AgAnnex Talks

Mary Ruth McDonald has always been interested in plants, which led her to the University of Guelph, the study of plant pathology, and an interest in crop protection. But it was a summer job as a pest management scout in Ontario’s Holland Marsh that clarified what she wanted to do with those interests. Between her work as an OMAFRA pest management specialist and as a professor in the department of...

Manitobans Brett Sheffield and Matt Mroz have worked closely together since their days studying agriculture. Sheffield, who owns NextGen Drainage and Mroz, owner of Revasto Enterprises, pride themselves in continuously challenging themselves and their knowledge, knowing the alternative ways to do things and growing their businesses at sustainable rates. As part of the GroundBreakers series, they d...

Jeremy Meiners might have been comfortable in lecture halls and research labs for the rest of his career – he obtained his PhD at Washington University at a time when he says many of its graduates were going into full-time academia careers. But Meiners pivoted and combined his passions of farming and design and joined AGREM, his father’s software company.  Now, Meiners not only applies those...

While Heather Watson didn’t grow up on a farm, most of her youth she was drawn to agriculture, nature and farming, whether it was through her part-time job at a local farm supply store or living near farmland. After initially obtaining her Master’s degree in English literature, Watson pivoted her focus to farm business management, establishing herself in Eastern Ontario – and never looked back. No...

Adam Fisher has a passion for doing things the right way. Since creating his first Ditch Doctor prototype, Fisher has made his life about just that. His goal with the Ditch Doctor, an excavator attachment used to create, restore and maintain ditches, is for it to become the “go-to” method for maintaining infrastructure. In this  GroundBreakers  episode, Fisher discusses why maintain...

Award-winning farmer Lisa Mumm is a dedicated leader in the field of seed harvesting and seed policy. As a fourth-generation organic seed farmer, Lisa has a wealth of experience growing specialty seed crops. Her business, Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds, works with family farmers around the world to supply over 100 varieties of seeds for growing sprouts and microgreens. She is also the go-to to advocate fo...

Bruce Shewfelt, president of consultancy firm PBS Water Management, has spent his whole career focused on moving water – both away from areas that are too wet and into areas that are too dry. His work both in the public sector and in private consultation have led him around North America, working with some of the best minds in the biz and engaging in knowledge transfer including public speaking, p...

From risky career moves and adversity in the workplace to the illness and death of a loved one, Lana Shaw has encountered many curve balls in her life, and credits her village of supportive people to help her get through the challenges she’s faced. Now, Shaw strives to pay that kindness forward in her current role the executive director and research manager of the South East Research Farm in Redve...

Some children develop an interest at a young age that quickly grows into an obsession and, eventually, a career. For Christine Noronha, growing up in Pakistan, that interest just happened to be insects. Now an entomologist with AAFC, she has devoted her life to the study of entomology, and knows that the smallest pests can have the biggest impact on yields, livelihoods and the environment. Beyond...

Welcome to the third episode in our 2022 Top 4 Under 40  series. These three episodes will feature conversations with the winners of  Fruit & Vegetable ’s recent contest, which sought to recognize the industry’s young trailblazers. Jason Lanoue ended up working in horticulture in a bit of a roundabout way. Initially going to the University of Guelph for biochemistry to be a doctor, h...

Welcome to the second episode in our 2022 Top 4 Under 40 series. These three episodes will feature conversations with the winners of Fruit & Vegetable ’s recent contest, which sought to recognize the industry’s young trailblazers. Alex Chesney grew up on her family’s fruit and vegetable farm, Thames River Melons Ltd., and is now using her training as a registered dietician to make clear connec...

Welcome to the first episode in our second annual Top 4 Under 40 series. These three episodes will feature conversations with the winners of Fruit & Vegetable ’s recent contest, which sought to recognize the industry’s young trailblazers. Nick Vranckx may have gotten into the Canadian fruit and vegetable industry because his parents bought a blueberry operation in 2004, but he's made his own m...

Leona Staples, president of The Jungle Farm in Red Deer, Alta., is passionate about sharing the story of agriculture with everyone she meets. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Staples, along with her husband and three sons, would host more than 5,000 students through educational experiences, offering students unforgettable knowledge about how food is produced. Stefanie Croley, editorial director, agri...

Life is full of difficult decisions – when to take a chance, when to take time off, when to go back to your roots, when to try something new. Andrea McKenna has tackled all of those tough decisions and more as a farm operator, advocate and mentor. Now, she tells her story outlining her journey from city living to farm operation and helping growers make more sustainable business decisions. AgAnnex...

If you work with cereals in Ontario, odds are you’ve heard of Ellen Sparry – she’s a go-to person for cereals research and production questions, according to “Wheat Pete” Johnson. Sparry is the general manager of C&M Seeds in Palmerston, Ont., as well as wheat registration co-ordinator and performance test co-ordinator for the Ontario Cereal Crops Committee and chair of the newly formed Seeds...

Professor Tina M. Widowski has spent more than 25 years investigating the factors that affect the well-being of poultry and livestock. Collaborating with academic leaders including Temple Grandin and Ian Duncan, her extensive research and authorship has included findings on growth, efficiency and mortality in broiler chickens, as well as alternative housing systems for chickens. Canadian Poultry &...

Simone Demers-Collins’ career has taken her from government and extension to independent consultation, but at the root of it has always been listening to the needs of the community around her. Now as a professional home economist, Simone also spends her time promoting food literacy in youth. Agriculture editor Bree Rody chats with Demers-Collins in this episode of AgAnnexTalks, the second in this...

Crystal Mackay is an agriculture advocate, entrepreneur and much more. Currently the founder/CEO of Loft32, which works to elevate businesses, people and the conversations on food and farming, Mackay has been described as “doing the heavy lifting” of launching successful structures and programs in the ag industry for more than 30 years. Stefanie Croley, editorial director, agriculture, chats with...

Welcome to the third episode in our Top 4 Under 40  series. These four episodes will feature conversations with the winners of  Fruit & Vegetable ’s recent contest, which sought to recognize the industry’s young trailblazers. In our fourth and final episode, Fruit & Vegetable associate editor Alex Barnard chats with Nicholas Ploeg of Sunrise Potatoes in Alliston, Ont. Ploeg discu...

Welcome to the third episode in our Top 4 Under 40  series. These four episodes will feature conversations with the winners of  Fruit & Vegetable ’s recent contest, which sought to recognize the industry’s young trailblazers. In this episode,  Fruit & Vegetable associate editor Alex Barnard chats with Philip Keddy, production manager of C.O. Keddy Nursery Inc. Keddy and his...

Welcome to the second episode in our Top 4 Under 40 series. These four episodes will feature conversations with the winners of Fruit & Vegetable ’s recent contest, which sought to recognize the industry’s young trailblazers. Hayden Dooney may have studied grape and wine production, but apples are where he's making his mark. In our second episode, Fruit & Vegetable associate editor Ale...

Welcome to the first episode in our Top 4 Under 40 series. These four episodes will feature conversations with the winners of Fruit & Vegetable ’s recent contest, which sought to recognize the industry’s young trailblazers. Susan Judd combines a love of agriculture with a keen business sense in her many projects and pursuits. In this episode, Fruit & Vegetable associate editor Alex Barnard...

In our last focus on future-proof farming, we speak with experts from Olds College and Purdue University about how drones, automation and data are changing the ag world, and what barriers exist that prevent adoption.

Digesters are widely regarded as a great way to repurpose farm waste into alternative energy sources, while also helping out in other areas – like cutting down on nutrient losses and producing on-farm resources like bedding. And although the demand for digesters is increasing, prices remain high, and farm operators want to know that their ROI will be strong. We speak with representatives from both...

As we continue our season focused on farming with the future in mind, we speak with farmers and industry leaders on how they've pivoted and coped throughout COVID-19 and what it's taught them about dealing with future disruptions down the line. This podcast episode is sponsored by the FCC .