Heather Latter
District farmers could have the potential to become more economical—if they take advantage of the expertise of John Sawatzky, owner and principal consultant of Farmland Ag Services.
Originally from Portage La Prairie, Man., Sawatzky, along with his wife and children, recently moved to the district, bringing along his strong knowledge of agronomy, which is the science and technology of producing and using plants for food, fuel, fibre, and land reclamation.
“[It] consists of soil sampling, crop scouting, and fertility recommendations,” he explained.
“The whole point behind agronomy is that an agronomist can help you be more economical on the farm—that’s the real purpose of the job.
“I’ve never pushed sales in terms of favouritism to products,” Sawatzky stressed.
“I pride myself on being on unbiased consultant, meaning that I will do what’s best for the farmer, not necessarily myself.”
Sawatzky has plenty of experience in agriculture having grown up and worked on farms for most of his life.
He attended the agri-business program at Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, Man., and from there worked as a custom applicator at an ag-retail outlet in Manitoba, offering custom applications of chemicals and fertilizers.
“So that’s more of the practical side of it,” he explained.
Sawatzky also was a potato agronomist with McCain Foods Canada for two years before he started up Farmland Ag Services four years ago.
“It’s very busy but the business is going well,” he enthused. “I see a lot of potential for farming in this area.
“I don’t think there is any other agronomist in this area, beside Kim Jo Bliss at the ag research station,” Sawatzky added.
“So I see a huge opportunity in this area to continue agronomy services in this area, and helping farmers to expand and be economical in their farming operations.
“If [Bliss and I] can work together as a unified approach through the research station and my agronomy experience from Manitoba, maybe we can just really help farmers thrive in this area,” he reasoned.
Sawatzky stressed he’s not saying local farmers aren’t economical.
“But when I ask farmers when was they last time they did a soil sample, many don’t remember,” he noted.
“The whole point of agronomy is to improve production and so by improving your production, which is in all aspects fertilizer application by controlling weeds, so if you have the proper nutrients for the crop, you’ll have better quality and you’ll have a better yield.
“So economically, it makes sense because you are placing your fertilizer where it should go and not where it shouldn’t,” he explained.
“And you are getting a better crop at the end of the day, providing the weather doesn’t rain us out all the time,” Sawatzky added, noting he often tells farmers that he can offer them the science and theory behind perfect farming, but you also need the weather to co-operate.
“I mean, it’s pretty hard to deal with six inches of rain at once,” he conceded.
“There are many different challenges that a farm faces, and every situation is different.”
That’s why Sawatzky offers a wide range of services to help farmers overcome problems they might be facing on the farm.
For instance, he can provide precision soil sampling to help understand the soil fertility and improve crop input management strategies, zone management so fields can be precisely managed, as well as nutrient and crop management to help reach top yields and quality.
As well, he can provide drainage planning and topography, which includes mapping a field for tile drainage or surface drainage for water management, in addition to mapping vegetation through aerial photography.
“After a rain, I go up and fly the field. I can see where the wet spots are, where the drown-outs are, or even if there are different soil zones in the field,” he explained.
“The aerial photography gives you a bird’s-eye view in real time how the field is performing.”
And he has all the proper software for the analysis, such as satellite imagery to create drainage maps.
Sawatzky said local farmers seem open to receiving his suggestions, and he’s already done some work on a few farms in the area.
“I did their soil samples and gave them fertility recommendations,” he noted.
“Their soils were low in fertility, so the farmer applied the fertilizer I recommended.
“They found where they applied the fertilizer, they could see a response in the crop compared to where they did not,” he said.
Sawatzky said farmers often are so busy that they get caught up in their day-to-day operations and forget to look at ways they can improve.
“By me just paying a visit to the farm, sometimes it’s a good reminder,” he remarked, noting he can check something as simple as seed depth.
“I’m not trying to tell you how to farm, but maybe you could try it differently,” he stressed, adding he does not encourage anything unless he thinks it will benefit the farm.
“A second opinion is always good to get if you are having trouble making a decision,” he reasoned.
“So if you’re in doubt about a decision regarding seeding [or] fertility, you can always give us a call.”
Sawatzky also currently is working at Emo Feeds, which he calls the hub of agriculture in the district.
“I get to know the farmers and I get to serve them on a practical level,” he said.
“Hopefully with time and with energy invested in the community, I can get more work in terms of the agronomy side of it.”
Sawatzky said many farmers have picked up his brochure and word is spreading.
“My goal is to not just get business through advertising,” he noted. “I believe that through my work ethic and integrity that farmers will talk and advertise that way.”
He hopes district farmers will see the value of his services.
“Investing in your farm today is bettering it for tomorrow and future generations,” he reasoned.
To contact Sawatzky, call 1-204-871-4821 or visit www.farmlandagservices.com
