22 The Business of Canadian Hog Farming Better Pork | April 2024 very good about supporting workers at those times, taking them to lunch or just being available to chat when they are feeling drained. Jocelyn: Training staff – especially new staff, and workers, like electricians and repair people – on biosecurity and why we do it is very important. What are the most exciting opportunities in the industry? TJ: Our new barn allows us to provide pork from open pen gestation housing, and the packer we supply has a market that wants that product, so we can help fill the demand. It’s exciting to think about the opportunities this can present going forward to supply a good, healthy product in North America and around the world. How do you define success? TJ: For me, it’s not just financial. Longterm success is about building a business to support our family and contribute to the local community in the process. We also employ 20 workers who represent 20 families that are counting on a paycheque, so that’s very satisfying. Ultimately, although we aren’t forcing our kids to be farmers, we are building something that they can come back to in the future if they so choose. Jocelyn: Having happy workers who want to be part of our team is important to me. We can’t do it alone, and the fact that our staff is content and even recommends us to their friends tells me we’re on the right track. If you weren’t a farmer, what do you think you’d do for a living? TJ: I have no idea! I was one of those kids who was always going to farm, and I wasn’t good enough to make the NHL, so it all worked out for the best. Jocelyn: Before farming, I worked in long-term care. I love working with people, and body mechanics intrigue me, so I guess that would be my fallback if farming wasn’t in the picture. How do you support your mental health during challenging times? TJ: It helps that we are both part of the business, as we can relate to each other’s struggles and bounce ideas back and forth. That said, we’ve agreed that when we lay down at night, there is no more business talk until morning. Jocelyn: I get up at 5 a.m. every day (not a misprint!) for a 30- to 40-minute workout before anyone else is awake. Following that, I take the time to get lunches and items ready for the day, usually with earbuds in, to listen to a podcast. Having a couple of hours of quiet time before the kids get up helps me clear my mind and get ready for the day. What’s your top goal personally and professionally? TJ: Personally, I don’t like conflict or confrontation, so I want to better myself in dealing with staff and others in that regard. On the professional side, I want to keep improving production in all aspects of the operation. Jocelyn: I want to be more confident in myself. Even with more women entering the business, farming is still a very male-dominated field, and I don’t always feel comfortable speaking up in a room full of men. That is something I want to change, both in business and from a personal standpoint. If you could send a message to non-farmers, what would it be? TJ: Don’t believe everything you see in the media. As farmers, we are producing safe, healthy food, and some of the rules and regulations don’t make it safer or healthier. We don’t claim to know it all, but sometimes you need to trust that we have the knowledge and experience to make the right call. Jocelyn: We really care about our animals. We only do things like giving them antibiotics if it is necessary to make them feel better. Pigs are our livelihood, and we treat them like family. That will never change. BP UP CLOSE
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