How I Contribute to Ag
“Are you from a farm?”
I get asked this question a lot, and often feel embarrassed to say that I am not from a farm. I did not grow up working day and night in the field, or checking cows throughout the cold blistering winters.
I grew up with a love for animals and participating in 4-H, herding the cats at my grandparents farm, and begging my parents to let me get a horse, but I was not part of a traditional farm family.
Despite the fact that I am not from a farm, I have held a variety of positions in agriculture, from working in a lab at a swine facility, to a summer student working on field trials across Saskatchewan, to my current role as an agriculture lender. These experiences allowed me to understand where my passion stems from; learning about agriculture, talking to farmers and meeting new people.
This realization made my decision to study agriculture in university an easy choice to make. The experience allowed me to explore many areas of the industry and led me to work in the Agribusiness sector. University was the first step to building a network of other likeminded people who have similar interests and passions.
Now I work as a Farm and Business Advisor, and am part of a strong network of farm partners including accountants, lawyers, marketers and others that are all specialists in their fields. We work to provide a high level of service to clients, and to promote agriculture.
Farm advisors and partners have a similar objective, to provide service and advice. Advisors prioritize learning about what is happening in agriculture from a local and global scale, and to ensure farmers are given advice and information that allows them to make the best decisions for their operations.
This network is a group of individuals that rely on continued education, collaboration and support to ensure we help farmers do what they do best. As a group, we work to mentor and challenge each other to ensure we provide the best possible service for our clients, who are hardworking Saskatchewan farmers and ranchers.
So while I may not be from a farm, I have chosen a career path that allows me to contribute to agriculture and food production. Although my role does not involve herding cattle or seeding crops, it does involve supporting farm businesses and helping farmers run profitable and sustainable farming operations. It’s all about the big picture.
Some were born into it, some chose it from the outside looking in, but our love for agriculture is the same.
~Shannon~
