District farmer attends Growers University

A Rouleau district farmer returned from Growers University in Ontario with a different outlook toward his farming operation.
Curtis Dobson attended the three-day event recently. It was sponsored by chemical company Syngenta Crop Protection of Canada.
An intensive three days with 35 farmers from across Canada and faculty from the Richard Ivey School of Business in London, Ont., was "absolutely the chance of a lifetime."
Workshops he particularly enjoyed involved leveraging financial assets and managing people.
"It's not too hard these days to find land and equipment, but finding the skilled labour to expand is hard. We need people who can operate big machinery, GPS directional systems," said Dobson.
The school gave him tools to build a plan for finding and retaining help for his 6,500-acre grain and pedigreed seed farm east of Rouleau, said Dobson.
Leveraging is more than borrowing, he said.
"You work with your books to see where you stand with your bank. You use ratios like debt to equity to see if you should borrow or put your own money into an investment, sell some land, or pay down some debt."
The planning process involves finding the most profitable parts of the farm and "attacking your costs where you can."
Associating with 34 other farmers around his age, 39, was as helpful as the business school sessions.
"I learned as much from them as I learned at Growers University."
He would like to see a follow-up Growers University to explore subjects further.
"You leave there with a business plan for one or two things you want to do. I'd like to see another session so you can follow up, to see who actually did something and how it did."
Dobson and his wife Alison grow spring wheat, durum, canola, flax, canary seed, three types of lentils and field peas.
They started 19 years ago with a rented half section (320 acres), then phased into his father's operation and grew.
The university experience was cool, he said.
"They treated us like CEOs of large corporations."
Dobson is happy his chemical representative invited him to apply for the session.
Syngenta has operated the Growers University for five years now.

Ron Walter can be reached at 691-1264.