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Discussion Panel: Getting the Most Value Out of Your Farm

Jan 28, 2021

Video: Discussion Panel: Getting the Most Value Out of Your Farm

Farm Management Canada - Discussion Panel: Getting the Most Value Out of Your Farm

Sponsored by John Deere

• Sterling Hilton, HiltonVentures & Origin Malting and Brewing
• Anne Wasko, Market Analyst, Cattle Trends Inc.
• Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote, Owner/Founder, Black Fox Farm and Distillery
• Jeremy Parkinson, Production Systems Specialist, John Deere (Moderator)

Competitiveness in agriculture invariably depends upon having a product or service that is valued by the customer. As consumer preferences change, so too must the products and services that are being offered. Canada has a long history of producing undifferentiated bulk commodities, however with increasingly global market uncertainty, producers are looking for ways to capture more value within Canada, and on the farm. In this discussion panel, we will explore how farmers from three diverse production sectors are diversifying their products and services and realizing new ways to meet consumer demands to maximize profits.

Over the past three decades, Sterling Hilton and his family have expanded their Strathmore-area operation from 2,800 acres to around 13,000, diversified crop production, and started a successful malting and brewing company that complements the core farm business.

Anne Wasko has been a market analyst for over 30 years focusing on the Canadian cattle and beef industry. She is the market analyst for Gateway Livestock Exchange based in Taber, Alberta and keeps her feet on the ground working alongside her husband on their ranch in Eastend, SK.

Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote along with her husband John took a lot of detours on the way to winning the World’s Best Cask Gin. Farming on their 5,000-acre, 3rd generation family grain farm in Saskatchewan where the only opportunity for growth was to get bigger, they started over, seeking a closer connection with the end consumer.

Jeremy Parkinson, solutions specialist at John Deere Canada understands farmers are faced with making incredibly complex decisions at a moment’s notice and must ensure a profitable return on investment. Farmers must be able to rely on accurate data to help accelerate learning about what works and doesn’t work on the farm, while planning for the future.