Ralph Pearce Risks and rewards Communicating about modern agriculture key to acceptance of innovation Over the past 10 to 15 years, robotic systems have revolutionized dairy farms, and similar mobilized systems are becoming increasingly common in field operations, from planting to small-scale weed management. However, the arrival of any innovation requires time for acclimatization, as well as consideration of the effects on commodity pricing, trade concerns, and the federal carbon tax, all of which can impact margins and profitability. A constant among these changes is the acceptance of risk, including determining whether alterations in practices work efficiently to benefit producers, the overall impact on their operations or whether there’s a risk of consumer backlash. One thing is certain: risk has been part of agriculture, and not just since the mid-1990s, but long before. Its acceptance is perhaps a testament to producers and the industry as a whole. In many circles, risk has been magnified by an environment of fear, stoked largely by mainstream media, the rise of social media and in many respects, government policies. Scientific facts are challenged and eroded by those with little or no scientific background, and agriculture is falling under that influence. BEING THE EXAMPLE As much as the industry may be under threat, Kevin MacLean believes those involved in food production need to take the reins and drive more of the efforts that help inform consumers. A big part of that effort is to accept risk as part of the job as a producer; it’s just part of their DNA. “My neighbour and I joke that as farmers, we make more decisions by noon in a day than a lot of people make in a week,” says MacLean, a dairy producer and Grain Farmers of Ontario farmermember, who operates Ripplebrook Farm near Napanee. “We take a certain sense of pride in that, and I think we enjoy the challenge of making those decisions, and with just about every decision we make, there’s some level of inherent risk.” More than an advocate for “stepping up”, MacLean is an embodiment of that pledge, hosting multiple on-farm events that have attracted hundreds of consumers through the years. He’s hosted Farm and Food Care Ontario’s (FFCO) Breakfast on the Few industries have seen change to the same extent as agriculture since the mid-1990s. Advances such as Bt corn and glyphosatetolerant crops altered the standards for crop farmers, along with yield monitors, auto-steer, and variable-rate technology. ONTARIO GRAIN FARMER INDUSTRY NEWS 24
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