[getsmart-l] The Enduring Attraction of the Farming Lifestyle CFFO Commentary - Jan 25, 2008

[John O'Gorman]

Note: Please direct correspondence on the CFFO Commentary to John Clement, General Manager at clement at christianfarmers.org.

                                                                                               

 

The CFFO Commentary

Title: The Enduring Attraction of the Farming Lifestyle

 

By John Clement

January 25, 2008

 

Although farming is a business, many people farm for the continuing attraction of the farming lifestyle. And because that's the case, probably the best advice that could be given is that farmers ensure they can achieve their lifestyle goals through a commitment to both sound business planning and an emphasis on creative thinking regarding management and marketing issues.

 

This theme struck me as I watched and listened to participants at a recent farm business management seminar. As the conversation moved on throughout the day, I heard again and again that even though these people wanted to better manage their farms, their motivation was primarily because they wanted to remain farmers rather than to just improve their incomes. 

 

Consider the following commitment to farming:

 

·                    Almost all of the seminar participants had either off-farm jobs or had incorporated some kind of service, like an auto repair shop on the farm, into their income planning. 

·                    Most participants were either trying to access local markets for food or were starting to think about finding a way to differentiate their products. 

·                    Despite the personal challenges they faced, most participants remained optimistic about the future of the industry and their spot within it.

·                    Almost all participants noted that they believed farmers should be able to meet their income needs from farming alone and actively promoted the time-honoured ideal of the family farm.

 

If you had the time and opportunity to investigate further, my guess is that many of these people would say that farming is in their blood and that they personally value independence, connections to land and place, a rural lifestyle and so on. In fact, in many cases, my observation is that many people with these personal values will cling to their farms tenaciously and will make almost any sacrifice to retain their chosen lifestyle.

 

>From an economic viewpoint, this commitment to a given lifestyle clearly doesn't always make much sense. In many cases, people might be better off to sell the farm and choose another career that delivered a steadier, more predictable income. But the power of our lifestyle choices is strong and it's likely that we will continue to see people making sacrifices to farm. 

 

The key to success probably lies in making sure that a good business plan is in place to deliver on those personal, lifestyle goals. If people are clear on their reasons for farming --- and they should be --- then a well-developed business plan, combined with a flair for creative thinking, is one of the best ways to ensure that farmers can pursue their chosen lifestyle for years to come.

 

John Clement is the General Manager of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario. The CFFO Commentary is heard weekly on CFCO Chatham, CKNX Wingham and CHOK Sarnia, Ontario and is archived on the CFFO website: www.christianfarmers.org/index.html. CFFO is supported by 4,353 family farmers across Ontario. 

 

 

 

Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario

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