20 The Trusted Source for Canada’s Pork Producers Better Pork | December 2024 UP CLOSE our animals. This technology is the norm today and makes the job much easier and more accurate. Most important lesson you’ve learned? Allan: People are your greatest assets, as they control everything on the farm. You must do a good job of selecting your staff and educating them on how and why you do things a certain way. Guiding management principle? Laura: Quite simply, success requires a total team effort. What are your biggest challenges? Allan: Because we follow the American pricing model, we tend to face a lot of volatility in Canada. We are never certain where the prices will go. If the United States market goes the wrong way, our business will follow, so that is often stressful and expensive. These up-and-down cycles have been around for a long time in Canada, and we still don’t have a solution for them. What are the most exciting opportunities in the industry? Allan: Right now, we are seeing a lot of new production systems and practices come in from Europe that have been around for years overseas but were just recently adopted here. Some of them make the barn more efficient and environmentally friendly, while others contribute to animal health. Many of these innovations are being included in newer facilities, which can help address a lot of issues going forward. How do you define success? Allan: At the end of the day, if you can retain your staff, keep them happy and productive, and maintain an inclusive workplace, you’re doing pretty well. Jamie: I’ve been in this business a long time. The way I look at things now, success is when you wake up and are eager to go to work in the morning. It takes a special kind of person to pursue a career with pigs. You need to be happy doing what you’re doing, and I am. If you weren’t a farmer, what do you think you’d do for a living? Allan: Prime minister! Hmmm … maybe not. I worked in the potash mine here as a journeyman mechanic when we first started farming. The trades are something that I have always enjoyed, so I would likely return to them. Laura: I like working with numbers, so you would likely find me in an office accounting job somewhere. How do you support your mental health during challenging times? Allan: We try to maintain contact with a circle of friends and spend time with them, especially in the summer. Staying connected with friends and family keeps us mentally strong. Jamie: I’ve had to learn that not everything is under my control, and I just have to take things day by day. Barn manager Jamie McCuaig. Reavie Family photo
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