Reviving Agricultural Extension: Burr Forest Group Launches New Training Program

Introduction

In 2025, after years of development and many conversations, Burr Forest Group (BFG) launched its Effective Extension training program. This unique and tailored program took shape from the many consultations we had with agriculture commodity associations and other farm groups from across Western Canada. It was built to address the widening and increasingly felt gaps in extension services and extension training in Canada’s agricultural landscape.

The Challenge

With cutbacks to government agriculture extension programs, Canadian farm groups have taken on more of this work themselves. As this was not traditionally work done by the associations, the need for such training programs haven’t been as needed as they are now. Staff have identified these voids and shared that most communications-related training programs are not specific enough as to deal with the nuances of effective extension. The challenge lay in creating an engaging training program that would add value to commodity associations. That is, a program that would help farm-group staff relay important information to a diverse cross section of farmers in engaging and accessible ways.

The Burr Forest Group Approach

Content Development

After putting together initial content outlines and reviewing them with groups across the Prairies, BFG developed an outline for a day-and-a-half in-person training session. The training focuses on engagement, hands-on learning, and does this through a mix of brief lectures and group/individual in-class assignments. The content covers everything from developing focused research messaging, creating engaging presentations, shooting self-shot and punchy videos, to everything in-between.

Cohort

The Effective Extension training program is structured around a cohort model that emphasizes peer learning, relationship-building, and continued growth beyond the classroom. Each cohort is made up of a small group of participants from various farm organizations, ensuring a diversity of perspectives and experiences. This model allows participants to work closely together during the training, applying concepts in real-time through shared exercises and collaborative feedback. Importantly, the cohort doesn’t disband after the workshop ends. BFG facilitates follow-up virtual meetups, resource sharing, and informal chats that extend the learning environment—ensuring that the training builds a network, not just knowledge.

Workbook & Certificate

BFG developed an interactive workbook to complement the training content. The book follows the training schedule, including summaries of the modules presentations, spots for note taking and areas for completing the assignments. There’s also a resource section that includes extension-related cheat sheets/guides. Upon completion, attendees receive a print and digital certificate along with a group photo. 

The Very First Effective Extension Cohort

BFG started off by holding its first training session in Manitoba. As BFG is a Manitoba-based company, connections within Manitoba commodity groups were relied upon. Agronomy staff from three commodity groups—Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers, Manitoba Crop Alliance and Manitoba Canola Growers—gathered together at Dead Horse Cider Company to take it in.

Community Building

Training attendees discussed challenges they face in their work and brainstormed solutions using the skills they learned. By working together on assignments, attendees were able to combine skills and resources to come up with creative solutions and ideas for how they can improve extension efforts at their organizations. Attendees bonded during an evening outing to a bowling alley and continue to communicate with each other through a group chat, which allows for ongoing collaboration and idea sharing. BFG will be hosting ongoing Zoom meetings with this and future cohorts for continued learning.

Results

While this was the first of what will be continued training sessions in locations across Canada, BFG was able to deliver a training session that was engaging and informative to attendees. Attendees left armed with the skills to create engaging content and have been doing so. The new training program has established BFG as an educational service for the agriculture industry.

What Attendees Said

“To have more fun with extension—personalize it and don’t put up mental blocks in trying some new things that seemed more intimidating to me previously.”

“The interactive assignments, the focus on social media, and the reminder to always include a farmer quote—those were the game-changers for me.”

“I would absolutely take this again in the future if you do a Part 2. Well done, BFG! I hope this has huge success.”

“Excellent work by the trainers. I wouldn’t really change anything. Appreciated the very interactive style.”

“All the content in the workbook was great. The conversations that slowed us down were also very important for me to hear. Not sure what to tell you—I wouldn’t want you to cut any of the content.”

“I think it boosted my confidence regarding communication in general. The environment made it feel safe to try new things.”

“I’ve been doing extension work for 34 years, and I still don’t really know what it means. I actually got really sick of the word for a long time. In fact, I’ve been pretty sick of it up until today. But today, I feel better about the word, and I feel like we’re doing something here. That just makes me more enthusiastic to do the job.”