Egg farmer, food processor, employer and community fund-raiser, Bert Harman occupies a lot of positions. No matter where his business and interests take him, one thing is sure:  staying the same is just not in the cards.

Starting out in life by joining his father in egg farming in 1965, Harman took care of 6,500 hens in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.  Since then, the business has grown to three farms in two provinces and an egg grading operation, Star Egg, in Saskatoon.

“I’m just built that way…I’m geared toward growth,” says Harman when asked what motivates him.  Today, he and his wife Darlene share ownership of Star Egg and the farms in Prince Albert and Humboldt as well as Steinbach, Manitoba.  Together, the businesses employ about 55 people.

Business growth has allowed Harman to hand over the reins of day-to-day operations.  “I don’t haul manure anymore,” he quips.  His management team maintains oversight of all four operations while the next generation of Harmans keeps an active hand in the businesses.  Daughter Dana Haynes looks after the office and accounting at Star Egg.  Son Shawn, being groomed for financial management of the operations, now manages the farm in Humboldt while nephew Jason Labelle is responsible for the egg farm in Prince Albert.

In 2001, Harman focused expansion on the Prince Albert farm by replacing equipment and building a second barn. The Harmans purchased the Humboldt farm in 2002 and then bought and renovated the Steinbach operation in 2003.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for the Harmans in recent years was when Star Egg changed homes.  A building was purchased, completely renovated and the grading operation moved lock, stock and barrel. Timing of the renovations was extremely important to ensure customer needs were met and eggs were still available.  At one point, the move required a complete shutdown of grading operations for 10 days, requiring Star Egg to increase the number of eggs kept in cold storage as well to ship some of the eggs to a further processing plant where they were broken, pasteurized and processed into egg products.

But it was well worth the effort, says Harman as it allowed the grading operation to upgrade equipment used for the washing, inspecting and packing of eggs according to their sizes of pee wee, small, medium, large, extra large and jumbo.

“What that’s done for us, is it’s allowed us to hire more and better qualified people,” Harman says of the expansions.  As fewer and fewer people are raised on farms, it is increasingly difficult to get and keep a strong, qualified labour force in agriculture and food processing.  But success allows businesses to hire and hang onto good help, contributing to the local economy.

As a farmer, Harman understands the importance of biosecurity, the practice of establishing restricted areas to protect laying hens from disease and the eggs from bacteria.  While he is an owner, he’s also a visitor when he travels to his farms. Like other visitors, he is required to change into clean coveralls prior to entering the barns and to sanitize his boots, habits that help to keep his laying hens safe. “I keep emphasizing biosecurity; you just can’t take chances,” he says.

As if his business endeavours don’t keep him busy enough, Harman also chairs Saskatchewan Egg Producers, a farmer organization which manages the supply of eggs in the province.  As chair, he wants to find ways to help the egg industry in Saskatchewan increase its efficiency and to find new uses for eggs.

Harman also looks for new ways to let his staff know he appreciates them. Rather than hold the traditional Christmas party, he opts for a family day celebration in January. For example, one year he rented a theatre for employees and their families; children and adults alike enjoyed Madagascar.  It was a great afternoon of good, clean family fun.  He also helps raise money for charity through raffles held with his employees.

Whatever Harman does as a farmer, grader, employer or member of his community, he takes seriously.  While many people with his success might think about retiring, this good egg finds it difficult to even talk about slowing down.