The dairy program will start with guest speaker Elaine Froese, known for her insightful and expert ability to provide advice to dairy farmers and their families on how to deal with the tough issue of succession planning. Froese is a farmer from Boissevain, Manitoba, who not only has the practical tools to deal with conflict resolution and succession success, but is a member of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisers and a noted TV personality. Later in the same day Froese, at a second session starting at 1:15 p.m., will focus on recommendations for producers and their families on how to initiate succession discussion.

Following the Froese presentation, Jennifer Woods from Blackie, Alberta, will speak about animal fitness for transport, which is a leading animal welfare issue particularly when shipping cull cows. Her talk will focus on the obstacles that animals face during transport and which animals may not be able to face the rigors of transport. Woods is currently a director with the Animal Transport Association of Canada and chair of the livestock committee. She was directly involved in the development of the animal welfare transportation audit for the American Meat Institute. She is currently working on the development of a transporter training program for B.C. dairy producers.

An afternoon session in the Lobby Room with Dr. Victor Lo, a professor in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of British Columbia begins at 1:15 p.m. Lo will outline in summary the results of research that was based on a pilot scale system set up on innovative waste treatments processes developed to control pollution, maximize resource utilization and minimize environmental impacts from waste discharge. His interest centers on biological process applications in waste treatment, treatment of food processing and agriculture wastewaters and solid wastes, including anaerobic digestion and bio-energy production, nutrient recovery and composting.

The Agri Energy Forum on Friday, Jan. 28, is new for 2011. The forum gets underway at 9 a.m. with welcoming words from the Chair of the B.C. Agriculture Council Garnet Etsell. The opening session, chaired by Sandy Ferguson, director of marketing with the B.C. Energy Network will feature speakers from the Ministry of Energy, B.C. Hydro and Terasen Gas, all focusing on renewable energy pricing.

The second session on anaerobic digestion starts at 10:30 a.m. and is chaired by Chilliwack dairy producer Jeremy Wiebe. Chris Bush from Abbotsford, who has just put in service at huge anaerobic digester that converts manure waste from cows and poultry into a useable gas which is then sold to Terasen Gas for local distribution leads off the presenters. Bill Vanderkooi, president of Bakerview Eco Dairy will outline his thoughts on biogas for electricity production, and Mike Raker will discuss the Vermont experience.

Following lunch, moderator Matt Dickson from ARDCorp (the B.C. Agriculture Research and Development Corporation) will oversee the input from five speakers all dealing with renewable agri-energy technologies. Barry Milner from Geo Smart Energy will talk about Geoexchange. Tim Weiss from the Pembina Institute will focus on Small Scale wind projects. Wood pellet flue gas for greenhouse CO2 is the subject for Reinhold Krahn, owner of Sunselect. Rick Van Kleeck from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of B.C. will deal with gasification of poultry waste and specified risk material, and Eric Camirand, president of Electrigaz will discuss biotechnology feedstock surveying techniques.

The program closes with Kim Ross from Farm Credit Canada, who will outline options farmers have to finance their renewable energy projects. George Geldart, the manager of the AgriFood Business Development program with the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture will chair this session.

The Building Business Success forum also takes place at 9 a.m. on Friday. It will involve two main speakers – Elaine Frose, farm family business coach, and Al Scholz, management consultant – and a panel of local producers, including Michael and Judy Campbell from Campbell’s Gold Honey Farm and Meadery; Gary and Susan Snow; and L.W. Truscott Farms and farm business advisers Larry Linndquist and Cheryl Davie. The object of the panel discussion is to help producers learn how to develop their business planning skills and improve their farms financial performance.

Prior to the start of the show, the Ministry of Agriculture has put together a Dairy Farm Tour package for Wednesday, Jan. 26. This program is voluntary, and producers can elect to visit all or some of the farms listed for visits. The visiting times vary from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and others from 10 a.m. to 3 and 4 p.m. A complete list of the farms, including a map detailing their location is available by calling John Luymes in Abbotsford at (604) 556-3114.

Dairy producers in British Columbia will be mailed two free three-day passes to B.C. Dairy Expo, compliments of Meyers Norris Penny LLP, which will also admit them to all three days of the show. All MNP pass holders receive one free registration into Dairy Expo Seminars, Agri-Energy Forum and the Building Business Success program. The MNP pass card will also entitle them to a complimentary family consultation on succession planning with MNP staff. American dairy producers will have to pay a $10 registration fee covering Dairy Expo and the Energy Forum on Friday.  PD

—From Show Manager Jim Shepard