The Ag Advisory Council (AAC) is a trusted network of seasoned ag professionals offering strategic insight and real-world guidance, available as needed without long term commitment or membership requirements. We provide flexible access to experienced leaders who can support your organization when it matters most, whether that means one advisor or a curated team. Our team brings decades of leadership across producer groups, agribusiness, research institutions, co-ops, agri-tech, and public policy. We’ve worked in the boardroom, in the field, and everywhere in between, advising on everything from growth strategy to governance, innovation to succession.
Independent Ag Insight When You Need It Without Long-Term Commitments
What the Ag Advisory Council Can Do for Your Organization
The AAC model is ideal for organizations that need occasional or targeted support. Our advisors bring deep knowledge, real-world experience, and flexible support that adapts to your pace and priorities.
- On-Demand Ag Expertise: Access seasoned professionals with decades of experience in producer groups, retail, agri-tech, and research, ready to help when you need it.
- Flexible, Fit-for-Purpose Support: Engage one advisor or several, for one conversation or a focused project. You only pay for the expertise you need.
- Practical Guidance That Drives Results: We bring grounded, real-world insight shaped by decades of leadership in ag. Our role is to help make informed decisions, tackle challenges directly, and achieve outcomes that matter.
- Trusted Relationships Over Time: Build a connection with a lead advisor who gets to know you and your organization and can bring in others when needed.
- Integrated, Not Outsourced: We work as part of your team, offering a sounding board, second opinion, or hands-on leadership to support your success.
- Credibility That Opens Doors: The AAC builds on Osborne’s deep roots in agriculture, with a two-decade track record of advising organizations across Canada. Our independence and experience make us a trusted partner when clarity and credibility matter most.
Why the Ag Advisory Council Model Works
Traditional consultants bring frameworks. We provide people who’ve led in ag and understand the challenges firsthand. The Ag Advisory Council offers flexible, on-call support backed by Osborne’s deep bench. We integrate quickly, focus on real outcomes, and stay grounded in the realities of your organization.
Deep Ag Experience
Every AAC member brings decades of leadership across agri-business, producer groups, research institutions, and co-ops, with the insight to understand both the sector and the people in it.
Flexible, Scalable Support
You get access to high-level ag expertise without overcommitting time or budget. Whether you need a one-time strategy review or ongoing guidance, we tailor the support to fit.
Driven by Outcomes
We’re not here to theorize. AAC advisors focus on clear goals, practical solutions, and helping your team move from decision to execution.
Fresh Perspective
Our independence gives us perspective, and our experience keeps us practical. We ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and help uncover new opportunities.
Situations Where the AAC Can Help
You’re revisiting your strategic direction and need an experienced, independent perspective.
You’re updating your strategic plan or evaluating a funding decision, but need independent validation before taking it to the Board or stakeholders. We step in as a sounding board, helping refine your direction, pressure-test assumptions, and ensure alignment with member expectations and public accountability.
You’re seeing pressure on performance and need help identifying what’s holding you back.
Margins are tightening, your leadership team is stretched, and growth is slowing. You need experienced eyes on pricing models, organizational design, or go-to-market strategy. We bring cross-functional insight and practical advice to help you adapt, differentiate, and lead more effectively.
You’re scaling fast and need leadership that understands ag, investment, and execution.
You’re preparing to scale, pitching investors, or struggling to gain traction with producers. You need advice from people who understand both innovation and the ag market. We help validate your strategy, refine your positioning, and offer experienced leadership that builds investor and grower confidence.
You’re doing strong academic work, but need help connecting it to the market.
Your research program is strong, but industry engagement is lagging. You need help aligning priorities with market needs, assessing commercialization potential, or forming strategic partnerships. We bridge the gap between science and the sector, helping institutions connect more effectively with ag stakeholders.
You’re seeing risk below the surface and need insight before acting.
A client’s financials look fine, but you sense deeper operational issues. Or maybe you’re evaluating a new lending opportunity and want a second opinion. We offer discreet business health checks and operational assessments, helping you de-risk decisions and support clients toward improvement.
You’re navigating sensitive ground and need clear-eyed, credible support.
You’re facing a major decision – market entry, stakeholder alignment, or policy impact. You need independent insight from people who know the ag landscape. We bring strategic guidance, political neutrality, and deep connections across the sector to help you move forward with clarity.
Real Results, Real Impact
Barr-Ag
“The Osborne Principals our business has engaged have delivered important support to our business in a number of areas and provided excellent value.”
Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation
“Our Executive Director left us at a critical time in the Park’s development. We couldn’t afford normal search firm fees and needed to expedite a campaign as soon as possible. Osborne knew our business and our urgent situation. Working with their partners at ScoutTalent they found us a tremendous candidate within 60 days of starting the campaign. It was both an effective and efficient process.”
Glacier FarmMedia
“Osborne effectively employed a team approach in assisting our company with several significant projects in 2021. Their ability to communicate with stakeholders internally and externally really helped our leadership team validate and focus our needs.”
Parallel Ag Group
“Osborne was able to meet our timelines to have an interim CFO in place. The Talent Acquisition Specialist did a great job for us. Given our positive experience we would consider using Osborne again in the future and highly recommend its services.”
Stockmen’s Memorial Foundation
“We contracted Osborne to help transition our Foundation into the future with stronger processes, plans and leadership. We were very pleased with the results and would highly recommend their work.”
CANTERRA SEEDS
“We engaged Osborne to undertake a thorough assessment of our business and the marketplace which involved interviewing multiple stakeholders in the development of a five year strategic plan. We were more than pleased with the results and wouldn’t hesitate to refer the quality of their work to others.”
Alberta Fish and Game
“Osborne Interim Management was able to provide us with interim leadership during a period of significant transition and organizational rejuvenation. In addition to the Principal who acted as Interim Executive Director, they provided resources as required to facilitate a strategic planning session and update our Personnel Policy manual. The Interim then led the recruitment process that helped us find and onboard our new CEO. I would highly recommend the services of Osborne Interim Management.”
Sunrise Soya Foods
“The interim management resources we brought in for a short time provided an organized overview of our HR functionality, helped to achieve a couple of senior level executive transitions without disruption and generally helped us to build a stronger organization going forward. We feel better prepared for next steps now.”
4-H Alberta
“Osborne Interim Management provided invaluable assistance to us as we merged three different operating entities into the new 4-H Alberta. Mark Olson as Interim CEO of the 4-H Foundation and Judy Williams as communications strategist played a significant role in our transformation and I would highly recommend their/Osborne’s services.”
Gowan Company
“We engaged Osborne Interim Management to assess the capacity of our Canadian Operations in the wake of ambitious five year growth plans. Not only did the Osborne Principals deliver a thorough report, but they provided us with valuable tools to undertake ongoing analysis and forecasting based on a number of Canadian market variables.”
Alberta Grains
“I want to express our gratitude and my gratitude for how Mark Olson of Osborne Interim Management has led us through the last six months. There is no denying his expertise is exactly what we needed and has us on the even footing we needed to pass the baton to our first ever Alberta Grains Executive Director. Thank you isn’t enough but I say it most sincerely.”
Driving Outcomes Across the Ag Sector
Our advisors step in with the right expertise at the right time, helping ag organizations solve problems, make critical decisions, and move forward with confidence. Here are a few real-world examples:
Veteran Ag Leaders, Backed by a Powerful Network
Our team brings over 250 years of combined ag expertise, spanning strategy, operations, policy, and transformation. We lead with practical insight, real-world experience, and when needed, supplement with specialized experts from our broader network.
Garth Hodges
Agri-business Development, Commercialization of Innovation, Global Strategist
Kevin Eikerman
Agri-business, Supply Chain Management, Leadership Development, Operations
Murdoch MacKay
Agri-business Development, Policy Strategist, Supply‑Chain and Trade Advisor
