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Farming is in 33-year-old Kent Erickson’s
blood. Like many rural kids he felt
obliged to take up the family business,
but he wasn’t sure it was for him.
Ironically, he made his commitment to
agriculture in the city.
Deciding against pursuing crop
science, he enrolled in the University of
Alberta’s economics program. “I’m a
numbers guy,” he said. He did, however,
take agriculture electives and ensconce
himself in FarmHouse, an agricultural
fraternity. Maintaining communal living
quarters with fellow students, he served
two years as its president. The frat’s
fellowship and incubator-like atmosphere
made a lasting impact on Erickson and
many other farm professionals now
reshaping the industry.
“It’s a breeding ground,” he said,
pointing out that a large number of
FarmTech conference attendees are Farm
House alumni.
While in school, Erickson married
Tausha Holt, his high school sweetheart.
The couple now has four children and
lives on the Erickson family’s 1908
farmstead near the town of Irma.
“I realized, talking to my parents
and seeing how I grew up on the farm,
I wanted to have a large family, and
farming is an excellent way to raise kids
and have time with them,” he said.
He credits his father’s passion for
farming and willingness to learn as the
anchors that kept him in agriculture.
But his commitment to farm life was the
exception among his peers.
KENT
ERICKSON
“Farmers have a tendency to express
all the negatives in farming and
agriculture, not the positives,” he said.
“In my age group, a lot of families were
really discouraging their kids from going
to the farm.”
Erickson notes the generational tide
has turned farm-positive.
“In the 10 years I’ve been involved
in FarmTech, I’ve noticed the change
in demographics. I see a lot of young
people coming to the farms, young
couples coming to these conferences.
People are realizing farming is a good
way of life. It’s hard work, but there are a
lot of rewards.”
Erickson jumped at the chance
to direct the Alberta Winter Wheat
Commission in 2006, determined to
counter the complaining he heard in
rural coffee shops.
“I thought, ‘Maybe I can be a part of
making small changes.’ At the time, I
didn’t realize how much these boards
could do. I’ve found these commissions
have the ability to mould policy and make
changes in the ag community. They have
a lot of clout.”
Rick Istead, the Alberta Wheat
Commission’s former general manager,
calls Erickson a visionary, big-picture
thinker.
“We’ve got a lot of young people
starting to make their mark in the
industry,” he said. “Kent is one of those
people, but we need more of him.”
Erickson cites Istead’s positive
mentorship in helping him develop the
leadership skills necessary to take on the
next challenging step in his agricultural
career. Erickson was elected chair of
the Alberta Wheat Commission in 2012
when the province’s so and winter
wheat commissions merged.
“We have set up an organizational
structure that’s going to work well for
producers,” he said. “I want to help make
sure the commission is one of the leading
organizations to mould change.”
For example, he cites financial support
for long-term variety development as
critical.
“Government, consumers and farmers
are going to miss out if we don’t get
sustained funding in cereal breeding,”
Erickson said.
Also, though public perception
of what constitutes good food isn’t
always accurate, with his characteristic
positivity, he said farmers should
embrace the public attention agriculture
is receiving.
“Consumers can dictate the food
they want, whether it’s right or wrong.
Everybody wants organic food and
gluten-free. Consumers are looking at
where their food is coming from for both
good and bad reasons, but agriculture
has been given the spotlight.”
Here, he sees an opportunity for
education.
“Farming practices in the last 15 years
have hugely benefited consumers and
the environment—GPS efficiencies and
reduced use of chemicals. We need to
be able to tell people that.”
Spring
2014
grainswest.com
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