2023 MFGA Regen Ag Conference Keynote Profile: Tannis & Derek Axten

Innovative Ideas Lead to Sustainability & Profitability on the Family Farm

2023 MFGA REGEN AG CONFERENCE

Keynote Profile: The Axtens

Tannis & Derek Axten own and operate a diversified grain farm in Southern Saskatchewan with their family. They have implemented innovative ideas to improve sustainability and profitability of the family farm. While attending many workshops and conferences they have met many farmers and scientists who taught them to change the way they looked at farming. This led to their journey towards soil health and regenerating their farmland. Learning about soil biology and how soil functions has renewed their passion for farming, and improved the farm’s productivity.

The Axtens operate a no-till farm and have improved their soil health by seeding intercrops, companion crops and cover crops. Increasing the farm’s plant diversity and intensity is feeding the soil biology, which in turn is regenerating the land. Improving soil health has allowed them to reduce synthetic inputs, increase water efficiency and build organic matter. They have also implemented controlled traffic farming, composting, and grazing as part of their farming system. Derek and Tannis have built a food grade seed cleaning plant on their farm to allow them to access markets directly and this year added a flour mill and packaging line. The Axtens want to add value to the farm’s grains by selling them directly to food companies that value the way the crops are raised.

Conference Keynotes

The MFGA 2023 Regen Ag Conference is held November 13-15, 2023, at the Victoria Inn, in Brandon, Mb. Other keynotes include Brendan Rockey who will share the management decisions that have resulted in sustained yields and improved water efficiency on the Rockey Colorado Farm for over a decade; Dr. Jonathan Lundgren, director of EcDysis Foundation and Blue Dasher Farm, at Estelline South Dakota, which has led studies that are well-regarded benchmarks to the power and potential of regenerative agriculture; Dr. Paul Galpern of the University of Calgary who will detail his work on pollinators and prairie landscapes; Ian Steppler, who many will be familiar with from his work with Manitoba Beekeepers Association; North Dakota’s Kalie Rider, Nutrition Consultant and Educator; Korb Whale, Owner/Operator of Mapleton Organic Dairy in Ontario; and Dr. Steven Frey, expert on MFGA's Aquanty Project’s Water Forecasting Tool. Visit our conference page to see more details about speakers, view our draft agenda and learn about tradeshow/sponsorship opportunities.

Conference Sponsorship & Tradeshow Opportunities

Our 2023 MFGA Regen Ag Conference is a great opportunity to promote your business and showcase your products and services to a well-informed producer-based crowd. The event will also include a Tradeshow set to run throughout the entire 2.5 day conference. To participate, contact denice@mfga.net.

Accommodations

We have a block of rooms being held at:

Victoria Inn Hotel & Convention Centre

3550 Victoria Ave. | Brandon, Manitoba | R7B 2R4

Conference Nightly Rates (plus taxes):

Single occupancy: $135.99 (no breakfast) or $145.99 (with 1 off-the-menu breakfast)

Double occupancy $10 extra.

VISIT OUR CONFERENCE PAGE