Let's keep family in the family farm

by

Opinion

The agricultural industry is changing very quickly on many fronts. Whether it is risk management, human resources, or the latest in technology, farming is becoming more complex all of the time. With all the rapid change around us the one thing that seems to be consistent is the role that family plays in making up Canadian farms.

It’s estimated that 98 percent of Canadian farms are family owned, and that is something to sing from the roof tops. But we also know that working with family is not easy.

The family in family business is what can make our farms and ranches so complicated. We have all likely heard of or experienced personally a family farm succession disaster. I know full-well what happens when a family has a different version of the future of a farm. We know that family farm succession consultants are never short of work. But, in the family farm farm business, taking the family out of the farm to avoid struggles would be giving up so much.

The are not many occupations that allow you to work alongside your family day in and day out. Whether it’s your kids, parents, or grandparents, agriculture presents the unique chance to work alongside multiple generations at the same time. Lawyers, accountants, teachers, or police do not get the opportunity to walk side-by-side with their family in their daily lives. In agriculture there is an opportunity to learn from and mentor multiple generations as you put the crop in, vaccinate a new crop of calves or fill the milk tanker for the week.

All of the great pictures on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram show so many great examples of true family farming. It’s so great to see the tradition continuing.

We must also make sure that we do not take this special experience for granted. Whether it’s the youngest of farmers or the oldest, we must take farm safety into account. When it involves livestock or operating machinery, it’s important to make sure that another special day on the farm does not turn into a tragic memory.

Even though there are frustrating days working alongside family, the alternative would make agriculture a less attractive life for many of us. Family belongs in agriculture.

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