The Dirt: an eKonomics podKast

Soil research is most valuable when it reflects the real challenges growers are seeing and helps them make better management decisions.   In this episode, host Lyle Cowell is joined by Dr. Chantel Chizen, Assistant Professor in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan, to discuss how conversations with farmers have helped shape priorities for her new research group. Chantel...

What should you consider when choosing a potassium source?   In this episode, host Dr. Alan Blaylock is joined by David Holden, owner of Holden Research and Consulting, to explore how crop needs, soil properties, water source and the nutrients supplied alongside potassium can affect how well a particular source fits into a system. They compare potassium chloride (MOP) and potassium sulfate (SOP),...

Soil fertility isn't always the yield-limiting factor. Compaction, salinity, soil acidity and water management can all affect how well crops grow and how effectively they access nutrients.   In this episode, Lyle Cowell is joined by Marla Riekman, Soil Fertility Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, to explore some of the other factors that can hold back crop performance and productivity. They dis...

Building soil organic matter has become a common goal for farmers looking to improve soil health, but increasing soil organic matter levels can be harder than we'd expect.   In this episode, host Amy Crozier is joined by Andrew McGuire, Irrigated Cropping Systems Extension Agronomist and Grant County Director with Washington State University, to explore what influences soil organic matter (SOM) an...

Crop yield forecasting isn't new, but the information used to build them has changed. Today, field observations and grower experience can be combined with satellite imagery, weather data and historical records to provide a more complete view of expected production.   In this episode, Dr. Karl Wyant is joined by Megan Nunes, founder and CEO of Bountiful, to explore what goes into crop yield forecas...

4R Nutrient Stewardship is becoming more practical, more detailed and more adaptable to the way growers manage nutrients across different crops and regions.   In this episode, host Lyle Cowell is joined by Dan Heaney to explore how Fertilizer Canada's updated 4R Practice Guidance has evolved and what's changed in their latest update. They discuss the addition of best management practices for sulfu...

Succession planning can feel daunting and complex. With multiple people bringing different expectations to the table, it can be difficult to build a plan that fits everyone - which is why less than one in five farm families actually have a farm succession plan in place.   In this episode, host Amy Crozier sits down with Kevin Brooks, Farm Business Management and Marketing Educator with the Univers...

Understanding your cost of production goes far beyond knowing what you spend on fertilizer.   In this episode, Amy Crozier is joined by Eric Olson and Warren Bills from MNP to break down the different elements that make up production costs in grain and why knowing your cost per bushel matters. From gross margins and production expenses to labor, machinery, land and financing, they explore what eac...

Denitrification is one of the three main pathways for nitrogen loss, but what is it really, and how much nitrogen do we stand to lose?   In this episode, Lyle Cowell is joined by Dr. Erin Daly from the University of Guelph to break down denitrification and the conditions that drive nitrogen loss in the soil. They explore how nitrogen can be lost as nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas, what conditions d...

What can a crop built to last for generations teach us about planning for the seasons ahead?   In this episode, Dr. Karl Wyant is joined by Stephen Vasquez, executive director of the Administrative Committee for Pistachios and the California Pistachio Research Board, to explore the long-term agronomic planning behind pistachio production.   From orchard establishment and nutrient management to rec...

Soil testing can be a valuable tool, but getting the most from it starts with understanding what you're measuring and how to interpret the results.   In this episode, Dr. Alan Blaylock is joined by University of Minnesota soil scientists Dr. Carl Rosen and Dr. Daniel Kaiser to separate fact from fiction when it comes to soil testing. Together, they discuss common soil test myths, what soil tests c...

Recorded live at Ag In Motion, Jason Newton returns to revisit the market outlook he shared earlier this year and uncover what could shape crop and fertilizer prices heading into fall.   Joining Amy Crozier, Jason breaks down the factors driving today's market conditions, from weather and tightening crop supply-and-demand balances to energy prices, geopolitics and global crop production. He also e...

Eric Snodgrass is back to revisit the spring weather outlook he shared earlier this year and what the rest of the growing season could look like.   In this episode, he joins Amy Crozier to explore how weather patterns have evolved across North America and around the world. From shifting drought conditions to the rapid development of El Niño, Eric explains how the season has unfolded so far, what t...

Your irrigation water plays a bigger role in your operation than you might think.   In this episode, Cory Broad joins Dr. Karl Wyant to explore why irrigation water should be treated as an agronomic input. They discuss how water quality can affect the performance of your irrigation system, why that matters for irrigation efficiency and fertigation and what a water sample can reveal about your oper...

When your soil pH becomes a concern, what options do you have?   In this episode, Dr. Antonio Mallarino joins Dr. Alan Blaylock to discuss practical approaches to managing soil pH and soil acidity. They explore how soil testing and grid sampling can help identify pH issues, the role of lime in managing soil acidity, the advantages and disadvantages of various lime sources, and how soil pH and buff...

Farm risk management goes far beyond crop insurance.   In this episode, Amy Crozier sits down with Mathieu Lipari, National Risk Management Lead at Farm Management Canada, to explore what risk management really means and how a whole-farm approach can help drive success.   From trade uncertainty and climate challenges to farm transition planning and financial management, they discuss the risks faci...

What does it take to grow high-quality produce?   Agronomist Christopher Hight from Grimmway Produce Group joins host Dr. Karl Wyant to explore the agronomy behind produce production. With experience managing more than 65 different vegetable crops, Christopher breaks down everything from nutrient management, irrigation and soil health to fertilizer efficiency and the strategies used to produce hig...

From fertilizer applications to crop rotations, many of the decisions made each season can influence your soil pH over time.   In this episode, Dr. Miles Dyck from the University of Alberta joins Dr. Alan Blaylock to discuss what soil pH is, why it matters and what growers should know about managing acidic and alkaline soils.   Learn how fertilizer management, crop rotations and nutrient removal i...

Focusing on one nutrient like nitrogen might yield immediate results, but long-term production requires a more balanced approach.   In this episode, Norm Dueck joins Amy Crozier to discuss what a balanced nutrient management plan looks like and why it's becoming increasingly important in crop production. As crops remove more nutrients from the soil, we must look beyond a handful of key nutrients a...

The residue your crops leave behind is going to impact next season's crop whether you think about it or not.   Too much residue can create challenges like disease pressure and poor planting conditions. Too little can leave topsoil exposed. Managed properly, crop residue can help build soil health, support better planting conditions and cycle nutrients back into the soil.   So how should we think a...

What happens when crops remove phosphorus and potassium from the soil, and what does it take to replenish them?   In this episode, we're in the classroom at Mississippi State University sitting down with Dr. Vaughn Reed to explore how to manage nutrient removal and replenishment by thinking about your soil like a bank account.   From what's immediately available to the crop versus what takes time...

Sustainability is talked about everywhere these days, but what does it actually mean for agriculture?   In this episode, we sit down with Carlos Romero, Senior Sustainability Manager at Nutrien Ag Solutions, to break it down in practical terms. For Carlos, sustainability isn't abstract, it's good agronomy that works both economically and environmentally.   They discuss how Canadian farmers are put...

Agriculture has changed a lot over the last 20 years, and it's not slowing down.   In this episode, we sit down with Ben Graham, President of AdFarm, to explore what's evolved, from how farmers get their information to the rapid rise of on-farm technology. They dig into why some innovations take off faster than others, how farmers decide what tech is actually worth using and what the next 20-25 ye...

Ever wondered how the nitrogen fertilizer you apply is actually produced?   In this episode, we sit down with Chris Boyda, Senior Manager of Operations at Nutrien's Redwater nitrogen facility, to explore the full process behind nitrogen fertilizer production. From how ammonia is made to how it's converted into products like urea, UAN and ammonium sulfate, Chris breaks down what happens inside one...

Every season in the Canadian Prairies comes down to one thing: the weather. With a short growing window, everything rides on how conditions unfold.   In this episode, meteorologist David Spence breaks down how winter set the stage for spring, where moisture levels stand across the Prairies, and what conditions could look like heading into seeding. While much of the region has pulled out of short-t...