2025 Agenda
February 4, 2025 | 6 PM - 10 PM
6 PM - 10 PM: Connect & Converge Opening Reception Join your hosts Dan Aberhart and Warren Bills for the first night of Convergence Conference 2025. Enjoy a beverage, catch up with industry connections, and let the converging begin!
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7:15 PM - 10 PM: Entertainment - Paul & Ken With a friendship spanning over 20 years and three years of performing as a duo, we bring a rich history and tight musical chemistry to every stage. Ken Burton, a professional guitarist based in Regina, Saskatchewan, has 30 years of performing and teaching experience. He has played all over Canada and the U.S. with various artists, lending his talent to recordings, jingles, radio, and television. Paul has been singing since the age of five and went on to study voice and performance on a scholarship in Iowa, earning numerous vocal accolades along the way. Together, we fuse decades of experience into a dynamic acoustic duo, specializing in country and rock with a few original songs woven in. We take full-band arrangements and reimagine them for two guitars, proving that sometimes, less really is more. Our performances blend heartfelt harmonies, skilled musicianship, and an easygoing vibe that keeps audiences engaged. Whether it’s an intimate venue or a lively crowd, we adapt to the moment, delivering music that resonates. Our goal is simple—to create a memorable musical experience that connects with every audience.
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February 6, 2025 | 7:30 AM - 2 PM
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast & Registration
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM: Welcome Get settled in as we kick off our morning with some words of wisdom from Dan Aberhart and Warren Bills.
8:45 AM - 9:30 AM: Terry Aberhart, Aberhart Group - Growing Healthy Lives: Pillars of Purpose This session will guide you through reflecting on your past achievements, defining your Pillars of Purpose, and aligning your actions with your values and passions. By amplifying your focus and fostering intentional growth, Terry will empower you to cultivate clarity, purpose, and momentum to create a brighter, more impactful future.
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9:30 AM - 10:15 AM: Opening Keynote Evan Shout - The Fragmentation of Agriculture The Fragmentation of Agriculture explores the demographic trends on primary producer operations and how this will have a significant effect moving forward. What happens to an industry when its largest thought leadership, wealth management, and operational labor force exit? How does the next generation survive the learning curve, access to capital, and other difficulties that come with transition? The future belongs to those that see the possibilities before they become opportunities.
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10:15 AM - 10:30 AM: Networking Break
10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Breakout - Moose Jaw Room Derryn Shrosbree, 33seven - Farm Continuity Starts Now You are ready for next season, but are you ready for your next generation?
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10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Breakout - Swift Current Room Matt Gosling, Premium Ag Solutions Inc. - Farm Business Trait Differentiators Over his 22 years providing agronomic advice, Matt has worked with many producers over a diverse range of sizes, focuses, locations, ages, and educations. Matt will go through what he has seen as the top 10 traits of successful farm businesses.
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10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Breakout - Prince Albert Room Craig Davidson, Taurus Ag - High Priced Fertilizer Inputs in 2025 - What are you doing to maximize production? Agriculture is a tight margin business and with 2025 being a year to sharpen the pencil or spreadsheet, are you asking the right questions around your inputs? What is the efficiency of that tonne of fertilizer into the plant in the year of application? What is my true cost of a Ibs. of nutrient to grow a bushel? What are my potential losses in real terms based on my application method, environment or soil type when we look at nitrogen? Does plant health really matter and what does it really mean? We will look to dig a bit deeper into the questions you should be asking to maximize your dollars invested to continue to pursue the best economic returns for 2025 and beyond.
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10:30 AM - 11:15 AM: Breakout - Qu'Appelle Room Rochelle Beaujot, Rowen Adventures - Fit For the Farm: Simple Strategies for Strength, Energy, and Longevity
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11:15 AM - 12 PM: Vintage Voices, Mainstage Panel A panel of old farmers who have seen it all! The Vintage Voices panel brings together seasoned farmers who have seen it all - from droughts and floods to bumper crops and new technologies they might not even use. These farmers have decades of dirt under their fingernails and stories to share that could teach the next generation of farmers a thing or two about using our past to propel us into a brighter future.
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12 PM - 1 PM: Lunch
1 PM - 1:45 PM: Closing Keynote Robert Saik, AGvisorPRO & Daniel McCann, Precision AI - How will AI Impact Agriculture? Rob and Dan will share thoughts and examples of how AI may or may not impact agriculture. Leveraging on their international travels as well as their business experiences, they will share what AI is and how it can be leveraged. You won’t want to miss this fast-paced eye-opener.
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1:45 PM - 2 PM: Final Remarks - Dan Aberhart & Warren Bills
February 5, 2025 | 7:30 AM - 10 PM
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM: Breakfast & Registration
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM: Welcome Get settled in as we kick off our morning with some words of wisdom from Dan Aberhart and Warren Bills.
8:45 AM - 9:45 AM: Opening Keynote Diamond Fernandes, Heart Fit Clinic Unveiling the Truth: How integrative testing and nutrition converge to prevent heart disease and improve gut health
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9:45 AM - 10 AM: Networking Break
10 AM - 11 AM: Breakout - Moose Jaw Room Kaylee Arnold, Scotiabank Interest Rate Risk Management - What Current Rates and Forecasts Could Mean for Your Operation Join Kaylee Arnold from Scotiabank to hear about current interest rate markets and forecasts, as well as different strategies to navigate the uncertainty. While traditional financing options are commonly offered, there are more sophisticated products available that could be better suited to your operation.
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10 AM - 11 AM: Breakout - Swift Current Room Markus Braaten, Yara International - Market Development Manager - Digital Agronomy On Farm Evolution of the 4R’s of Nutrient Management The “4R’s” have long been a hallmark of agronomically sound nutrient recommendations. To achieve maximum yield, the examination of source, rate, placement, and timing are critically considerations. Today and for a whole host of reasons, we find ourselves in a situation where economic, agronomic, and operational concerns are placing unique pressure on the fertilizer decision. In this presentation we will explore on farm opportunities to adapt programs with innovative products and practices to increase nutrient use efficiency with an eye towards grower profitability through a reexamination of and more comprehensive execution on the 4R’s.
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10 AM - 11 AM: Breakout - Prince Albert Room Darren Sander, Crop Aid Nutrition - Shovel Kings: An Entrepreneurial Journey Into Soil Health Solutions Join Dan Aberhart as he interviews Darren Sander, the visionary founder of Crop Aid Nutrition, in an engaging and insightful discussion at the Convergence Conference. Together, they’ll delve into Darren’s entrepreneurial journey of building Crop Aid Nutrition from the ground up, the cutting-edge science behind soil health, and the innovative solutions his company provides to help farmers thrive in an ever-changing agricultural landscape. From overcoming the challenges of launching a business in a volatile industry to developing products that deliver measurable results, this session will showcase the determination and expertise that earned Darren the title of "Shovel King." Be inspired by his story and discover practical insights to tackle the future of farming.
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10 AM - 11 AM: Breakout - Qu'Appelle Room Robyn Kary-Lockert & Jack Kary Fine Tuning Seed Placement in Your Soil Yield potential of a crop is highest right before the seed hits the soil. The way that seed is placed immediately predetermines that seed’s potential. With the wide range of soil texture, organic matter and moisture levels across Western Canada, not any one technique will provide the optimal seed placement in every soil type. We cannot control the weather after the seeding pass however fine tuning machine settings and utilizing technology can provide the best possible start to every seed in every soil type on your farm, especially when the weather adds to the challenge.
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11 AM - 12 PM: Keynote Elaine Froese, Farm Family Coach Inc. Finding Fairness in Farm Transition: Have you ever had a fight over what the family thinks is fair? Elaine Froese’s tools will empower you to find fairness, to help everyone in your farm family be successful. Many farm families struggle with talking about fairness to non-farm heirs, and the farming successors wonder when the conversation will ever end with a workable solution for all. Fairness means different things to different farm team members and the non-business heirs. This keynote will help you: - Learn to ask powerful questions to uncover what fairness means to each individual involved in your farm transition process. - Glean better conflict resolution language to help you navigate tough yet courageous conversations to transfer assets and build harmony in your farm family. - Activate the FAIR approach of financial transparency, attitudes towards money, intentions, and dealing with roles and rebels. Fairness is helping everyone be successful. Five Trends to Watch for in Canadian Agriculture Shaun Haney, founder of RealAgriculture and host of RealAg Radio (SiriusXM), delivers engaging insights on agricultural policy to audiences. He expertly covers trade agreements, regulatory frameworks, politics and farm support programs, illustrating their impact on farmers and the broader agricultural economy. Drawing from his extensive industry experience, Shaun highlights both challenges and opportunities, offering actionable strategies to navigate the evolving landscape of agriculture.
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12 PM - 1 PM: Lunch
1 PM - 2 PM: Keynote Shaun Haney, RealAgriculture Five Trends to Watch for in Canadian Agriculture Shaun Haney, founder of RealAgriculture and host of RealAg Radio (SiriusXM), delivers engaging insights on agricultural policy to audiences. He expertly covers trade agreements, regulatory frameworks, politics and farm support programs, illustrating their impact on farmers and the broader agricultural economy. Drawing from his extensive industry experience, Shaun highlights both challenges and opportunities, offering actionable strategies to navigate the evolving landscape of agriculture.
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2 PM - 2:45 PM: Breakout - Moose Jaw Room Mike Palmier, MNP - Using Data to Drive Agronomic Decision Making Agronomy is an unrelenting discipline, as ever-changing environmental and market conditions constantly effect the decision making process needed to make effective decisions and recommendations. In the face of this type of uncertainty, building a proper decision-making framework to avoid the pitfalls of human psychology and bias is key to increasing the odds of success and enable incremental improvement on our farms. Mike discusses how to move the needle on the journey to long-term success by combining solid Agronomic principles along with collecting, compiling and using data in such a way as to drive expanded insights on his customer's farms.
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2 PM - 2:45 PM: Breakout - Swift Current Room Craig Klemmer, FCC Shifting the Focus: Productivity vs. Profitability Understanding current trends in Canadian agricultural productivity, profitability, and investment is crucial for shifting the conversation towards supporting long-term profitability and creating opportunities for future generations, while identifying actions and opportunities in the industry that can help businesses make a positive impact.
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2 PM - 2:45 PM: Breakout - Prince Albert Room Ty Kehrig, Exceed Grain Marketing Marketing Your Grain into 2025 Simple overview of how producers can benefit from some early planning on their grain marketing for the 2025/26 crop year. Overview of current market trends and how one can properly position themselves as we prepare for the crop year.
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2 PM - 2:45 PM: Breakout - Qu'Appelle Room Terry Drabiuk, Genesis Fertilizers - Canadian Farmers Building the Next Generation of Fertilizer Production Discussion of Genesis Fertilizers project proposing to finance, design and construct a highly efficient ammonia urea fertilizer manufacturing complex. One central production facility constructed near low cost raw materials serving a Western Canadian network of strategically located farmer centric SuperCenters.
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2:45 PM - 3 PM: Networking Break
3 PM - 4 PM: Breakout - Moose Jaw Room Jarrett Chambers, ATP Nutrition - Plants are Speaking to Us - Are We Listening? With today’s technology, we have learned to understand how a plant is “feeling” in terms of both its nutritional status and also its stress level. This becomes essential information as we are pushed to drive productivity by using less. We will need to dig into our agronomic toolbox to meet this challenge. This workshop will build from this and focus in 2 areas. The first being what analytical technologies are being used today to measure the health of the plant (and soil). Secondly, real life case studies will be presented, using these technologies, to highlight how some of the agronomic tools can drive the genetic potential of the crop.
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3 PM - 4 PM: Breakout - Swift Current Room Tyler Groeneveld, Corteva Agriscience - Think Beyond the Bag - A peak behind the multi-national curtain Canadian Industry Leader Tyler Groeneveld shares his purview on what a major life science company may be working on or influencing on a macro–Ag Industry basis that a farmer may not see daily. Tyler will draw on his experience leading the North American grains and oils business for Corteva to share insight into value chain creation in cereals and oilseeds that goes beyond price / litre or price per bag. Join Tyler for a “peak behind the curtain” on future innovations, policy influence, seeking unconventional opportunities, and the importance of using “agriculture” and “food production” descriptors every time we talk about our industry.
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3 PM - 4 PM: Breakout - Prince Albert Room Owen Kinch, Mojow Autonomous Solutions - Autonomous Solutions for Broad Acre Farming Owen will introduce the audience to the Mojow tech stack and then take them through the EYEBOX™ user application for a firsthand look into the farmer's experience, operating an autonomous tractor for broad acre field application.
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3 PM - 4 PM: Breakout - Qu'Appelle Room Lacey Owens - Protect Your Golden Goose - More Progress, More Productivity, and More Profits We are going to talk about the MOST important piece to your success, and it’s often the last thing we really consider. We meticulously care for our machinery in hopes that it will perform at an optimal level throughout the busy seasons. We service it each morning, and cool it down at the end of the day. Why?? Because when something is off it just slows down progress. We find ourselves stopping over and over, patching things up, and eventually – we have a breakdown. Breakdowns really suck. We are left at the mercy of someone else, waiting for parts and repairs. It can be very frustrating. One thing that we’re not always aware of is that our mindset works very similarly to our machinery. It has the power to slow us down and to speed us up. As we are all attend the Convergence Conference to look forward, innovate, and grow our businesses – let us not overlook our true ‘Golden Goose’ – ourselves! Let’s talk about having better time management skills, more focus, vision, creativity, and the ability to manage stress and solve problems efficiently and effectively. We will dig in and discuss where stress can really take you and your business, how to overcome it quickly, and how to strengthen your brain for optimal performance – the same way you do your machinery. Lacey will share personal stories that will have you laughing and nodding in recognition, and she'll equip you with practical tools to take home — helping you boost your success and get even more out of life!
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4 PM - 4:15 PM: Hosts Closing "Special Announcement" Dan Aberhart & Warren Bills
Evening Reception | 5:45 PM - 10 PM
Join us for a three-course dinner, an exceptional keynote address from Benny Fisher, and an evening of networking. *What to wear? Dress up, keep it simple, or land somewhere in between - whatever feels right for you - we're just looking forward to a great evening together.
5:45 PM - 6:15 PM: Networking & Cocktails
6:15 PM - 6:30 PM: Welcome from our founders Terry Aberhart & Warren Bills
6:30 PM - 7:15 PM: Dinner
7:15 PM - 8 PM: Banquet Keynote Benny Fisher, Visionary, Entrepreneur, Public Speaker Pain Into Presence: Experience Pain into Presence, an inspiring keynote designed to ignite transformation and resilience. Through captivating stories and powerful insights, this session explores how life’s challenges can spark growth, uncover purpose, and unlock the power of being fully present. Learn the impact of embracing adversity, creating clarity through intentional living, and sharing your unique story to inspire others. Walk away with fresh perspectives and practical takeaways to align your life and work with deeper meaning, purpose, and impact. Discover how your journey can become a powerful tool for connection and change.
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8:00 PM - 8:15 PM: Hosts Closing Remarks
8:15 PM - 10 PM: Networking & Cocktails
