The Extensionists

What if you could turn every stressful conflict into a moment of growth instead of dread? In this Season 2 finale of The Extensionists, we sit down with Rachelle Brockman, principal of Eureka Experience, to explore how to master conflict as a learnable skill. Rachelle dives into how understanding different personality types—including Myers-Briggs communication styles—can fundamentally change how y...

We know the science, but how do we make it resonate? Let's rethink the 'expert-led' model and explore how to build more impactful, collaborative sessions for our farming communities. In this episode of The Extensionists , hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck are joined by Jane Mangold, a professor and extension specialist at Montana State University, and Nicole Fleming, director of the TBR Community,...

What can agricultural extension professionals learn from stand-up comedians? In this episode of The Extensionists , hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck welcome Dean Jenkinson, comedian and artistic director of the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, to explore the communication skills and habits used by those who make us laugh. They examine how extensionists can use these techniques to help build meaningful co...

How do you navigate the unspoken expectations, deep-seated fears, and intergenerational tensions that make farm succession planning so difficult? In this episode of The Extensionists , Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck are joined by Patti Durand, author and facilitator with Brightrack Consulting, to explore the challenges and opportunities in family farm transition. Drawing on her experiences with over 4...

What do 33 years in agricultural communications, a role as senior communications advisor for Grain Farmers of Ontario, and a 26-year run as the lead guitarist for the country rock band "The GMOs" all have in common? In this episode of The Extensionists, we sit down with Owen Roberts, senior advisor of strategic communications for Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and former International Federation o...

How do we get extension right by bridging the gap between researchers and farmers? In Episode 35 of The Extensionists , hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck welcome Lauren Benoit, a 2024 Nuffield Scholar and PhD student at the University of Saskatchewan, for a discussion focused on strengthening public-private partnerships for the benefit of the entire agricultural value chain. Lauren shares key findi...

Do traditional extension methods still work? On Episode 34 of The Extensionists, hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck meet with Cees Leeuwis, professor of collaborative research, communication and change at the Knowledge Technology and Innovation Group at Wageningen University, to examine traditional extension models and opportunities for system changes. They discuss the transition from traditional, o...

In the 33rd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck chat with Steve Larocque, the owner and president of Beyond Agronomy, to discuss controlled traffic farming and Nuffield Canada. Steve shares how he grew up in the Ottawa Valley in farm country. After school, he moved out to Alberta thinking he would work on the oilfield, but instead found himself entering the ag world t...

In the 32nd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck talk with Mohamad Yaghi, Farm Credit Canada’s vice president of the Innovation Hub and Ag Expert, about technology and farming remotely. Mohamad shares how he operates his family’s Lebanon-based olive and grape farm from Canada. He discusses how technology is making it easier to do so and what farmers in North America ca...

In the 31st episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with David Lazarenko, partner and executive vice president at ThinkShift, to talk about the world of advertising and what those in agriculture extension can learn from it. The three talk about notable ads – which ones are good and which ones don’t resonate. They discuss how people aren’t remembering ads as much...

In the 30th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Franck Carisey, the owner of Uluwehi Coffee Farm in Hawaii, to learn about coffee farming and how important extension is to running his operation. Franck talks about growing up in France, moving to the United States, and how he ended up - rather recently - becoming a coffee farmer in the Kona region on the...

In the 29th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck are at Ag Days for our first ever live recording with media personality Dez Daniels. They talk with Dez about her childhood growing up on a farm in Ituna, Sask. At the time she wasn’t a big fan of farm life and wanted to get away, but now, looking back, she appreciates it. She also discusses her time as host of the popul...

Does the message actually matter if the messenger misses the mark? In the 28th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Tongzhe Li, a professor and Arrell Family Chair in Behavioural and Experimental Economics at the University of Guelph. Her research on farmer behavior proves a vital point: it’s not just what you say to a farmer, but how you say it that trul...

In the 27th episode of The Extensionists, we take a look back at the year that was. Co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck share what they learned from the guests they chatted with in 2025. We then welcome our behind-the-scenes team, producer and editor Abby Wall and coordinator Ashley Robinson, to discuss highlights, what it takes to put The Extensionists together, and what everyone is looking forwa...

Is soil health really Senator Robert Black’s passion? And why does it take so long to get a Bill passed with the government? In the 26th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with the Honourable Robert Black, Senator for Ontario and Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. Senator Black shares how he became a soil health champion and...

Why are we so skeptical when it comes to soil health policy? Sabrina Perić, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Calgary, took a deep dive into what Canadian farmers are really thinking and feeling when it comes to soil health and other policy decisions. In the 25th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Sabrina, who didn’t actually set...

Being a farmer can easily become your identity, but what happens when that identity is threatened? For “The Recovering Farmer” Gerry Friesen, he found himself facing that very issue nearly two decades ago.  In the 24th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Gerry. The three dig deep into the mental health struggles farmers face and what you can do to s...

Meaghan Seagrave has very unique insights into the opportunities for Canadian agriculture.  In the 23rd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Meaghan, executive director for Bioindustrial Innovation Canada. This organization is developing programming and early-stage investments in bio-based technologies that fit along a green-based value chain. ...

Why doesn’t the agriculture industry work together on research? Rupp Carriveau found himself asking this as he began working with the greenhouse industry in southern Ontario.  In the 22nd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Rupp, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Windsor and co-director of Agri...

What is the best way to get information to farmers? According to Jolanda Jansen, you should leave out the facts and you shouldn’t tell them what to do. Instead, ask questions.  In the 21st episode, and season 2 premier of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Jolanda, a communications consultant and co-owner of St Anna Advies, to talk about her work. She delves...

How did a guy with a degree in dairy genetics end up working for the P.E.I. Potato Board? Ryan Barrett, after a job working in communications with Jersey Canada, found himself back on the island being hired by the P.E.I. Potato Board for his extension background. Over the years, his role morphed into its current form as the Board’s research and agronomist specialist. For Ryan, it has always been a...

John Burns didn’t start out as a farmer. He grew up on one, though. But when he finished high school he was shoed away and encouraged to attend university, which is where he discovered his love of science. This launched him into a career teaching science. After some time - no longer able to resist the call, he started farming in his spare time, always approaching it as a science. Over the years, J...

How do you respond to emergencies? How do you get the correct information out to producers if there's a disease outbreak or natural disaster? On the eighteenth episode, Jenelle Hamblin, director, swine health with Manitoba Pork, joins co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck to offer invaluable insights on communications during tense, urgent situations.  Jenelle helps pork producers through moment...

How did a farm boy from Manitoba end up in Silicon Valley? In the 14th episode, The Extensionists co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Scott Day, an agronomist and director with Fall Line Capital. Scott and Jay go way back, having grown up on the farms surrounding Dand, MB. In this episode, Scott shares the story of how he went from working in extension for the Manitoba government to...

How do you connect with farmers and nurture leadership in the industry? At the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in the UK, Mark Campbell and his colleagues run a multitude of extension programs to support UK farmers. Mark is the knowledge exchange manager for one of them - AHDB’s AgriLeader Program. In the sixteenth episode, Mark  joins co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck...