Welcome To The 46th Agriculture Update - Against The Ropes!
“Farm planning ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. Programs, tariffs, auditors and increasing deficits will take you to your knees if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit tax as hard as governments with large deficits. (Inflation is a compounding tax right?) As the great Rocky Balboa once said “it ain’t how hard you get taxed; it’s about how hard you can get taxed and still shelter your gains...”
Our 2025 course will focus on sparing with the Auditor including reviewing recent audits in the ag industry, projects to keep your guard up and reviewing the key steps and processes compliance practioners should be aware of.
With more family members stepping into the ring our main event will review plans for farm growth and look at opportunities to setup the perfect combo and multiply the lifetime capital gains exemption. We’ll discuss how this can lead to more effective farm transition when tag teamed with the appropriate governance structure. With high variable/ fixed costs, strong livestock prices we’ll review opportunities and plans for sole proprietors to utilize and help keep their gloves up.
In a rematch from last year we’ll provide an update on the Canadian Entrepreneur Incentive and plan to beat the count with intercorporate debt, replacement property and our usual tips and traps: AMT, Trust Reporting, new TI’s and many more.
This year we are excited for the return of Colin “The Refund Reaper” Miller KPMG Lethbridge, Ebony “Bottom Line” Verbonac Managing Partner KPMG Lethbridge. Keith “Capital Pain” Hennel Chair of Dentons’ Edmonton Tax group and Gergely “The Spreadsheet Shuffler” Hegedus Partner in Dentons Tax Group. On behalf of your speakers and Alberta Canola Producers Commission we look forward to offering our 46th Agriculture Update for Professionals. As Rocky once said “Every once in awhile a person comes along who defies the odds, who defies logic, and fulfills an incredible dream.” I like to think he meant the farm advisor who minimizes a taxable position and ensures a smooth family farm transition.
Joel “Bad Asset” Bokenfohr
2025 Agenda - Against The Ropes!
I Must Break You.”
Sparing With The Auditors
Attorney Privileges vs Accountants for both personal service and high net worth
Review of audit activity current projects and projections including specific Ag examples and responses.
Top 10 list compliance preparers should be aware of in the audit process.
Rules and filing deadlines, information sharing and penalties
“Big arms can move rocks,
but big words can move mountains.”
Plans to multiply the lifetime capital gains exemptions
Replacement Property
Governance Structures
Canadian Entrepreneur Incentive
Changes in tax policy
Toughest opponent you're ever going to face is in the mirror
Tips for Sole Proprietors.
Ways to manage taxable income
Decisions on incorporation and partnership roll refresh
Discussion on restricted farm losses/ write offs.
Farm equity and economics
One punch at a time. One round at a time.”
Tips and Traps: “One step at a time.
Alternative Minimum Tax, Trusts and Trust Reporting
Estates / capital loss carry forward
New TI's and CRA Commentary
Mandatory Disclosure, Interest Deductibility and Promissory Notes
Red Deer - In Person
October 20, 2025
Holiday Inn and Suites Gasoline Alley
33 Gasoline Alley E, Red Deer County, AB T4E 1B3
In Person Seminar, Printed and Electronic Materials and Access to the Session Recordings.
Saskatoon - In Person
October 21, 2025
Saskatoon Inn & Conference Center
2002 Airport Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7L 6M4
In Person Seminar, Printed and Electronic Materials and Access to the Session Recordings.
Virtual Seminar
October 22, 2025
Virtual Seminar, Electronic Materials and Access to the Session Recordings.
Edmonton - In Person
October 22, 2025
Double Tree by Hilton
16615 – 109 Avenue, Edmonton, AB T5P 4K8
1-800-661-9804,
(780) 484-0821
In Person Seminar, Printed and Electronic Materials and Access to the Session Recordings.
Calgary - In Person
October 23, 2025
Calgary Cavalier Calgary Hotel
2620 – 32nd Ave NE, Calgary AB T1Y 6B8
(403) 291-0107
In Person Seminar, Printed and Electronic Materials and Access to the Session Recordings.
Can’t Attend the Seminar?
Register Below to Access the Virtual Seminar Recording and Electronic Materials until December 31, 2025. Access will be available 10 days following virtual events.
Seminars
Once again we will be presenting our seminar in person and virtually from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm local time.
The seminar will feature a number of topics with a Q&A taken throughout the day. Your seminar registration to the live event or virtual seminar fee gives you access to the electronic materials and recordings of the seminar.
Please note printed material will be supplied for the Live Seminars and can be ordered separately for virtual participants.
Registration Fee
Register before October 14, 2025
In Person Seminar + Printed Materials + Electronic Materials and Seminar Recording – $380 + GST
Virtual Seminar + Electronic Materials and Seminar Recording – $345 + GST
Add Optional Printed Materials $65 includes Shipping & GST. (Note: materials may not arrive prior to seminar depending on order date.)
In Person Seminar: Register 5 participants or more - $360 + GST/Registrant
Virtual Seminar: Register 5 participants or more - $330 + GST/Registrant
Can’t Attend - Access to the Recorded Seminar + Electronic Materials until December 31, 2024 - $345 + GST
Register after October 14, 2025 - Add $25 to Seminar Pricing
Unfortunately we are unable to provide a refund for Cancelations received after October 14, 2025.
Registration is open until 1 business day prior to the sessions.
Seminars begin: 9:00 a.m. and ends 4:00 pm (CST Saskatoon, MST - Red Deer, Calgary & Edmonton)
Once you’ve registered you will receive an email with a confirmation ticket and information to access the seminar.
For those booking hotel rooms, Guests will be responsible for costs and in most cases they are held for up to 3 weeks prior to the event.
Seminar Policies
EMAIL ADDRESSES — A unique email address is required for each registrant to access the virtual seminar and recorded material. Launch virtual access from your confirmation email.
REGISTRATION — Registration is open until 1 day prior to the start of the sessions. If you are unable to attend the sessions, you will be able to purchase access to the session recordings on the website.
CONFIRMATION OF REGISTRATION — Registrations are confirmed via email from Agriculture Update upon completion of the registration form and payment. You will also receive your virtual access in the confirmation email this time as well. If you do not receive a confirmation email and code please call us at 1-780-850- 5418.
NAME CHANGES — Name changes may be made before the start of the sessions at no charge. However, you must notify Agriculture Update by email (registration@agricultureupdate.ca) to facilitate this change. If printed materials are purchased and the name change is completed after the materials have been shipped, it will be the registrant’s responsibility to ensure the new attendee receives the binder. Splitting a registration is not permitted.
CANCELLATION or MISSED SESSION — Notice of cancellations must be sent via e-mail to registration@agricultureupdate.ca and confirmed. No refunds for cancellations received within 5 days of the seminar. Fees are subject to applicable tax. Refunds will be processed to the original form of payment. If the printed material has been mailed, it will be the registrants’ responsibility to return the material. Refunds will be processed at that time. Unfortunately, there is no refund for registrants who do not attend the seminar however they will have access to recordings and posted materials.
ATTENDANCE CERTIFICATES — Once participation is finalized a certificate of attendance will be emailed to the registered email address.
Each registrant must acknowledge the following statements:
I understand that if I register for the virtual event I will have all the system requirements and will do a system check prior to the virtual seminar.
If I have any technical issues, I will call 1-780-850- 5418 to troubleshoot.
I understand that the seminar course materials and all works, including written material, presentations, recordings, online content, references and participant comments and discussions is for educational purposes only. Neither Agriculture Update nor the speakers involved in the preparation of the material accept legal responsibility for its contents or consequences arising from its use.
The material, along with all produced content is owned by the Agriculture Update. I understand that any misuse of the material will be subject to consequences deemed appropriate by Agriculture Update for Professionals as to the cancellation of services and materials, present or future, or legal prosecution to the full extent of the law.
Speakers 2025
To cover course topics this year we are pleased to be joined by Colin Miller, FCPA, FCA, Partner at KPMG, Keith Hennel, B Sc, LL.B, Partner and Chair of Dentons’ Edmonton Tax Group, Gregely Hegedus, BA, LL.B, Partner in Dentons’ Tax Group, Ebony Verbonac, CPA, CA, CBV, Managing Partner KPMG, and Joel Bokenfohr MFRE FEA.
Colin Miller,
FCPA, FCA
Colin is a Partner with KPMG in Lethbridge. A large focus of Colin’s practice is assisting agricultural clients in implementing reorganization plans for tax, succession and estate planning purposes. Colin currently publishes monthly articles on various agricultural tax topics in The Western Producer.
Keith Hennel,
BSc, LL.B
Keith Hennel (He/Him/His) is a partner at Dentons and serves as chair of Dentons’ Edmonton Tax group. His flourishing practice focuses primarily on corporate reorganizations, succession planning and taxation, and his impressive client roster ranges from local owner-managed businesses and start-ups to large multinational organizations. Keith advises high net worth individuals in Alberta on all issues related to tax planning, succession planning and estate planning, and works closely with his clients on income tax, GST/HST and dispute resolution matters. In addition, Keith assists clients with mergers and acquisitions, typically advising on the sale or purchase of a business, and planning and implementing pre-closing restructuring transactions.
Keith is extremely familiar with the province’s business and legal communities, and has longstanding ties to the farming, and oil and gas sectors. As head of Dentons’ Edmonton Tax group, Keith is able to access the Firm’s entire legal team across Canada and around the globe to provide tailored solutions to his clients, especially when dealing with complex taxation matters.
Gregely Hegedus, BA, LL.B
Gergely Hegedus is a partner in Dentons’ Tax Group, with a practice that focuses specifically on tax litigation and dispute resolution.
For more than eight years, Gergely represented the Canada Revenue Agency as Legal Counsel in the Tax Law Services Section of the Department of Justice Canada. During his tenure, he successfully litigated matters before the Court of King’s Bench of Alberta, the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court, and the Federal Court of Appeal.
In his spare time, Gergely enjoys the outdoors cycling and running marathons.
Ebony Verbonac, CPA, CA , CBV
Ebony is managing partner in the tax group with KPMG in Lethbridge. Ebony works closely with her clients to determine succession strategies that make sense from both a tax and business perspective. Ebony has shared her expertise at various seminars, facilitated at many CPA institute tax courses and writes monthly articles for Alberta Beef Producers.
Joel Bokenfohr, MFRE, FEA
Having sat at close to 1500 kitchen tables, Joel helps primary producers and farm families make decisions on transition planning, farm management and business structures. With his extensive agriculture and financial background, he works with entrepreneurs, and agriculture industry advisors to create solid business and transition plans. Joel continues to farm in Sturgeon County, Alberta, with his family.
Joel holds a degree in commerce and management from MacEwan University, a master's in economics from the University of British Columbia, and agribusiness certificates from Texas A&M and the University of Sao Paulo.
