The provincial and federal governments are making available a range of tools to Saskatchewan agricultural producers through the Renewal Chapter of the Agricultural Policy Framework (ADF). Perhaps one of the most useful of these is the Canadian Farm Business Advisory Service (CFBAS).
“The CFBAS is available to eligible farmers and consists of an independent third party assessment of the current production, marketing and financial areas of your farm," says Gerry Holland, a Business Planning Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF). "A consultant you will select from a list of qualified people we provide will come out to your farm and help you draw a clear picture of your situation."
The Renewal programs aim to help farmers improve the profitability of their operation. Producers are encouraged to contact any of the consultants to determine their availability and expertise in a specific area of interest.
The consultants will work with their clients to review the options available to them. They may help producers identify options that were previously unexplored, which is likely one of the reasons why a fair number of Saskatchewan producers have been taking advantage of this service, according to Holland.
“We were very busy last winter and spring. Things slowed down during the summer, but we are starting to get busy again, now that the harvest is done and people are planning ahead for next season," he says.
“One of the big advantages of this program is that the work is confidential. Of the programs we offer through Renewal, this is the one that people participate in first before they move on to a more specialized business planning process.”
The consultants work with the farm families for a total of five days, for a total cost of $100.00.
Participants can decide to take three days for the assessment of their situation. They can stop there if they wish or they can carry out the three-day assessment, and then take two days to conduct a forward planning exercise.
All consultants have gone through the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada approval process to ensure they have the right qualifications. Some of them are accountants, some are financial advisors and some are agricultural producers themselves. All are private consultants.
The SAF business planning specialist in the area will typically discuss with each farm family what their needs are to help them select the best consultant for their situation. There are 84 people registered in the program as of this fall.
The CFBAS also includes a follow-up component in which the consultant will come out for one day, six to 12 months after the assessment, to update the financial information and to assess how the farm family did with its management plan.
To find out more about the Renewal programs, visit: www.agr.gc.ca/renewal.
For more information, contact:
Gerry Holland
Business Planning Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-4051
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