Food Careers Podcast

This week, Jill talks to her friend and colleague, Marty Seymour, the Director of Industry Relations at Farm Credit Canada and the host of their new podcast "The FCC Knowledge Podcast".  Their new podcast focuses on talking to farmers about things that matter to farmers. Jill and Marty talk podcasting and how to provide valuable content as well as how to ask insightful questions.  They also discuss how to use social media effectively and how to remain authentic and positive on these platforms. Finally, Marty gives some ideas on how to replace the office water cooler in this age of Covid by picking up the phone and chatting through tough issues with the right person in your support network. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

Today, Jill talks to David Hoar, from Syngenta. He is a leader at this thriving global agri chem company and has built many teams to support local customers in the global market. Jill and David talk about his career path at Syngenta and how it's empowering work culture allows its workers to make decisions for themselves and form long-lasting relationships with its customers. They also discuss the importance of nurturing his team and making everyone feel included no matter how new they are to the company. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

Today's episode is slightly different. Jill talks to Marcel Blais,  the President of Chop Steakhouse and Bar.   Instead of learning about Marcel's career, Jill and Marcel have an authentic and vulnerable discussion about how the hospitality industry is being disproportionately affected by lockdown measures and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead for this industry awaiting a reopening of the economy. Marcel believes that in spite of us not knowing how this will end or what comes tomorrow, there is a way through this very difficult time in a healthy and positive way.  When faced with the kind of adversity that we are currently seeing, the combination of unwavering faith and open and honest communication, while simultaneously acknowledging the brutal facts will yield a positive outcome. Ultimately, he is optimistic and is sure that the best and most resilient version of Canada will emerge from this crisis. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers

In this episode, Jill talks to Scott Dickson, a partner at the accounting firm of MNP. Jill and Scott talk about how MNP has built their brand into a recognizable and trusted name that is centred around serving their customer. They talk about how creating relationships with people is paramount and spending time with them outside the office is when these relationships can grow. He maintains that people are going to do business with people they know, like and trust and in that order. They also discuss MNPs expansion throughout the country and how they have been supporting youth initiatives and helping to build future farmers. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

Today, Jill talks to Deborah Michaelson, from Michaelson Meadows. She is a farmer and entrepreneur who has built her family's agricultural chemical business from the ground up. Jill and Deborah talk about her career path starting from her youth growing up in Montreal to her unlikely career as an agri chem expert and a very successful and respected entrepreneur. She takes pride in always being there for her customers in their time of need no matter what she is doing. They also discuss the challenges of finding qualified people to join her company and how small towns offer a great sense of community and a family feel. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

Today, Jill talks to Kevin Serfas, a farmer and entrepreneur from Alberta who is currently building a feed yard for 40,000 head of cattle. Jill and Kevin talk about the opportunities in innovation and collaboration in the face of adversity during these challenging times. They also discuss the challenges of public perception fueled by social media and how farmers and food producers can overcome these by working together with large companies and being open about their industry. Ultimately, he is optimistic about the ability of Canadian farmers to provide a secure food supply for Canadians as well as for markets abroad. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

Food holds a great power to fuel athletes. Today,  Jill talks to Sage Watson, a pro runner, Olympic athlete in 400m hurdles and team Canada relay, who was also raised on a ranch and how she developed a passion for running from a very young age. Sage talks about the importance of eating fresh whole nutritious food which includes quality beef and that knowing how to fuel her body for optimum performance is part of her job as an athlete. She describes what it's like to be a pro athlete, including the highs and lows, from the injury that could have ended her career to breaking the Canadian record.  Most importantly, Sage describes how knowing what is her purpose and knowing her "why" has been critical to her longevity and ongoing success in the sport of track and field. She is truly an inspiration and make sure to go cheer her on in Tokyo in 2021.  You will recognize her on the track by her signature red lipstick!! For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

Today, Jill talks to her mentee and friend Eugenie Officer, the Social Media Marketing Consultant at Farm Credit Canada. She talks about growing up on an apple farm in rural Quebec,  relocating to the prairies and becoming a leader in her field. She also emphasizes the importance of mentorship and having your own personal board of directors for your career and your life. Most importantly, this conversation is about taking control of your destiny and your career by taking risks while always nurturing the relationships you make along the way. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

In this episode,  Jill meets with Michael Young to talk about his work with Canada Beef in marketing Canadian beef products around the world.  He talks about where he started, working as a butcher and in an abattoir, to eventually working in the top job at Canada Beef. He has travelled the world marketing Canadian beef and other Canadian products. He describes the most memorable meals from his many travels.  He also describes his proudest moments that, ironically, came during times of crisis and how his team pulled together and worked tirelessly to support Canadian farmers. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

Today Jill, Erin and Dara talk about how to relax when it comes to your food choices. There are lots of differing opinions about what is healthy, but Erin and Dara want you to get back in the kitchen, cook and eat with your family without stressing about what you are eating. If you enjoy the food, it makes you happy and nourishes your body and your soul, then eat it and don't worry about anything else. That is the way to intuitively build a healthy relationship with food. They are both dieticians, food bloggers, home cooks and home economists and their website, howtoeat.ca, and Instagram @how_to_eat, are both full of easy, accessible recipes to boost your confidence in the kitchen and help you provide nourishing food for your family. Check out their #mycanadianbeef profile at canadabeef.ca/dara-erin/. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

In this episode, Jill talks to Diane Rodgers, a registered dietitian, author, podcast host and movie producer about the important part that protein plays in a healthy balanced diet. She talks about eating real whole foods instead of processed food marketed as healthy, as well as how eating animal protein, beef, in particular, is actually beneficial for the environment. There is currently a lot of controversy surrounding meat but Diana and Jill talk about the need for everyone to listen and learn from each other when it comes to what a healthy diet can look like and to have an open mind and accept that positive dialogue around our opinions is the best path forward regardless of differing opinions. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers.

Join Jill Harvie (@brightpasture) for Season 2 of the Food Careers Podcast where she will explore a broad range of fascinating people and their careers. In this episode, Jill talks to Stuart Person, the Senior Vice President of Agriculture at MNP. Stuart talks about the importance of succession planning when it comes to passing down the farm to the next generation of farmers. Stuart emphasizes the importance of being prepared, having those honest and open conversations with family about the future of the family farm and working with a professional to help make the transition easier. Stuart and Jill also discuss the future of the family farm in Canada and how increasing land prices will affect their sustainability. Most importantly, Stuart emphasizes the need for farmers to think of their farms as a business as well as a lifestyle to ensure that it can be sustained for generations to come. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers

Join Jill Harvie (@brightpasture) for Season 2 of the Food Careers Podcast where she will explore a broad range of fascinating people and their careers. In this first episode of Season 2, Jill talks to PJ Budler, a world-renowned cattle consultant and judge. PJ talks about his unusual career, the countries he has visited while consulting and judging cattle, and the people he has met along the way. PJ gives essential advice to young people hoping to follow in his footsteps. Most importantly, PJ talks about his passion to help people breed better cattle to help feed the world's growing population with a product that is plentiful, sustainable and affordable. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers

What a great way to cap off season 1 of the Food Careers podcast! Join me as I interview my uncle Denis Perrault a wine maker and dairy farmer near Navan, Ontario. Denis and his wife Lyse make a wonderful team along with their talented family in creating a extraordinary getaway only minutes from downtown Ottawa. The impressive dairy farm nearby produces the other tasty liquid harvested on this farm. Yes, the milk business has been the primary staple of the Perrault family for multiple generations. The milk and wine business' compliment each other in many ways. What's really special about this selection of wine is that many of the labels will be named after their daughters and grand daughters. Denis says that women have a great way of selling wine. My personal favorite wine is 'Rosalie', named after my cousin Dominique's daughter. Visit brightpasture.com for my blog showcasing breathtaking photos and show notes. 

On this week's episode of Food Careers, I had the opportunity to visit with David Francis, a 7th generation seed potato and beef farmer. David and his son Brett are business partners who run a Charolais influence beef cattle calf operation, modern feedlot, a 450 acre chip stock and seed potatoes business. They also produce grain and hay on their farm which is located just off the bridge of Prince Edward Island (PEI) in a town called Lady Fane. David explains the ins and outs of producing seed potatoes for some of the largest names in the potato chip business. This family farm prides itself on environmental sustainability, they have installed thousands of feet of soil conservation features. Also, they do their very best in improving soil health, by using various practices such as crop rotation and rotational grazing. For example, a potato crop can only be taken from a certain plot of land every 3 years. The other years, crops are produced and beef cattle graze to inject soil with fertilizer naturally, thus enriching the soil for the next growing season. 

Over the last few years I have had a persistent feeling that I should help elevate the conversation around careers related to food. Food has a great way of bringing people together yet as of late it has become polarizing in some circumstances. The story behind our food and better yet the people is an excellent way of bringing people to the table for meaningful conversations. The Food Careers podcast is about real food and relatable people. I have been overwhelmed by the positive response from listeners thus far. With over 280 downloads per episode and growing I feel as though the audience listening is one that is engaged and interested to hear more. In episode 7, I take 15 minutes to review my past growing up in Ontario, moving to Alberta and navigating my career path. Then I explain why this podcast came to be.

My next guest is Alexis Kienlen, who is originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her path to becoming a well known Agriculture and Agri-food reporter may surprise you. Alexis did not grow up in the field of Agriculture or Food. Yet, today she is fully entrenched in this world. Alexis works as a reporter for "Alberta Farmer" newspaper. Her poems, articles and fiction pieces have appeared in publications and websites across Canada. If you enjoy writing, I think you'll take interest in episode 6. Show notes and blog can be found on brightpasture.com 

My first international guest, Josh Dowbiggin joins me in episode 5 to share his story of entrepreneurial spirit and professional growth. Josh shares insights on his post secondary education at Harper Adams University where a one-year work term proved to be a foot in the door to his current career at Co-op Food. In his teens, Josh invested in purebred UK breeding cattle and then traveled to North America to learn about alternative business models. Quickly, Josh developed an import/export business based in the UK servicing global clients. Today, his business is booming with record breaking events and a growing global following.

In the last episode we explored a Registered Dietitian’s career and now along that same vein, we visit with the Masterfeeds CEO in Episode #4. We explore the world of animal nutrition. Masterfeeds is one of the leading animal nutrition companies in Canada. This standout company is owned by Alltech a world renowned innovative company that aims to help farmers feed the world, raise healthy plants and animals, and protect the environment through nutrition and scientific innovation. Rob Flack joins me as we walk through his career path to becoming the CEO of Masterfeeds. Rob shares valuable insights on how his passion for agriculture at a young age led to the pursuit of a meaningful career in feeding animals. His quest to bring the story behind Canadian food to the city is evident with his involvement with the Toronto Royal Agricultural Winter Fair and the University of Guelph. As you listen along to Episode #4, you'll gather that Rob and I have a lot in common, we adore the animal nutrition world and are Polled Hereford cattle breeders! For more information on the ONE conference please visit the brightpasture.com blog.

What is a Registered Dietitian? Let's explore the many facets of a career in human nutrition. Meet Melissa Goldsmith and Registered Dietitian. Melissa grew up in Montreal, and completed a degree in Hotel Management.  She used this degree to work and travel the world.  This is how she discovered her passion for food, nutrition and cooking.  Melissa obtained her Bachelor of Science in Applied Human Nutrition to become a Registered Dietitian. She is dedicated to helping people, which has always shown through her continuous community involvement, both locally and globally. Melissa and I visit about the importance of professionals coming to together to discuss our food careers. Visit brightpasture.com for show notes under blog. 

Brooke is a talented entrepreneur who owns the most exquisite restaurant called, Vintage Coffee Bar. I am fortunate enough to visit this coffee bar often, since it is located in my hometown.  Imagine a crisp farm house style meeting place, where the food is homemade and the coffee is always fresh. Just wait, there’s more and that’s why I was inspired to share this story. Brooke has big dreams and made them a reality, through research, hard work and building a strong group of supporters. Join us as we walk through this small business owner's journey to bringing fresh, wholesome, local food to her community. Like most ambitious entrepreneurs, Brooke’s business has grown in popularity rapidly, learning as the restaurant takes shape. In Food Careers episode #2, she shares insights with those who aspire to start their own restaurant business.

Join Jill Harvie (@brightpasture) as I explore a broad range of fascinating careers from gate to plate with my guests. Food has a great way of bringing people together. Whether your interests lie in food production, manufacturing, retail and food service, cuisine or health and nutrition and more, this is the listening experience for you. We will dive into what makes these various career options fulfilling, all the while gaining an understanding of how to land and develop a dream job. If you are interested in a new career path or curious about standout vocations from around the globe, join us on this journey. Job seekers and employers alike can gain valuable insights from this podcast as we feature food career postings and talented available hires on future episodes. For more information and show notes please visit brightpasture.com. #foodcareers