About Us
Sustainability
We are dedicated to growing crops sustainably. As all agriculture starts with the soil, we utilise zero tillage to minimize soil erosion and optimise soil health. We practise a robust crop rotation to limit the concentration of weeds, pests and diseases.
Fertiliser is one of the biggest costs and sources of emissions for farming. We utilise a multitude of tools including mapping, soil sampling, plant tissue testing and satellite imaging in order to determine crop need. This allows us to follow 4R nutrient guidelines and minimize fertiliser use while optimising crop yield.
Land Base
We farm a combination of owned and rented land as well as several customised contract farming agreements.
The key to integrating all this is that all land is farmed as if it is our own! This includes maintaining or improving soil nutrient levels. Optimised weed control strategies and reducing weed seed levels returned to the seed bank.
We can also leverage our scale of operation to maximize grain marketing returns while minimizing crop input costs.
Land Base
We farm a combination of owned and rented land as well as several customised contract farming agreements.
The key to integrating all this is that all land is farmed as if it is our own! This includes maintaining or improving soil nutrient levels. Optimised weed control strategies and reducing weed seed levels returned to the seed bank.
We can also leverage our scale of operation to maximise grain marketing returns while minimising crop input costs.
Traceability
We utilise cloud-based system capable of geo referenced tracking of all aspects of growing our crops. From seeds used, inputs applied, crop harvesting, grain transportation and storage as well as crop marketing.
This information can be provided to customers and business partners and enables complete transparency.
Equipment
We operate some of the most up to date and efficient equipment available in the market today, and if it isn’t available, we have the capacity to build or modify equipment to our exact requirements.
Some of the technology utilised includes variable rate, sectional control, computer-controlled seed packing pressure and optical blockage sensors on our air drills. Our combines are all computer controlled both for the machine setting and forward speed in order to maximize the quantity and quality of crop harvested while minimizing losses and cracked grains.
Just as important is the logistics required to keep everything running. To do this we operate a fleet of our own semi-trucks as well as service trucks stocked with tools and common parts.
Once the crop is harvested it must be stored. Here we have several options including bagging in the field as well as fixed storage facilities at each of our locations.
Equipment
We operate some of the most up to date and efficient equipment available in the market today, and if it isn’t available, we have the capacity to build or modify equipment to our exact requirements.
Some of the technology utilised includes variable rate, sectional control, computer-controlled seed packing pressure and optical blockage sensors on our air drills. Our combines are all computer controlled both for the machine setting and forward speed in order to maximise the quantity and quality of crop harvested while minimising losses and cracked grains.
Just as important is the logistics required to keep everything running, to do this we operate a fleet of our own semi-trucks as well as service trucks stocked with tools and common parts.
Once the crop is harvested it must be stored. Here we have several options including bagging in the field as well as fixed storage facilities at each of our locations.
Our Team
Darrel Monette
CEO
Darrel Monette is the CEO and President of Monette Farms Ltd. Darrel grew up on the family farm south of Swift Current where he always had a passion for Agriculture, from raising animals to doing field work. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 2003 with an Economics major and Plant Science minor. He started his career with management at Redhead Equipment in Saskatoon and continued in sales at the Swift Current location of Redhead Equipment where he continued to expand the farm and sell machinery till spring of 2013 when the farm had grown enough to take on full time farm management. Since then, Darrel has continued to enjoy expanding Monette Farms Ltd. to the current productive, sustainable and efficient company it is today with the balance of time spent with family and friends.
Russel Monette
Managing Partner
Russel was born and raised on the family farm with two older brothers and one younger sister. He has always been involved in and enjoyed the agricultural industry. He graduated with an AgriBusiness degree from the University of Saskatchewan in 2010. He then moved back to farm and held sales positions with Bayer and Basf for nine years. In 2012 he became the President of Monette Ag Ventures LTD operating under a joint venture with Monette Farms LTD. He currently is the managing Partner for Monette Farms LTD.
Trevor Anderson
Production Manager
Trevor Anderson is the Crop Production manager for Monette Farms, based primarily at Monette North in Stewart Valley. Originally from Ireland, he has a BSc in Agriculture with Mechanization from Harper Adams University. Since then he has worked for some of the industry’s leading companies including Co-Operative Farms and Burden Bros in the U.K., where there was a major emphasis on optimizing the use of crop protection products and environmental stewardship. Before coming to Saskatchewan in 2014 he worked for Spring Park Farms in Western Australia, where the primary priorities were maximizing labour and equipment efficiency and controlling herbicide resistant weeds. His primary responsibilities with Monette Farms include the integration of new technology, monitoring of crops during the growing season and the application of crop protection products.
Rod Priddell
Operations Manager
Rod was raised on the family farm near Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan. Before returning to farming, Rod tried his hand at being a mobile Disc Jockey (playing music at dances and other social gatherings), a ramp attendant at the Regina Airport, managing the Petro Canada Fueling station, and then a career with Redhead Equipment. During his time at Redhead, Rod was given the opportunity to start a farm for the owner of the company. Redland Farms, located in the Fort Qu’Appelle area, was formed. Over the next 15 years, Redland grew to 12,000 acres from the initial 1440 started with. Rod started with Monette Farms in Feb, 2017 as the Operations Manager of the Regina farm. Rod enjoys traveling to warmer climates in the winter and spending time with family. He’s very proud to call Saskatchewan home.
Tyler Friesen
Field Manager
Tyler Friesen grew up on a mixed farm and pure bred livestock operation near Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Graduating in 1996 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture, Tyler worked in the livestock nutrition business for seven years. Tyler continued his education attending the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology in Moose Jaw. He graduated with a diploma in Environmental Engineering Technology and won the Saskatchewan Environment Award for Academic Achievement in 2005. Tyler was employed for several years in Alberta and Saskatchewan in the oil and gas industry conducting environmental assessments, contaminated soil excavations, and helping clients meet compliance for upstream oil and gas sites. Committed to agriculture, Tyler returned to farming in 2012 managing 6000 acres in the Regina plains growing canola, durum, and lentils. He joined Monette Farms in 2017. Known for his easy going nature, dependability, and hard work ethic, Tyler values strong relationships with neighbours, service providers and those in the community he farms in.
Locations
This is where the farm started and where we are still based today. It is in a semi-arid region with corresponding low disease pressure and the ability to produce some of the highest quality durum and pulses in Canada.
The farm has a mostly dark brown soil type varying from high clay content in the north to sandier in the south with an average of 285mm of rainfall per year.
This is also the location where we grow our seed production in conjunction with NexGen Seeds.
We also farm on the Regina plains just south of the city. The soil here is very high clay content and is some of the most productive in Saskatchewan. With an average of 310mm of rain per year it has the ability to reliably produce good crops year after year.
We farm just north of Prince Albert. This farm has our highest average rainfall at 327mm per year and in combination with the high organic matter black and dark grey soils has the potential to produce excellent crops of malt barley and canola.
Our farm in Montana is south west of Havre in the heart of the Golden Triangle. Like Swift Current, this is a low rain fall region with an average of 11.2 inches per year, resulting in the area having low disease pressure, and the ability to grow exceptionally high-quality crops. One difference here is the milder winter allows for the production of winter or fall seeded crops.
The main crops we grow here are winter wheat and pluses particularly large green lentils and garbanzo beans.
Our newest addition is a certified organic farm, based west of Phoenix in Arizona. It is also home to Saguaro Seeds. This farm is in the high desert with Approx. 8 inches of rainfall per year making irrigation a necessity.
We utilize sub-surface drip irrigation to minimise evaporation and maximise water use efficiency. With its warm year round temperature, irrigation and proximity to a large urban center, this is an ideal location to produce high quality vegetables, pulses and cereal crops.
