Lourdes Gant 🦋

So, I love this post from Mike Fata... Here is the deal: having dipped my toes in entrepreneurship, and having talked to so many entrepreneurs (particularly in the CPG/food/bev space), what he shared is important... To paraphrase an old saying: "Mike was an overnight success, 20 years in the making..." The reality is that sometimes you can't get over the hurdles that Mike alludes to here, and that is ok. Sometimes moving on to something else is the right thing to do. But, the key here is that you will face these deep challenges regardless of whether you are on the right track or not. Your ability to discern (on purpose and values alignment, and strategic/pragmatic business realities) is so crucial to understand what you do next... Sometimes you are right to close up shop... Sometimes you are right to double down, and even "burn the boats"... Often, it is even something in between those... The point: entrepreneurship is hard, and if you don't find something deeper inside you to push you forward (beyond making lots of money, which isn't bad in and of itself), the already small likelihood of success becomes EVEN smaller... Thanks again for sharing this Mike!

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Let me tell you a story. Yesterday, I spent time with a group of Northern beef producers. They’ve only come together four times in 2024, and even though I do a lot of work in this space, I still get a thrill from seeing the incredible connections that are built in peer-to-peer groups and the impact they have. The day’s focus was business analysis – an important and valuable topic – but the real reason this group keeps coming back is connection. They came together because they wanted to, not because they had to, and shared ideas, challenges, and successes with peers who understand their world. In agriculture, we often hear the word “resilience” thrown around, and I have to say, I’m not a fan. It often feels like a way of saying farmers should just tough it out, no matter how hard things get. What I saw in this group was something far more powerful: connection. It’s through connection that real strength is built – the kind that helps you think differently, find clarity, and know you’re not in this alone. Connection isn’t about enduring; it’s about thriving, together. Even if each person walked away with just a 1% improvement or insight, the ripple effect of that could be enormous. Sometimes it’s the smallest ideas, shared casually in conversation, that create the biggest impact on how we think and operate. This group also showed the value of celebrating progress. Their celebration was simple: a card given from the coordinator to everyone stating “what we’ve achieved in 24”. It was such a cool moment (well done Kate!) to observe individuals read these. In farming, where the work is never really done, taking the time to celebrate can be transformative. It creates momentum, builds confidence, and reminds us why we do what we do. Some in agriculture still underestimate the power of peer-to-peer groups and the value of skilled facilitators who make them possible. But this group was proof of how transformative they can be. It takes a specialised set of skills to create this environment for producers; so Sophie if you’re reading this you nailed it! If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: connection matters. Whether it’s a few times a year or more often, investing time in building relationships, sharing ideas, and celebrating progress is never wasted. It might be the missing piece that helps you move forward.

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The safest cities in Canada, according to the Crime Severity Index Statistics Canada maintains its nationwide database on the incidence and severity of crime in the country, known as the Crime Severity Index

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Healthy soil is the foundation of a successful canola crop. Here are some tips to keep your soil in top shape What are your go-to methods for maintaining soil health? Share your tips below! #agriculturecanada #FarmLife #GrowLocal #PathwayToSuccess #AgriMarketing #Agripreneur #DigitalMarketing #ManitobaAgriculture #FarmBusiness #canadianagriculture

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Get paid upfront.

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British Columbia's Okanagan Valley is one of the key wine growing regions in North America, with a significant visitor economy, contributing to the CAD$3.75 billion from the wine industry to the provincial economy. In January, the Okanagan Valley experienced a devastating cold snap, with temperatures plummeting below -20C. This unprecedented climatic event inflicted severe damage to all the grapevines in the region and could result in a 97 to 99 per cent decrease in annual grape and wine production across the region — with projected revenue losses over the next few years in the $440 million to $445 million range. Drought conditions, heat waves and smoke from forest fires have heavily impacted grape yields and resulted in variations in wine quality across regions. The cumulative effect of these climate-related events underscores the undeniable influence that climate change is already having on wine production and quality. #britishcolumbia #okanagan #wineindustry #culinarytourism #climatechange #impacts Gracen Chungath Alison McKay Glenn Mandziuk MEDes. MCIP FRSA Chief Frank Antoine Eric Pateman, MBA, FRCGS Rebecca Mackenzie, MA (Global Leadership) Trevor Benson Camilo Montoya-Guevara Caroline Morrow Dr. Eric P. Zvaniga, DBA Kelly Galaski Angela Nagy Kavan Kumar Robb MacDonald Andrew Mason Rachel Dodds, PhD

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Always good to see more capital being deployed in the agriculture industry in Canada. I am very interested to see how this develops in a very capital intensive industry like farming. It’s difficult earning cash yields that meet the criteria of venture capital firms in agriculture without relying on the carrot of land appreciation. Attracting and retaining young farmers is more than just providing additional capital; it’s about maintaining and growing an industry that is attractive for our youth to invest their working careers.

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🌻 A harvest that serves many takes much work. Ask any grower. A business that serves many takes much work. Ask any team, service, expert, sales or senior leader. >  To serve the many – a business must achieve its vision, mission + values. >  To achieve vision, mission + values – the customers, their satisfaction + their loyalty must be served. >  To serve customers, satisfaction + loyalty – the people of the business must be served. >  To serve the people, all leaders must be developed – their Modern Leadership capability must be served. #serve If you’re inspired to build the bridge to Modern Leadership, Rejuvi will be right there to support you. #brickbybrick 🌻 #leadership #innovation #analytics #strategy

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(CANADA 03.07.24) #agtech Nature Fresh Farms using AI technology to help develop more sustainable farming. Nature Fresh Farms is leveraging AI technology to develop more sustainable farming practices and reduce food waste. Key points include: • Partnering with Intel to implement AI-enabled technology for comprehensive monitoring of farm operations. • Over 2,000 sensors track various aspects of produce growth, from climate and humidity to water usage and shipping. • Data processing time has been reduced from a full day to just minutes. • The farm can now optimize factors like heating, cooling, humidity and irrigation five times more frequently per day. • Remote control of greenhouse environments is now possible from anywhere in the world. • AI assists in optimizing plant life cycles from planting to harvesting. • The technology helps in decision-making processes, such as when to open vents or adjust for wind changes. • AI is also used in quality control, helping to grade peppers and assess color variants. • This technology aims to address the $1 trillion annual loss in food production due to supply chain disruptions. • Nature Fresh Farms, located in Leamington, grows berries, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. https://lnkd.in/gayR3cpF

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👏 Don’t Put Rob de Fégely ‘Out to Pasture’ Just Yet! 📢 “Don’t put me out to pasture just yet,” laughed respected forester and beef cattle hobbyist Rob de Fegely Co-founder and director of Margules Groome Consulting who spoke to friend and WoodCentral senior editor Jim Bowden. Mr. de Fégely, 67, recently retired from the Melbourne-based industry consultancy. However, his first love—forestry—remains a priority. 🔍 Key Insights: 1️⃣ Continued Commitment: Although stepping down from Margules Groome, Rob de Fégely is far from retiring. He will continue to serve the forest industry in various capacities, including as chair of Sustainable Timber Tasmania, board member of Forestry Corporation NSW, manager of the South-East Forestry Hub, and director of Alberta Investment Management Corporation in Canada. 2️⃣ Distinguished Career: Rob’s consulting career began in the 1980s with Ray Margules. Over the past four decades, he has undertaken numerous assignments for private and government sectors with a keen interest in strategy and policy. He has held notable positions such as chair of the Commonwealth Government’s Forest Industry Advisory Council (FIAC) and national president of Forestry Australia. 3️⃣ Advocacy and Education: Throughout his career, Rob has been passionate about promoting sustainable forestry practices and advocating for the forestry profession. He has contributed significantly to the education and training of future forestry professionals and capacity building within the sector. 🌿 Rob de Fégely's contributions to the forestry industry are unparalleled. He was the founding chair of Cape York Timber, an indigenous-based sawmilling enterprise, and has advised several organisations, including Greening Australia and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. His work has spanned Australia and the Asia-Pacific region, emphasising sustainable forestry practices. 📅 Looking Ahead: Despite his retirement from Margules Groome, Rob remains a vital figure in the forestry industry. His continued involvement in various organisations ensures that his expertise and passion for sustainable forestry will continue to benefit the sector. 🔗 Learn more about Rob de Fégely’s remarkable career and his ongoing contributions to the forestry industry: https://lnkd.in/gxPSR_fn 🗣️ #questionforgroup: What are your thoughts on the importance of sustainable forestry practices and the role of experienced professionals like Rob de Fégely in shaping the industry's future? Share your insights and experiences. 💬 Join the conversation on sustainable forestry, industry leadership, and the future of forestry practices. #forestry #sustainableforestry #woodcentral #industry #forests #auspol #ausgov #timber #woodcentralau1

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Will agriculture downturn and demographics impact land use, ownership and sales? Find out on Monday's new episode of The Business of Agriculture podcast! 👀 Watch it on YouTube starting Monday at 8am: https://lnkd.in/gxS84aEA 👀 Watch it on AcresTV starting Monday at 8am: https://lnkd.in/g8jchRMM 🎧 Listen anywhere you stream your podcasts! "Do we see a situation where entities buy properties and say, you just get paid to operate my acres? Do you think that comes to broadacre?" "As painfully as I hate to admit it, I believe that is a trend that's very likely to occur in production agriculture. It's probably gonna be driven, at the end of the day, from economics and highest and best use." –Damian with Mike Downey #DamianMason #TheBusinessOfAgriculture #podcast #agriculture #MikeDowney #ProductionAg #broadacre 

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Weekly Saskatchewan Crop Report: 🌾 Provincially, most producers have completed their seeding operations with 98 per cent of the 2024 crop seeded. 🌱 🌧️Rain continued to hinder seeding operations in the northeast and east-central parts of the province. Some producers have indicated their acres may not be able to be seeded this year due to the excess moisture in some areas. Rain fell throughout the province over the last week with the northeast region receiving the highest amounts. The Lake Lenore area reported the highest rainfall amount at 81 mm followed by the Arborfield area at 78 mm and the Duck Lake area at 76 mm. Regions that have received increased precipitation have noted that the heavy rainfall has caused water to collect in lower-lying areas with crop flooding occurring. For the full report follow this link🌾 https://lnkd.in/gdHuZ3HA

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Thank you, Kendra! Exciting times ahead for the hemp industry. At Verve Seed Solutions, we’re thrilled to push the boundaries of hybrid hemp genetics, offering increased yields and consistent quality that bring real value to hempseed food ingredients. Together, we're laying the foundation for hemp to be a strong competitor in the plant protein space. #HybridHemp #PlantProtein #HempInnovation #VerveSeedSolutions"

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Canada is known around the world of its high-quality wheat, with Canadian Western Red Spring (CWRS) being hailed for its superior milling and baking quality. This hard wheat has high protein content and high protein quality which means it can improve the quality of a blend if milled with lower-quality wheat. CWRS is the most popular wheat grown in Canada, around 60% of annual production. #ageducation #DYK Wheat is a staple food for 35% of the world's population, and it is Canada's largest field crop grown. Every year, Canada exports wheat to more than 70 countries. Canadian wheat is also used domestically for food, feed and fuel. #agforlife #agriculture #farming #sustainability

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Journey of an unlikely entrepreneur (snippet #1) I'm going to tell a science story, just for fun, because I'm retired, and I have time, and it is interesting. It's about my journey (and, positively correlated, my wife's journey) from being a scientist with no interest in industry to becoming an unlikely entrepreneur. It is not a story about wild success, far from it, but it's not about failure of a startup either. It is a tale about fish, which should amuse my colleagues who know that I don't really like fish, even though I'm a fisheries oceanographer (see https://lnkd.in/ew26ciA9). I'm more of a plankton guy. When I started out as a brash oceanography grad student in the early 1980s I had no interest in working for industry. I thought I'd be a university professor (that didn't happen). When the phone rang in the biological oceanography lab at Dalhousie we used to joke that it was Scripps calling to offer one of us a job. That call never came, but we all graduated anyway and went our separate ways. My path led me down a long series of postdocs and research associateships, and then into "permanent" jobs as a government scientist in New Zealand, Australia and California. I did eventually work for 11 years as the NOAA lead for the CalCOFI program, at the SWFSC on the UCSD Scripps campus. While travelling down that road, I watched with amazement, and sometimes with admiration, how some of my colleagues applied their skills to becoming science entrepreneurs. Some were successful, and some were not. One got into remote sensing and then into instrument development, becoming very successful quite quickly. Another struggled to keep a deep-sea camera business going. Some turned their modelling skills from government stock assessment to private consultancy. Others set up an acoustic survey consultancy. It fascinated me, but never appealed. I was too busy writing research papers. It never occurred to me that I'd take that path one day. [to be continued ...]

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