I kept running into Craig Connell earlier this winter, first at the Dairy Farmers of Ontario annual meeting and then at the beef industry convention.
It was shocking to hear of his passing in early February. I’ve always appreciated Connell’s willingness to answer my questions and provide the opinion of someone with a growth mindset.
He has run a large farm operation, milking around 400 cows on about 3,000 acres. Wicketthorn Farms also has a significant feedlot operation.
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Connell, his wife Moira and their children emigrated from Scotland to Canada in 1981. Since then, the farm has grown significantly. I’ve always appreciated Connell’s willingness to try new business models, including livestock trading and farm supply retailing.
Not every new business succeeds, but there’s significant value in trying and learning. Like many who work in a dangerous occupation, the Connells also dealt with tragedy on their farm.
My last conversation with Connell, while we sat at the same table at the DFO annual meeting, was typical. We talked about labour on the farm and he pointed out how much he valued an ambitious young man who had been working on the farm while attending university and building his own business.
It wasn’t a conversation about the challenges of finding people to work. It was a conversation about a successful employee and the potential of finding more like him.
Along the way, Connell was a board member of the Dairy Farmers of Ontario and the Progressive Dairy Operators. Current PDO board chair Cees Haanstra took time at the recent triennial symposium to recognize Connell’s passing and to say his input would be missed.
The Connells hosted 4-H meetings when my son was in the Middlesex dairy club, including the club fitting day, which involved a lot of trailers showing up on the farm, with calves not yet fully trained for show day.
Where one found Craig, not far away was his wife, Moira, who years ago conducted my interview as I applied to the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program. I’m assuming it went well, because I was accepted.
The Connells were both inducted into the Middlesex County Agricultural Hall of Fame in 2022, which was entirely deserved.
Premier Ford at the March Classic
It was good to see the parade of high-profile provincial Conservatives at the Grain Farmers of Ontario March Classic, led by a surprise visit from Premier Doug Ford. It was the first time Ford has attended the event.
GFO works hard at government relations and has especially fostered connections to the current Conservative government.
The mainstream media showed up to capture the premier’s visit, but after years of covering speeches by politicians, I much prefer to give copy space to people with an intimate understanding of each sector’s issues.
Just once, I’d love to hear a politician say something surprising, but in an era of careful scripting, social media and instantaneous reporting, I’m not holding my breath.
We covered Ford’s visit in our Farmtario daily newsletter, but I stretched to find much to write that was connected to farming.
Ford stuck to his broader stump speech topics: carbon and taxes in general are bad, red tape is being cut, Ontario’s population and economy are growing.
Relating to agriculture, Ford sent the right messages to the crowd: agriculture is important, Bill C-234 (which would give some farmers an exemption to the carbon tax and has been the subject of intense political games in Ottawa) should be passed and the government is investing in agriculture research.
I have significant sympathy for people who are dropped into a new economic sector, community, or a different group of people each day and are expected to deliver a speech with impact to that group.
In the end, it’s the showing up that’s important, and the March Classic crowd appreciated that from the premier.
