FEBRUARY 2022 THE RIDER/ 9 INSIDE


Large Animal Rescue...........9 Pro and Non-Pro Reining Series................10


U of G Launches Novel Online Farm Business Program


Free farm business


management skills ranging from farm business plan- ning to maintaining mental health will be offered through a new self-paced, free virtual course being launched this month by the University of Guelph and partner organizations. Believed to be the


first of its kind in Canada, U of G’s new “Foundations in Agricultural Management” online certificate course will enable farmers, and espe- cially younger producers, to brush up on their farm busi- ness management skills. Registration opens Jan. 17. Through eight 20-


minute video modules recorded with U of G ex- perts, participants will learn basics of business planning, finance, human resources, risk management, farm fam- ily transitions, and farmer mental health and resilience. The course will be offered four times a year. The new venture is


funded by a three-year, $1.25-million donation from the RBC Foundation and with support from Farm Credit Canada (FCC). “This new course is


intended to help farmers make better agribusiness de- cisions,” said Dr. John Cran- field, associate dean (external relations) in U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC). “We’re a natural partner in that re- gard, given OAC’s history, size and reputation.” Organizers anticipate


that a total of 50,000 pro- ducers will take part in at least one module over the next two years. Cranfield said the


modules are intended to en- sure that farm operators un- derstand the fundamentals of business operations, un- derpinning a skilled work- force in this sector while giving farmers the knowl- edge and confidence to


achieve desired growth. “We want to help pro-


ducers think more about the topics in the module and motivate them to take ac- tion,” he said. Among the topics, he


expects family transitions and mental health will at- tract plenty of interest. “Family farm transi-


tion is one of the biggest is- sues in Canadian agriculture right now. We know that many farmers are thinking about passing on the family farm to the next generation. Conversations about succes- sion planning can be really stressful and challenging for all farm family members.”


Course modules fea-


ture faculty experts from three colleges Each module was


filmed on campus (follow- ing COVID-19 protocols) with U of G faculty mem- bers in OAC, the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics, and the On- tario Veterinary College, as follows:


• Business planning and strategy: Dr. Mike von Mas- sow, Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (FARE) • Financial literacy: Dr. Richard Vyn, FARE, and Ken McEwan, Ridgetown Campus • Human resource manage- ment: Dr. Sara Mann, De- partment of Management • Risk management: Dr. Getu Hailu, FARE • Family farm transition planning: Dr. Alfons Weersink, FARE, and Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes, formerly dean of the Lang School • Mental health and re- silience: Dr. Andria Jones- Bitton, Department of Population Medicine “Within the agricul-


tural industry, producers are actively seeking resources


Photo: Dr. John Cranfield


to support them as their farm operations become larger and more complex,” said OAC dean Dr. Rene Van Acker. “I am confident that this course will equip producers with the knowl- edge and resources they need to run successful farm operations for generations to come.” Participants may view


modules at their own pace; they must complete a short quiz before moving to the next section. The modules were de-


signed during consultations between U of G members and experts at RBC and FCC. Planning began this past fall after RBC ap- proached OAC to discuss the idea. The format is mod-


elled after a personal fi- nance course developed by RBC along with McGill University. There are about


270,000 farm operators across Canada, according to the 2016 agricultural cen- sus.


“The Canadian agri-


culture sector is an impor- tant contributor to our nation’s economic resilience and competitiveness on the


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ARCHIE FINDS THE FILLY tells how, with the help of new friend Buzzy the Bee, Archie goes in search of his BFF Winny’s new grand-daughter…a brand new baby horse. Together Archie and Buzzy visit all the farmyard families, trying to find the new little filly. Lots of fun as they meet all the new babies who arrived this spring and, of course, our little hero finds the filly and introduces her to grandpa Winny. Great for read-alongs and offers colouring pages, too.


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world stage, and it has the potential to add another $11 billion to Canada’s GDP by 2030,” said Neil McLaugh- lin, group head, personal and commercial banking, with RBC. “We look forward to


providing valuable re- sources that will help Cana- dian farmers expand their capabilities and grow their operations, while contribut- ing to the long-term sub- stantiability of the industry.” FCC president and


CEO Michael Hoffort said, “In today’s agriculture in- dustry, having sound farm business management is more important than ever. I believe the course material is beneficial for today’s Canadian producers, and given that it’s free, online and self-directed, this will undoubtedly lead to better efficiency and innovation, ensuring a bright future for agriculture in Canada.” For more information


visit https://www.guelpha- griculturalmanagement.com


Contact: Dr. John Cranfield jcranfie@uoguelph.ca


WHAO...............................10 OTRA News.......................13 Fitness for Riders...............14 Beyond Wither Tracing......15 OCHA News......................16 Gastic Health Benefits .......16


GRAS Supports Equine Guelph ...............16 ORCHA News...................17 OXC News.........................17 ORHA News......................18


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