Features
Closed Border Opens New Door for Farmer
Dairy cattle producer devastated by BSE crisis steers new course for himself at OAC
BY REBECCA KENDALL
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| OAC student John Bouwers plans to use what he learns at U of G to get his Welland, Ont., dairy operation back on track. Photo by Martin Schwalbe |
They say that when a door closes — or, in John Bouwers' case, the U.S. border — a window opens. For Bouwers, an OAC student and 40-year-old father of four, the window is a university education that is framing a new future for his family.
For nearly two decades, the Kemptville College diploma graduate raised Holstein dairy cattle for export to the United States and Mexico. His herd of 200 was thriving and his Welland, Ont., operation was running well, but that all changed 3½ years ago, he says.
“It was May 20, 2003, when the BSE issue closed the border to all exports of live cattle from Canada. Without an export market, farmers faced a surplus market of dairy cattle and were at the mercy of a rapidly declining market.”
Although the border restrictions have since relaxed to allow live cattle across, they continue to disallow breeding stock, which is what Bouwers raises.
“There's a misconception that the border is open to all live cattle and that the trade dispute is over, but this is not the case,” he says, adding that he still maintains a herd of about 60 cattle and continues to sell them domestically.
At the height of the BSE crisis, he tried to think of ways to diversify his business and became increasingly frustrated with his situation. “There was nothing I could do. With no end date for the trade dispute, I knew I needed to come up with a back-up plan.”
He decided he wanted to study agriculture and learn how to get his farming operation back on track, so he enrolled at U of G in September 2005. It's proven to be a challenging plan, he admits.
“The biggest obstacle has been getting used to being back in school after nearly 20 years away. Before I came here, I'd never touched a computer, so I spend a lot of time trying to figure things out.”
Bouwers writes his first drafts of assignments out by hand while his classmates are using computers from start to finish. “I don't type very well, but I'm learning.”
Another big hurdle has been squeezing all his responsibilities into his schedule. For the past three semesters, he's been getting out of bed at 5:30 a.m. three to five days a week in time to have breakfast, do chores in the barn and drive 90 minutes to campus to make it to his 8:30 a.m. classes.
Typically, he has attended classes until 4:30 p.m., with about an hour's break during the day, then hit the library before driving home, eating dinner, feeding and attending to the cows, tucking his kids into bed and getting started on his homework.
“Some nights I can get to bed by midnight,” he says, “but usually it's around 3 a.m. before my day is over. It's really difficult, but I've survived so far. When you throw in the time I spend volunteering to coach my children's hockey teams on top of everything else, things are really busy.”
Shortly after arriving at Guelph, Bouwers received an inaugural William and Nona Heaslip Scholarship, which provides $15,000 a year and is renewable for up to three years. The scholarship has been a big help in financing his education and providing moral support, he says.
He notes that he's already using what he's learned at Guelph to help enhance his farming operation. “I've learned lots in class that I can apply to my business.” His animal science courses, for example, have helped him make his herd healthier, and he's also learned innovative pasturing practices that he applies to improve the rotational pasturing system on his farm.
Doing well academically is important to Bouwers not just because it's helping him strengthen the future of his farm, but also because it's strengthening the future of his children. On weekends, he and his three older children often sit around the kitchen table together working on their homework.
“They see me keeping up with my studies, and I believe that helps them understand the value of education. I try to get things done efficiently and on time, and I'm hoping my university experience will entice them to pursue post-secondary education. That's one of the biggest reasons I go on.”
This semester, he and his wife, Christina, along with Petraleah, 3, Johnny, 10, and 12-year-old twins Damian and Sydney, will be sitting around a kitchen table in Australia, where Bouwers will attend the University of Adelaide and the older children will be enrolled in school. The family leaves in February and will return in July.
“I figured that while I'm at Guelph, I'd maximize my opportunities by gaining some international experience,” he says.
“There's a viable cattle trading industry in Australia. They trade heavily to Asia and other parts of the world, so I thought it would be beneficial to see how they operate their industry while gaining more education at the same time.”
In addition to the international experience for the family, Bouwers is looking forward to enjoying the beachfront house they'll be living in and having a more manageable schedule. He's also looking forward to getting a little rest. Without any farm chores and having only a 30-minute commute to campus, he'll gain five extra hours of free time each day, he says.
“It's been an adventure, but it's all worth it if it means I can go back to my business. I hope to be able to run it more efficiently and use my degree to create new opportunities.”