International Farm Management Association -
      International Farm Management Conference
      March 20 - 25, 2011
     Chateau on the Park, Christchurch, New Zealand


Roundtable Discussion with Department of Natural Ressources

What is the CYFF Best Management Practice Workshop all about?

Through extensive research encompassing farm communities in Canada, the United States and Mexico, 10-best management practices (BMP) of leading farmers have been identified.  The CYFF workshop series will present these BMP concepts in an open discussion forum, allowing participants to share their own experiences in the management area.  Further, participants will learn from the experiences and opinions of their peers.
While a traditional workshop series may focus on intense exploration of technical skills, the CYFF workshop allows for open dialogue and a group rating of the level of implementation of each BMP, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the group.  Workshops 2 & 3 will be focused on building confidence and knowledge in these areas of weakness, while leveraging the management strengths identified for the group.
In addition to general exploration of the BMP-concepts, between each workshop event participants will be asked to use the concepts in a thorough and honest assessment of their own operations. Participants will be asked to share the results of their internal farm review with the workshop group.

Participants will be asked to develop and share:

1. A 10-year farm vision
2. A comprehensive SWOT analysis for the farm
3. A 10-year, 5-year and 1-year list of actions that will guide management decisions in order to achieve the 10-year farm vision.

This exercise not only facilitates an internal farm management unit assessment, but a proxy exploration of the agriculture industry as a whole.  While not a blueprint for far-reaching policy change, the confidence gained by the workshop peer group through exploration of the triumphs and challenges faced by various industry sectors will facilitate the young farmer community taking an active role in influencing future farm policy.
Feedback from the first workshop series delivered in the Maritime region was extremely positive.  Workshop participants appreciated the opportunity to share with and learn from their peers, in a forum that allowed for open and honest exchange of ideas and challenges.  The workshop format will remain flexible to accommodate the specific needs of the peer group.  There is opportunity to engage the support of regional professionals if further exploration of one or a number of the Best Management Practice concepts is desired.