Q. How long have you been farming and what is your speciality or main crop?
A. It’s hard to put a start date on farming when you grow up as a farm kid. But it’s fair to say I didn’t do much other than learn before 12 years old. It would be close to 20 years since I took over from my father. I grow corn, IP soybeans and winter wheat.
Q. What is the greatest challenge facing agriculture in Chatham-Kent?
A. Ignoring the weather, as it sets the tone for everything; the “controllable” challenges are government regulation. Our society is at a point where the majority of those working as either elected officials or within the bureaucracy of government do not have any farm experience. This creates many good-intentioned rules that are not workable and can have many negative consequences on the farm.
Q. What is the greatest challenge facing agriculture in Canada and around the world?
A. Lack of knowledge. As the number of people directly involved in farming steadily decreases, we have a world that no longer understands how to work with nature to produce the immense quantity of food needed. This brings about demands on farming practice that are not founded on reality, but rather a misguided view of how things work.
Q. How is technology impacting your operation and do you see it changing the farming industry for the better?
A. Technology has definitely made it easier to farm, however, that leads to farms increasing in size, which is more work. Without technology, farms could not produce enough food for the growing population.
Q. Do you believe in climate change and has the weather impacted your farm operation this year?
A. Weather impacts the farm every year, and every year is different. The term “climate change” has taken on political meanings that are not necessarily in line with science.
Q. How long have you been the leader of your farming organization?
A. It’s approaching two years since I was first elected provincial director in the Grain Farmers of Ontario.
I have been the president of the Essex Kent Christian Farmers (the local board for the CFFO general farm organization) for three years.
