No matter what stage your farm is in, business management practices play a crucial role in your farm’s success and longevity. But how to go about figuring out which practices to implement? And it can be a daunting task — especially after a long day spent in the fields.
Fortunately, a new program is making it easier for producers to learn key skills for taking care of their businesses, their workers and themselves. Thought to be the first of its kind in Canada, Foundations in Agricultural Management is a free online certificate course from the University of Guelph. Created in partnership with RBC Foundation and Farm Credit Canada (FCC), the program aims to give producers the skills and confidence to succeed and grow their agribusinesses.
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“The idea for the project was about helping Canadian producers improve their business management skills and have it be a call to action to start thinking more systematically and more seriously about, ‘If I’m going to grow my farm business, how am I going to do that?’” explains John Cranfield, associate dean (external relations) of the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College.
“This course is about investing in your business, investing in yourself and taking your agribusiness to the next level.”
And there’s clearly demand for such a program. Just four days after the program launched on January 17, 1,700 individuals had already signed up.
“The response has been fantastic. We’re hearing from people from Prince Edward Island to British Columbia,” says Cranfield, adding it was essential to the university and its partners, RBC and FCC, that the course be available free of charge to anyone interested in taking it.
Using video modules recorded with University of Guelph instructors, the course teaches participants the fundamentals of core business management themes: business planning, finance, human resources, risk management, farm transitions and mental health and resilience. The course is self-paced, with participants having to pass a short quiz before continuing to the next module.
While mental health may not seem like a prominent topic for business management at first glance, Cranfield stresses it is a fundamental component that should not be overlooked.
“Mental health is a significant issue in Canadian agriculture right now. Most producers are running family businesses and there’s a lot of pressure. They are working in markets that show a lot of volatility and that creates some unwanted effects in terms of farmer mental health,” says Cranfield. “We thought it was so important to include mental health because it recognizes that you have to look after yourself in addition to the business and the people around you.”
Cranfield says the program’s goal is to reach 50,000 producers. The program is available in both English and French four times per year over the next two years. Registration details can be found at www.guelphagriculturalmanagement.com.
– Erin Kelly for the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.
