Caroline and Mikael: Trustworthy support with a sense of humour

Dairy farmer Mikael Breton and his Sollio & Avantis Agriculture Coopérative agri‑advisor, Caroline Jacques, have a strong trust‑based relationship infused with a healthy dose of humour. Farm performance is no laughing matter, but that doesn’t mean the business partners can’t crack a good joke or two (or three).

“It’s only because Mikael loves it so much,” says Caroline with a smile. Mikael nods in agreement. “Well, it’s also because you’re so... spontaneous and... nice,” he adds, laughing at his own hesitation. “Listen, I’m better at farming than I am at coming up with adjectives!”

Indeed, it’s clear from his results that Mikael’s farming skills are no joke. The young man took over Ferme Vallier, located in Saint-Vallier in the Chaudière‑Appalaches region of Québec, in 2022. Today, the farm is known as Ferme MB Vallier—a “very original” name, Mikael notes with a laugh. He bought the cows, quota and equipment after working at the farm for two years and currently leases the site while the former owner, Marco Bélanger, works the land.

Since the handover, Mikael has managed to maintain several key management points and even improve his herd’s performance. As a tenant, he’s limited in how much he can invest in the farm, but he has bought milking machines and refitted a barn, adding enough stalls to potentially house up to 62 cows.

“I took my 10 kg of quota from the handover, I buy more every month and I’m slowly building it up,” he says proudly. He says he’s now ready to move up to an 80 kg quota, 10 more than he currently has.

“A big reason for his great performance is that he knew the farm very well before he bought it,” says Caroline. “It’s a good example of a smooth non‑family farm succession. It’s very motivating to work with young, enthusiastic farmers like Mikael.”

Support that delivers

Caroline Jacques has been working with Ferme Vallier since Mikael’s days as an employee. That’s when they started working together. “But our business relationship really took off when he became the owner,” says Caroline. “Today, we talk multiple times a week about the best strategies for improving his herd’s performance.”

They mostly communicate by text and call each other for more complex discussions. Caroline also visits the farm once a month to check on things. “She comes here when she gets bored!” laughs Mikael, and Caroline breaks into a smile.

Caroline prepares for each site visit by reviewing the farm’s production figures, rations, and other data. “I usually get to the farm in the early morning,” she says. “Well, not that early!” counters Mikael, who gets up at the crack of dawn to catch the train.

While Mikael eats breakfast, Caroline makes her rounds, taking notes as she goes. Then, Mikael brings back coffee and the two sit down to discuss any adjustments that might be needed.

“The next step will be to provide more support for the business side of the farm,” says Caroline. “With Lactascan, we’ll be able to see how the farm does over time and compare it to regional averages.”

For his part, Mikael has only one requirement: “It has to work.” And does it? “Caroline keeps me at the top of the game,” he says.

The strength of the Sollio Agriculture network

Mikael knows that the support of his agri‑advisor is backed up by the strength of the entire Sollio Agriculture network. “You’ve got people in both crops and livestock,” he explains. “And those two fields go hand in hand. You can’t have one without the other. It’s a great feedback loop.”

Caroline agrees. “If I have a specific question, I can always turn to a colleague who can help me find the best solution.”

Mikael is also a beneficiary of the Fonds coopératif d’aide à la relève agricole, which he sees as an undeniable advantage of being part of an agricultural cooperative. In exchange for financial support, he has to take training courses and get involved in his community. “It keeps me sharp,” he says. “I’m making friends and learning a lot.”

Caroline concludes: “At Sollio Agriculture, we don’t just sell products. We help farmers do better.” It’s something she and Mikael jokingly call #CoopLife.