Relationships Matter
By Brenna Mahoney
Relationships matter.
This is one of the first things I was told when I started in agriculture. A follow up to that was, “the people you build relationships with today are the people you will be working with for the next 30 years, so make those relationships work!”
These statements have constantly proven to be true in my role as general manager of KAP.
I am focusing on building and maintaining positive relationships, because we cannot move forward as a sector or as an organization without them. For example, we would not have been able to present the provincial government with a plan to address the enormous impacts of the drought without KAP facilitating collaboration between farm groups. The process has helped solidify relationships that will see us through the next crisis or the next challenge, of which we know there will be many.
Looking forward on KAP’s priorities, and the key policy areas we need to advance, we know as an organization that we cannot do this alone. Business risk management programs, the environment, economic development and public trust are all priorities that we must work together to address. Some will say that there is misalignment on these issues within our sector. That might be true, but there is more that we have in common; it’s this common voice that we must develop.
It’s okay to disagree with those with whom you have relationships. Positive relationships work when collaborators find common ground on the issue at hand and move forward with a unified message, while respecting the differences. If we are unable to work together, others will be ready to capitalize on our disunity.
We know that how decision makers respond to public pressure will influence farming in the years to come. If we are divided as an industry, decisions that are not in our best interest may be made. However, being aligned on beneficial policies and advocating collectively will deliver positive results for our industry and combat misinformation.
KAP’s true strength lies in the relationships in which we foster. The diversity of commodities around our table, our ability to pull together and build strong coalitions, along with our ability to link to other segments of the value chain, all showcase how relationships matter to KAP and our ability to be impactful.
It’s within those relationships and what the outcomes are from them that we will be able to continue to work towards a sustainable and profitable future for agriculture.
Brenna Mahoney