International guest to speak about monitor farms

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

A visitor from New Zealand will be offering Saskatchewan producers some food for thought on an innovative concept – monitor farms.

Aaron Meikle worked for six years as a regional manager for Meat and Wool New Zealand, carrying out extension, economic and production surveys, and research and development activities.

He was born and raised on a sheep, beef and deer farm, an operation which served as the first “monitor farm” in the region in 1991. Aaron has since been involved in facilitating monitor farms across the country, overseeing their selection and operation. “I’m fortunate to have experienced monitor farming from every angle,” he stated.

Meikle will be visiting Canada to speak about the concept in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. In this province, seminars have been scheduled for the afternoons of February 10 at the Bella Vista Inn in Humboldt, and February 11 at Temple Gardens in Moose Jaw.

According to Tara Jaboeuf, Livestock Development Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF), monitor farms serve as a sort of “pilot project” for producers within a region to test new ideas and determine how changes in various factors might influence the performance of their operations.

“Monitor farms are set up by a group of farmers. They’re often raising the same species of animal, and their operations are usually around the same size,” Jaboeuf said.

“One of the farms is selected as a monitor farm, and almost every facet of production is closely scrutinized and observed on it. Participants monitor all of the production, the financials, the inputs, the outputs, and so on, and they get a very good base for what the cost of production is and what it takes to run that farm.”

Jaboeuf says that, over a three-year period, the group discusses major changes, decides which to implement, and “tests” them on the monitor farm to determine their impact on production and profitability.

“That’s why they call it a monitor farm, because it’s the one monitoring all of the changes, the impacts on production and finances, and how the overall operation is affected, good or bad,” she noted. “When the results are evaluated, the other producers know what to change in their operations and how to change it, or whether to make any adjustments at all.”

While the concept is relatively new to Canada, it has been in practice in New Zealand for around 15 years. Since its inception there, some 125 individual monitor farmers have passed through the program, with an estimated 20,000 farmers cumulatively involved through community groups, newsletters or field days.

Meikle says that the program continues to attract excellent community participation and interest in his country. The projected benefit to farmers has been in excess of $150 million.

The monitor farm model has applications beyond just sheep farming; however, Colleen Sawyer, the Manager of Extension and Marketing with the Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board (SSDB), said her agency has been very interested in having Meikle speak in the province. The SSDB helped to arrange his Saskatchewan seminars so that producers here could have an opportunity to learn more about the monitor farm idea.

“Perhaps it’s something that we could adapt here, perhaps not, but the whole concept sounds very intriguing,” Sawyer said. “Maybe it’s something that farmers might want to pursue in Saskatchewan or in Western Canada, if we can benefit from it as much as countries like New Zealand have.”

Anyone wishing to attend the session in Humbolt or Moose Jaw can register at the door, but the SSDB would appreciate people pre-registering by calling (306) 933-5200 so that they have more accurate numbers for seating and coffee breaks.

For more information, contact:
Tara Jaboeuf, Livestock Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Phone: (306) 933-5099

Colleen Sawyer, Manager of Extension and Marketing
Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board
Phone: (306) 933-5200