Podcasts – RealAgriculture

Canadian farmers are increasingly questioning whether today’s farm economy challenges are part of a normal cycle — or signs of something more permanent. In the April 2026 edition of the Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index, conducted by RealAgristudies, 59 per cent of respondents said agriculture is facing a “structural breaking point,” meaning permanent changes may be... Read More

Cool nights, hot wheat markets, and plenty of agronomy curveballs — Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson is back with another packed episode of the Wheat Pete’s Word podcast! From drought-stricken U.S. wheat crops driving market rallies, to nitrogen application headaches in Ontario wheat, Pete covers a wide range of timely crop management issues. There’s also discussion... Read More

The grass always looks greener on the other side of the fence; this old adage seems to be more true in the spring than at any other time of the year. Just because it's green, though, doesn't necessarily mean that it's ready for cows. So what do we do when feed supplies are getting tight,... Read More

Today on the show, host Shaun Haney presents last night’s episode of The Agronomists, where Lyndsey Smith of RealAg, Tyler Wist of AAFC and John Gavloski of Manitoba Ag discuss early-season insect feeding! The discussion focuses on flea beetles, cutworms, wireworms, and more. They talk about forecasts, anticipating control, and economic thresholds. Also on today’s... Read More

Spray drones are quickly moving from novelty to serious farm tool, especially as the Canadian Pesticides Regulatory Directorate (PRD) considers new rules that would allow the use of drones to apply pesticides already registered for aerial use. Dr. Tom Wolf, co-founder of AgriMetrix and Sprayers 101, says drones will reshape how some crop inputs are... Read More

Agricultural producers across North America are bracing for a season of environmental extremes as meteorologists confirm a rapid transition toward an El Niño weather pattern. The shift follows a winter that was historically dry and snowless for much of the Western United States and parts of Western Canada, leaving soil moisture levels low. Conversely, other... Read More

On this episode of The Agronomists, your host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Dr. Tyler Wist of AAFC Saskatoon and Dr. John Gavloski of Manitoba Ag to discuss early season insect feeding: focusing on flea beetle, cutworm, wireworm, and more! They also talk about about forecasts, control options, and economic thresholds. The Agronomists is brought... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to RealAg Radio brought to you by FMC! On today’s Agronomic Monday edition of the show, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Matt Makens of Makens Weather, Lara Rasooli of FMC for a spotlight interview, and Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson of RealAg! 00:00 - Coming up... 01:37 - Matt Makens of... Read More

Brrrrr, it's cold out there. Cool weather and cool soil have some Ontario farmers seriously wondering if it's best to wait before planting corn and soybeans. But RealAgriculture resident agronomist Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson says that unless there's a cold rain in the immediate forecast, drive on. Cool to cold soil may delay emergence, it's... Read More

Welcome to RealAg on the Weekend with host Shaun Haney! On this week's edition of the show: Haney discusses farm record-keeping and best practises; Jeffrey Kukura of Black Earth discusses fertilizer concerns; Matthew Coulter of Syngenta joins Lyndsey Smith for a product spotlight; and, Kristjan Hebert and Evan Shout join the show in a Truth... Read More

While the agricultural industry often equates growth with success, the financial challenges surrounding Monette Farms serve as a sobering reminder that scale is not a safeguard against volatility. As the initial excitement over the creditor protection news settles, the focus has shifted toward the structural lessons of rapid expansion, over-leveraging, and the management of extreme... Read More

Thanks for making RealAg Radio part of your Friday! Today on the RealAg Issues Panel, host Shaun Haney is joined by Kelvin Heppner and Lyndsey Smith of RealAgriculture and Evan Shout of Maverick Ag and Farmer Coach! 00:00 - Coming up... 1:49 - Leafs lottery luck, hockey talk, and reconsidering AAFC closures; 15:20 - Changes... Read More

A new formulation of Liberty herbicide is hitting farms this season, and growers will want to pay close attention before heading to the field. In this episode of RealAgriculture's Canola School, Sean McKnight, technical marketing specialist for herbicides with BASF, says the launch of Liberty AMP brings a 20 per cent more concentrated formulation compared... Read More

Welcome to the Farmer Rapid Fire on RealAg Radio, brought to you by Corteva Biologicals and hosted by Shaun Haney! 00:00 - Coming up... 1:48 - Gerrit Herrema of Uxbridge, Ont. 15:05 - Eric Dietrich of Lucan, Ont. 26:32 - Chad Beagle of Rimbey, Alta. 36:33 - Wilco Van Meijl of Rapid City, Man. 46:19... Read More

The short answer is yes, but with major caveats. New genetics and market opportunities have put edible beans on the radar on farms where they haven't been grown in the past, but it raises a machinery dilemma: do you need to invest in a dedicated planter, or can the drill or air seeder that's already... Read More

It’s critical to mix products in the right order to keep the sprayer rolling during tight application windows. When tank mixes go sideways, plugged filters, reduced solubility, and “toothpaste consistency” sludge can quickly turn a spray day into a costly delay. In this episode of Corn School, RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin visits the BASF London Research... Read More

As dairy producers continue to focus on cow comfort and barn efficiency, flooring and stall design are playing an increasingly important role in herd health and performance. At the Canadian Dairy XPO, Bioret Agri president Adam Steward tells RealAgriculture that the company’s non-slip flooring systems have seen rapid growth across North America as producers look... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to today's RealAg Radio show brought to you by Bayer Crop Science Canada! On today's edition of the show, Shaun Haney hosts a panel discussion as part of the Bayer Future of Canola series. On today's panel, Haney is joined by: Brian Treacy, Government & Industry Affairs Lead at Bayer Crop... Read More

Cold soils, slow burndowns, split nitrogen timing, and wheat disease pressure are all on the table in this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word. Host of the weekly podcast, Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson, digs into the ongoing planting debate around cool conditions, shares observations from across Ontario and beyond, and answers a long list of listener agronomy... Read More

Drones equipped with advanced cameras and AI-powered analytics are helping plant breeders speed up crop development and better understand field variability. Dr. Steve Shirtliffe, professor in the department of plant sciences and director of the Nutrien Digital Agriculture Centre at the University of Saskatchewan, has been working with drones in the area of crop phenotyping... Read More

Kristjan Hebert and Evan Shout kick off this episode of The Truth About Ag discussing the hot topics of the day and then are joined by Gary Mar, president and CEO of Canada West Foundation. Gary Mar has worked across provincial politics and in diplomacy in Washington and Asia. That varied experience shows up in... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to RealAg Radio with host Shaun Haney! Today on the show, hear from Health Minister Majorie Michel and Pierre Petelle of CropLife Canada to discuss reducing regulatory burden in agriculture. Also on today’s show is Matthew Coulter of Syngenta Canada for a product spotlight, and Jacob Shapiro of Bespoke Group with... Read More

As interest in biologicals and biostimulants continues to grow, companies are working to turn emerging science into practical, measurable value on the farm. In this report from Commodity Classic in San Antonio, Texas, Loveland Products senior portfolio manager Ron Calhoun says the opportunity lies in improving nutrient efficiency — particularly for inputs like phosphorus, where... Read More

The prolonged closure of the Strait of Hormuz is no longer a hypothetical risk—it’s a live disruption with real consequences for global energy, fertilizer, and food systems. In this episode of Frontlines, Jacob Shapiro of Bespoke Group joins RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney to unpack what’s driving the escalation of the war with Iran, what the U.S.... Read More

On this episode of The Agronomists, your host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Curtis de Gooijer of Bourgault and Horst Bohner of OMAFA to discuss setting up for success with soybeans and canola, including row spacing, target populations, seeder/planter settings for tough conditions (too dry, too wet), minimizing seed damage, and troubleshooting the most common... Read More

Pulse crops in rotation help improve soil, add more complexity to crop rotations, and reduce nitrogen fertilizer inputs. Growing pulses also comes with some nuances, as they are not all that competitive with weeds and have limited in-crop herbicide options. Mike Palmier, partner and agronomist with MNP Ag Intellect says in this episode of RealAgriculture's... Read More

A single week of railway and port disruption could drain up to $540 million from Canada's grain sector. That figure comes from new economic analysis commissioned by members of the Agriculture Transport Coalition, which includes national farm commodity groups and grain companies. The findings support a new campaign launched last week that calls on the... Read More

Welcome to RealAg Radio with your host Lyndsey Smith! Today’s Agronomic Monday episode of the show is brought to you by Nutrien eKonomics! 00:00 - Coming up... 01:58 - Shane Strydhorst of Pulse Canada on balancing P-K-S when margins are tight 15:49 - TJ Poehlman of the University of Guelph-Ridgetown on seasonal sprayer prep 25:58... Read More

Winter canola acres are on the rise in Ontario, and for Allan Thompson of Alvista Farms at Caledon, Ont., the crop is already proving a good fit. Canola has traditionally been a small spring crop for Ontario farmers, but in recent years growers like Thompson have helped expand winter canola’s footprint from roughly 500 acres... Read More

Welcome and thanks for tuning in to unpack the week that was in Canadian agriculture on RealAg on the Weekend! Today on the show, host Shaun Haney is joined by Greg Northey of Pulse Canada on labour and transportation, Paul Sinkevich of Vantage Ag for a spotlight interview, and Anne Wasko of the Gateway Livestock... Read More

Welcome to the RealAg Issues Panel on RealAg Radio with your host Lyndsey Smith! Today, Smith is joined for the panel by Shaun Haney and Kelvin Heppner of RealAg Radio and Tyler McCann of CAPI. Also on today’s show, Haney is joined by Anne Wasko of Gateway Livestock Exchange for a Beef Market Update! 00:00... Read More

Canada’s federal Health Minister stepping directly into an agriculture forum—and signalling openness to regulatory change—marks a notable shift in tone between government and the ag sector. At CropLife Canada’s Spring Dialogue Days in Ottawa this week, RealAgriculture’s Lyndsey Smith spoke with Health Minister Marjorie Michel following her remarks and a 45-minute fireside chat with CropLife... Read More

If you’ve been following the cattle markets lately, you know we’ve been anticipating some strength. But what happened this week wasn't just "strength"—it was an absolute explosion. As we flip the calendar to May, we are officially in uncharted territory with new all-time cash highs and a supply-demand dynamic that continues to defy gravity. Here... Read More

00:00 - Coming up 1:29 - Meet Dean Orr, farmer and land use researcher 3:22 - What Ontario is proposing for limiting foreign land ownership 6:57 - Land use vs land ownership 9:19 - The potential of the Clay Belt 13:01 - The value of land for retiring farmers 17:08 - The Alto rail line... Read More

Recent updates to Canada’s drone regulations are expanding what’s possible for agricultural use, opening the door to more advanced applications and greater operational flexibility. Speaking with RealAgriculture’s Amber Bell at the Ag Drone Summit in Camrose, Alta., Ian Wills, president of Coastal Drone Company, outlined how regulatory changes introduced in 2025 are reshaping the landscape... Read More

As growers look to manage weeds in corn this spring, tight margins are putting extra pressure on every herbicide pass. In this Corn School episode, BASF Canada agronomist Rob Miller says getting the best return on weed control comes down to timing, product choice, and understanding what’s happening in the field. In a year where... Read More

Spring may be pushing wheat and weeds ahead, but cooler nights are keeping planting decisions complicated this week. In this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson covers everything from cold-weather spraying risks to nitrogen timing, plus an early-season insect alert and strong reminders on cover crop value. There’s plenty of ground covered, literally... Read More

Making sure the sprayer is ready to deliver accurate, consistent applications is critical as growers head to the field to manage winter wheat this spring. In this Wheat School episode, University of Guelph-Ridgetown professor TJ Poehlman walks through key setup and calibration steps growers should take before spraying. He stresses that a few simple checks... Read More

What are insect surveys telling us about pest pressure on Prairie crops? Amanda Jorgensen, insect management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, joins Shaun Haney of RealAgriculture to explain how surveillance programs track pests such as bertha armyworm, diamondback moth, wheat midge, and grasshoppers. Learn how to interpret survey maps and what the results can... Read More

After a winter that saw growing interest — and purchases — of drone technology, many Canadian farmers are heading into the 2026 season ready to put these tools to work in their fields. At the Canadian Dairy XPO in Stratford, Ont., RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin caught up with Brian Vansteelandt, sales specialist with Volley Aerobotics, to... Read More

Welcome to this week's edition of RealAg on the Weekend with your host Shaun Haney! Today on the show, Haney is joined by: Laura Hatcher of Cargill on Cargill’s new Regina-based crush facility; Pierre Petelle of Croplife Canada on slow movement on regulatory reform; Shea Ferster of MNP for a spotlight interview; Justin Nanninga of... Read More

Saskatchewan has some of the toughest rules on the books about who can and can't own farmland in the province. Even so, concerns around who owns Saskatchewan farmland and how land purchases are financed continue to surface across the province, prompting a closer look from industry and government alike. Bill Prybylski, president of the Agricultural... Read More

As sprayer technology evolves, the focus is shifting from broad application to more targeted, efficient use of crop protection products, without requiring a complete equipment overhaul. At Commodity Classic 2026, Precision Planting research agronomist Aaron Hermann outlined how new retrofit tools aim to bridge that gap for existing sprayers. In this interview, he explains how... Read More

When canola emergence is uneven, the issue often traces back to seeder setup, where small misses in calibration, airflow, or seed placement can quickly reduce plant stands. Justin Nanninga, director with Alberta Canola and the Canola Council of Canada, says in this episode of RealAgriculture's Canola School that getting the right plant population starts with... Read More

Bridging the gap between research and real-world impact remains one of Canadian agriculture’s most persistent challenges. Now, this crossover episode of Ag Policy Connection and The Final Mile tackles that issue head on. In this episode, hosted by Tyler McCann and Elise Bigley of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), the conversation brings together Dr.... Read More

As interest in drone spraying grows, so too does the need to stay grounded in the fundamentals, especially when it comes to pesticide labels and personal safety. While drone application of pesticides is still an emerging area, the requirement to read and follow pesticide labels applies regardless of the equipment being used. Lisa Rybchuk, president... Read More

Waterhemp continues to push north and east across Ontario, and for soybean growers, the stakes are high. Left uncontrolled, this aggressive weed can rob significant yield — making early identification and management critical. In this episode of Soybean School, RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin speaks with University of Guelph-Ridgetown weed scientist Dr. Isabelle Aicklen about the growing... Read More

Drones and virtual fencing are quickly moving from concept to practical ranch tools, and the combination could fundamentally change how cattle are managed across large landscapes. Speaking at the first Ag Drone Summit in Camrose, Alta., Dr. John Church of Thompson Rivers University says both virtual fencing collars and drone technology have reached a tipping... Read More

It’s go-time across Ontario, but the window isn’t exactly wide open. Between wet fields in Ontario, drought in parts of the U.S., and even a hard freeze out west, this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word covers just how variable spring conditions can be. From nitrogen timing decisions to weed pressure already baked into yield potential, Peter... Read More

Canada’s push to expand trade relationships is picking up speed, but not all deals are being met with equal enthusiasm—particularly when it comes to beef imports. Tyler Fulton, president of the Canadian Cattle Association (CCA), says that renewed negotiations between Canada and the Mercosur bloc, which includes Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay, raises significant concerns for... Read More