Agri-Visions Speakers
Keynote Speaker
VANCE CROWE
Vance Crowe is a communications strategist that has worked for corporations and international organizations around the world. He has spoken before more than 250,000 people, answering questions about some of the most sophisticated and controversial technologies in the modern age.
Vance helps organizations realize why the general public doesn’t agree with their perspective and offers new ways to communicate effectively, resolve disagreements, and build rapport with critics and stakeholders.
Vance has worked for organizations as varied as the World Bank, Monsanto, the US Peace Corps and even as a deckhand on an ecotourism ship.
During this insightful keynote, communications expert and founder of Legacy Interviews, Vance Crowe, will share what he has learned from interviewing hundreds of people, guiding them to record their most valuable life stories so that the future generations can know their family history.
Vance will teach how to start conversations with potential, how to ask great questions and how to be aware when something important is said and you learn things that will develop your relationship.
Session Speaker
ANNE WASKO
Anne Wasko has been a market analyst for over 35 years focusing on the Canadian cattle and beef industry. She is the Market Analyst for Gateway Livestock based in Taber, Alberta. Anne operates Cattle Trends Inc, a consulting company for cattle market intelligence. She is a regular contributor to RealAgriculture.com and RealAg Radio on Sirius. Prior to Gateway Livestock, Anne was the Senior Market Analyst with Canfax for 21 years. Anne is the past Chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef. Anne was a Board member on the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, a member of the Canadian Beef Advisors, sat on the Saskatchewan ADF Advisory committee and the Alberta Livestock and Meat Agency Board.
Anne’s volunteer work includes various mentorship programs, both formal and informal, for several individuals and loves keeping up to date with them. She also volunteered for 20 years at the Calgary Stampede.
Anne and her husband, Barry, operate Bar 4 Bar Land & Cattle Inc in Eastend, SK, a commercial cow-calf operation. It is a popular place, especially in the summer, for their 10 grandchildren to enjoy. Anne enjoys golfing and travel.
JONATHAN DRIEDGER
Jon joined the LeftField Commodity Research in September 2019, bringing over 20 years of experience working in the Canadian ag industry as a market analyst, economist, and risk management consultant for various companies. He went to the University of Manitoba where he got his BSc and MSc, and recently completed his PhD. Jon lives in Grunthal, MB with his wife and 3 daughters.
Chris Beaudry
Chris Beaudry was born in Edmonton and raised in Calgary and St Front Sk. He’s a father of 3 young girls, husband to his wife Richelle, and a 4th generation farmer. Chris was an assistant coach with the 2017/18 Humboldt Broncos, who were tragically involved in the bus crash that killed 16 players and staff. Since then, Chris has been heavily involved in the field of mental health and healing. He has trained under Dr. Gabor Mate, Don Miguel Ruiz, Lama Sonia Potie, and many others.
DAWN HNATOW
Dawn Hnatow wakes up in the morning thinking about what the cows need; and that’s what gets her out of bed!
Dawn Hnatow is an innovator of integrated livestock and land regenerative agricultural practices. She grew up on a ranch raising cattle in Canada and then spent a decade being mentored in livestock handling by Bud Williams. Since then, she has lived and ranched in Fort Worth, TX. She is the owner and founder of Cattle Up Stockman ship an education-based consulting company which offer hands-on and didactic opportunities. Her expertise has been in demand across the US and Canada in feedlots, large and small ranching and dairy operations, and bison ranches. Her forte is providing custom solutions to livestock handling challenges and implementation of Bud Williams’ style stockman ship. Along with her collaborator and friend, Whit Hibberd, she cohosts frequent stockman ship clinics, from introductory to advanced levels, and contributes regularly to Drovers Magazine.
DR. TRENT WENNEKAMP
Dr. Trent Wennekamp was born and raised in Lloydminster, on his parents’ mixed farm southwest of town. He took his undergraduate training at the University of Alberta, and then went on to receive his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 2001, from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon. Trent worked overseas for a year in New Zealand as a veterinarian before joining the Lloydminster Animal Hospital in 2002. He went on to receive his Master of Science in Large Animal Clinical Sciences in 2020.
CHARLOTTE WASYLIK
Charlotte Wasylik grew up on Chatsworth Farm, near Vermilion, Alberta raising commercial cattle, sheep, poultry, legumes, and cereals. Now, Charlotte and her fiancé, Rob, live 30 minutes up the road on their own farm. Charlotte shares her love of agriculture through social media; showing how the farm operates, the animals, and farm family life. She manages the farm-to-table program and many on farm events including Open Farm Days, and hosts in-person virtual farm tours.
Her passion for agriculture developed at an early age and grew throughout her many years of 4-H and being active on the farm. Charlotte attended NAIT in Edmonton, completing the Event Management, Visual Design, and Digital Publishing programs. Now, when not working on the farm, she’s the International Program Coordinator for Farmfair International and assists with Canadian Western Agribition. In 2021, Charlotte was honoured to be named one of Canada’s Top 50 most influential people in Canadian Ag by Canadian Western Agribition.
GRANT LASTIWKA
Grant and his wife Della and two daughters Alexa and Mataea/husband Garett, run a small grazing/cow-calf operation where he tests what he learns from producers, scientists and extensionists.
Grant worked in Central Alberta with Alberta Agriculture in varying roles: Forages/Grazing/Livestock/Economics Extension for over 30 years. Those efforts are almost always related to trying to realize the value from seizing the opportunity of managing forages and grasslands to be a high valued crop. His forage management thought is from the plant to the soil, to the livestock, to the people, and to the consumer. The systems he works towards are managed in ways that consider finances, the environment, the people, and the community. This Holistic Management decision making approach is family based, done simultaneously and strives to be regenerative.
Grant is working part-time with Union Forages, plus providing forage support to producers through many of Alberta’s Forage and Applied Research Associations. He enjoys participating in varying forages projects with “Forage Centric and Producer Empowering” groups. Grant is a proud board member of the Alberta Forage Industry Network (AFIN), which is “Alberta’s Voice for Forages”.
DR. STUART SMYTH
Dr. Stuart Smyth is a Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Saskatchewan, where he holds the Agri-Food Innovation and Sustainability Enhancement Chair. His research focuses on sustainability, agriculture, innovation, and food. Dr. Smyth publishes a weekly blog on these topics at: www.SAIFood.ca. With well over 150 academic publications, Dr. Smyth is recognized as a leading expert on barriers to innovation and regulatory efficiency. Dr. Smyth specializes in research on regulatory barriers to food security, especially those that restrict investments into new plant breeding technologies, such as genome editing and that delay, or prevent, the commercialization of genetically modified and genome-edited crops.
ROD NIKKEL
My wife and I set out on our own in 1995 with 8 cows and some unrealistic goals. With my wife’s attention to details, my creativity and a shared determination, we grew into a 270-cow operation on 1500 acres of owned and rented land. Bernadette taught school until 1998 when we started our family of 5 kids. We also run a purebred flock of Canadian Arcott Ewes. I have no formal education, but I take every opportunity to learn something new!
JAMES OBERHOFER
James Oberhofer, a Professional Agrologist, owns and operates Marwayne Ag Services, serving farms in North East Alberta and North West Saskatchewan.
Marwayne Ag Services offers Private Agronomy Consulting, SWAT Mapping with VR Fertilizer and Seeding Rates, Soil Sampling, Crop Hail Insurance, and is a supplier of Pioneer Hi-Bred Seed.
James conducts several local field trials every year, to help determine sound, trustworthy agronomic advice for his clients.
JOEL BOKENFOHR
Joel helps primary producers and farm families make decisions on transition planning, farm management and business structures. With his extensive agriculture and financial background, he works with entrepreneurs, and agriculture industry advisors to create solid business and transition plans. Joel continues to farm in Sturgeon County, Alberta, with his family.
Joel holds a degree in commerce and management from MacEwan University, a master’s in economics from the University of British Columbia, and agribusiness certificates from Texas A&M and the University of Sao Paulo
MIKE PALMIER
Mike Palmier, PAG, 4R Mike was raised on a mixed cattle/grain farm outside of Lafleche in South Central Saskatchewan. He and now resides on an acreage southwest of Plenty, SK with his wife and co-owner Shannon and their 3 daughters: Elliot, Olivia, and Emma. Mike graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a degree in AgBusiness and is a Practicing Agrologist with the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. Mike has a wealth of knowledge gained through roles in grain marketing, sales and agronomy over 15 years working in the agriculture industry. Mike’s passion is working closely with farmers to find the best solutions to maximize not only the yield, but most importantly the profitability of their farming operations. With this goal in mind, Max Ag was established in 2019 to fully commit to these goals, while using the latest in applied technologies available to help make the best decisions possible! Mike is especially excited to join the Agronomy Panel at the Lloydminster Agri-Visions Conference and Tradeshow as his 1st full-time role in the industry was based out of Lloydminster, and he is hoping to run into some of his old farmer customers while he is back in town.
ELSTON SOLBERG
Elston has 43 years’ experience in a multifaceted life of science, municipal governance, sports, and coaching. As a lifelong learner, he has coached people around the world. He currently presents to thousands of growers and agronomists worldwide. Known as, Mr. Sulphur because of his Soil Science M.Sc. that focused on elemental sulfur use as a fertilizer. His passion for agriculture continues to grow!
DAVE CUBBON
Dave has been scouting the fields in Alberta and Saskatchewan for 55 years.