Registration opens in July
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
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, Gergely 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.
Gergely 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.
