Ontario Agricultural College Podcasts

In this podcast Dwight Newman discusses one of the more important legal issues of our time: the Canadian Government's "Duty to Consult" Indigenous People. The meaning and history of duty to consult is discussed in detail.   Transcript: [Introductory music] Brady Deaton:  Welcome to FARE Talk where we set out to provide enduring discussions on contemporary topics relevant to our economy with partic...

In this podcast, Kenneth Poon discusses a pressing policy issue with broad-reaching implications: how Canada puts a price on carbon. Brady Deaton:  Welcome to Fare Talk where we set out to provide enduring discussions on contemporary topics relevant to our economy with particular emphasis on food, agriculture, and the environment. My name is Brady Deaton Jr. of The Department of Food, Agriculture...

In this podcast Alan Ker discusses a special issue of the Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics - 'COVID-19 and the Canadian Agriculture and Food Sectors: Thoughts from the Pandemic Onset'.   Transcript: [Introductory music] Dr. Brady Deaton:  Welcome to Fare Talk where we set out to provide enduring discussions on contemporary topics relevant to our economy with particular emphasis on food,...

We've all had food go bad, which results in the unfortunate act of food waste. But what if the structure of food could be altered to extend the shelf life? Louis Colaruotolo, a PhD student in the Department of Food Science, is trying to do just that. Using 3D printing and other research methods, he is working to better understand the causes of food deterioration. He discusses his ​fundamental rese...

Stress in laying hens can result in feather pecking, a behaviour that can have severe welfare and economic consequences. E'layna and Tahlia chat with Claire Mindus, a PhD candidate in the Department of Animal Biosciences. Claire discusses her research on a promising solution to feather pecking, that involves supplementing hens with probiotic bacteria. Note: the research discussed in this episode,...

Biomass crops, like switchgrass and miscanthus, are used for agriculture products and biofuel production. These crops can improve soil health while removing carbon dioxide from the air. Sowthini Vijayakumar, a PhD candidate in the School of Environmental Sciences, is trying to find a practical solution to decrease atmospheric carbon through the conversion of agricultural land to biomass crops. She...

There are some new voices behind the Why & How podcast. Our new host E'layna and friend of the show Tahlia welcome their first guest, Tyler Black, to the show after a brief hiatus. Tyler, PhD candidate in the School of Environmental Sciences, discusses his research on oil spills. They often make headlines when they occur, but what happens next? Through a toxicology lens, Tyler is looking to better...

Anaerobic digestion is a biological process in which microbes break down organic matter to produce biogas. This process captures the biogas, which can be harmful to the atmosphere and uses it for energy. Dr. Brandon Gilroyed, a professor in the School of Environmental Science at the Ridgetown Campus, chats with Graeme about his research in this area, highlighting how it works and the environmental...

Before recreational cannabis became legal in Canada in 2018, some rural communities in British Columbia relied on the illicit market for economic well-being. Legalization disrupted these communities' way of life. Tracey Harvey, a PhD candidate in the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, is researching the implications of cannabis legalization on these communities. She talks to Gra...

Producing informative research is the goal of all our guests, but ensuring that groundbreaking research is actually used is the focus of Dr. Amy Lemay. Amy, who is a post-doc researcher in the Department of Plant Agriculture, is working to determine why Integrated Pest Management practices (based on research findings) have been so widely adopted by farmers. She explains the "sociology of science",...

Ultra-processed foods are dominant in our Western diet, and this doesn't just include pop and chips. Many processed foods that consumers consider to be healthy (based on their ingredients) are negatively affecting our health. Dr. Mike Rogers, a professor in the Department of Food Science, explains the evolution of our diet and the impacts of processed food on our bodies. He also unpacks the compli...

Using robots to care for dairy cows might sound a bit cold or even dystopian to some, but researcher Dr. Meagan King found a connection between automation and positive health benefits for both dairy cows and the farmers who care for them. In this episode, Meagan talks to Graeme and Jordan all about dairy cows and explains how her research in the Department of Animal Biosciences showcases the linka...

This past summer, hundreds of teachers across Canada played host to bee hotels in hopes of better understanding solitary wild bees. Sage Handler, a master's student in the School of Environmental Sciences, tells Graeme and Jordan all about this unique approach to crowd-sourcing research data and why tracking wild bees is worthwhile. She also answers all of Graeme and Jordan's bee-related questions...

Onions, like all living things, need protection from pests and diseases. Sara Stricker, a PhD candidate in the Department of Plant Agriculture, sits down with Graeme and Jordan to explain how her research is protecting Ontario's onions. Sara explains why onions are such a valuable crop, why they need protected and how it's done. She also gives the inside scoop on completing a PhD and the Universit...

Mice are one of the most commonly used animals in research, and Lindsey Kitchenham is on a mission to determine how their housing environments impact their welfare. She chats with Graeme about how integrating behaviour assessments and neuroscience will help us better understand how housing impacts mice brain development. She explains how her research, happening in the Department of Animal Bioscien...

In this episode Graeme and Jordan learn about the Ontario hard cider industry, starting at the orchard and the apples. Derek Plotkowski, a PhD student in the Department of Plant Agriculture, talks about his search for the perfect apple variety for making cider. He explains why some ciders are sweeter than others, why "eating" apples don't make good "drinking" apples and where to find some of Ontar...

When you imagine a Canadian farm, what does it look like? Who is running it? How big is it? Hongyu (Will) Chen provides our new host Graeme, and Jordan, with insights into what Canadian farms look like. Will, a researcher in our Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, digs into Statistics Canada data to highlight trends in Canadian farm size, demographics, what's thriving and what...

Grocery shopping isn't simple. Price, nutritional content, convenience and our values all seem to collide in grocery store aisles. Laura Stortz, a master's student in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, talks to Josh and Jordan about research she's doing on nutritional warning labels and pay-what-you-can grocery stores. (Ps. This is Josh's final episode as host; a big than...

Soil has superpowers. It can grow food and sustain life. But two researchers in the School of Environmental Sciences share their research on how it can also contribute to climate change. Kean Gao and Prof. Claudia Wagner-Riddle explain how different soil management practices affect our food security and our atmosphere.   You can learn more by following @SoilsAtGuelph on Twitter or visiting  https:...

The voices behind your favourite podcast chat all things Why & How over eggnog. Josh and Jordan give over the mic to producer Stephanie Craig, so they can share their thoughts on the first 12 episodes. They talk about the good, the bad and plans for the future. They answer listener questions and introduce the new podcast host for 2020: Graeme Li.   Descriptive transcript available here:  https://w...

There's lots of talk about trade and tariffs, but what exactly is free trade? And is it good or bad for businesses, consumers and farmers? Brendan McDougall, a graduate student in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, sits down with Josh and Jordan to answer these questions. He explains all the basics (in an interesting way) and tells us about his graduate research.  Descrip...

You've felt it. It's hotter in the city. But why? Prof. Scott Krayenhoff of the School of Environmental Sciences explains why our cities are hotter than they should be, and what can be done to cool them down. Unfortunately, the solution is complicated by climate change. And keeping colder cities warm in the winter actually makes them more liveable. Thankfully Scott's got some advanced computer mod...

Animal agriculture is often pointed to as a key contributor to climate change. But what if we could breed cattle that burp less and emit fewer greenhouse gases? Adrien Butty and Kerry Houlahan, graduate student researchers in the Department of Animal Biosciences, are working on just that. They chat with Josh and Jordan about how through selective breeding of dairy cattle (based on genomics) a solu...

Fishing is an important cultural and economic activity for many of the First Nations communities in Canada, but the governance of their fisheries is complicated. Chirag Patney, a rural planning master's student, explains how he hopes his research will help shine a light on one community's concerns when it comes to policies and programs that govern their fishing activities. You can follow @SEDRD an...