewan said larger farms do require 鈥渋ncreased management skills,鈥� and a willingness to accept new technologies, whether family-owned, or not.
In terms of new tech Smyth said the next big wave on the farm will be in the area of digital technologies.
鈥淎griculture is probably the last economy in North America to be hit by digital tech,鈥� he said.
Whether a family farm, or not, climate change is a factor producers may have to deal with in the longer term
Smyth said that may not be a disaster on the Canadian Prairies. It is likely to see the area more akin to the northern mid-west in the U.S., which would mean conditions more favourable for corn and soybeans, two crops already expanding into the region.
As an example Smyth said on a trip from Carlyle to Stoughton 鈥渁nd never lost sight of a corn field in that 30-miles.鈥�
Hebert said 鈥渁ny new crop, or technology is exciting,鈥� adding farmers are good at adapting to such changes.
One thing that will be needed is a reliance on the science that comes before change, and Smyth said that trust is not what it once was among consumers.
鈥淲e鈥檙e seeing a whole push back against science in agriculture,鈥� he said.
Turner said 鈥渋t鈥檚 early incredible鈥� how 鈥渕isconstrued the perception is of what鈥檚 done on the farm.鈥�
Smyth said farmers have to be more proactive in getting their side of the story on food production out to consumers, adding that means becoming 鈥渋nvolved in social media.鈥� As it stands now 鈥渢he message they (consumers) get to hear is from the opponents.
鈥淔armers themselves have to get involved in the story.鈥�
