Along with her husband, Joanne Gerber began using Farm Works software on her farm in 1999, which was the same year they were able to triple their dairy herd to reach the current size of almost 300 hundred head of cattle. With over twenty-five years of grassroots experience on her family farm, Joanne has a unique perspective into the industry which helps her to better understand the needs and challenges faced by Canadian farmers. She has background in cost of production in manufacturing as well as managing and organizing farm records. Family succession has also become a key issue for Joanne, as she is currently working on a plan with her husband to achieve a smooth transition of the family farm to her son and his partner. Joanne’s daughters have also been actively involved in the family farm and are pursuing other professional goals. Joanne’s own on-farm applications of the Farm Works software expanded to include helping her neighbors with setup and troubleshooting. Her agri-business, The Farm Office, located in Ontario, Canada, was an outgrowth of this agricultural background and early involvement with Farm Works software.
Joanne has continued to pursue learning opportunities throughout her involvement in the family farm and running of The Farm Office. In 1997, she received the Ontario Agricultural Training Institute’s Life Long Learner’s Certificate for her commitment to yearly educational advances. She was able to graduate in the eleventh class of the Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program (AALP), a program administered by the Centre for Rural Leadership to help people involved in agriculture and agri-business learn how to manage the issues, trends, and changes in the industry they will face. Not only was the program an opportunity to further develop leadership qualities, it also provided Joanne the occasion to network with others in agri-business. The AALP included a National Study Tour, traveling across Canada, and an International Study Tour, where she was able to network with dealers in Australia. This International Study Tour was an opportunity of a lifetime, as Joanne was able to shadow an Australian dealer and see how he worked with his clients and managed his business. Joanne’s educational experiences have led her to emphasize teaching people how to fish, meaning that she focuses on helping customers achieve a self-sustaining package appropriate for their agribusiness.
The Farm Office specializes in Agricultural Management Tools, focusing on helping customers attain the data they need to help them realize greater profitability in less time. Recognizing the importance of networking, Joanne has developed associations with equipment dealers and consultants as well as government and other agribusiness resources. The Farm Office facility, occupied since 2006, provides customers a location for equipment and software training opportunities. Joanne offers clients sales, service, and ongoing technical support, in the form of telephone and internet troubleshooting. The Farm Office has been recognized for its position as one of the top ten North American dealers since 2004 and has also been awarded Outstanding Achievement & Excellence Awards in Sales from 2005 to 2008. The Farm Office now has nine subdealers located across Canada, including locations in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Quebec. Joanne is eagerly anticipating future possibilities for further expansion and new directions for The Farm Office. The head office contact information follows:
Telephone: 519-655-3555
E-mail: joanne@thefarmoffice.ca
Website: www.thefarmoffice.ca.