Features Associations Business
Balancing the bottom line

October 23, 2009 By Marg Land

October 23, 2009,
Regina, Sask – Agricultural producers and industry representatives from the
Prairie provinces will gather in Saskatoon this November to take part in the
Balancing the Bottom Line conference.

The event will
focus on global trends and participants will discuss practical solutions for
successful and sustainable prairie farms.

Sponsored by the
Farm Leadership Council (FLC), the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors (CAFA)
Inc. and the Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan (APAS), the
conference will address the economic, environmental and social balance in
today’s agricultural environment and how that factors into sustainability
within the industry.

The conference
takes place on November 18 and 19 at the Saskatoon Delta Bessborough and
features a diverse array of international speakers and presenters. Agricultural
producers, farm advisors and consultants, government representatives and
educators will be taking part in the two-day conference.

“This is one of the
premier events in western Canada to bring together producers and their advisors
– to learn and network together – this is a new and very exciting opportunity,”
explained Greg Marshall, APAS president. “This will be a top-notch event that
revolves around sustainability and being able to balance that bottom line.”

The conference’s
two featured keynote speakers are Australian farmer Ross Johns and former
Canadian Federation of Agriculture and International Federation of Agricultural
Producers (IFAP) president Jack Wilkinson.

“Ross Johns is a
vice chair of the Grains Research Development Corporation and a former director
of the Australian Barley Board,” noted FLC chairman Wayne Truman. “It will be
interesting to hear his insights from down under with respect to the changing
grain industry in Australia and how it is evolving and thriving.”

Wilkinson, who was
the IFAP president from 2002- 2008, will discuss issues and trends in the
Canadian, North American and Global sector.

“Jack Wilkinson
will provide some candid views on the challenges and opportunities that exist
for farmers here in Canada, and around the world,” said CAFA chair Leo
Kosokowsky. “Jack is a very engaging and thought provoking speaker who will
discuss the impact of these trends on producers and where we may be headed as
an industry.”

Other presenters
include: