Growing the Future

Weather is the one thing you cannot plan for. But you can plan around it. That difference — between being caught off guard and being positioned for whatever comes — is what this session is about. Drew Lerner has been reading the atmosphere for 47 years. Commodity markets, food companies, and producers worldwide rely on him. He is the kind of guy who can draw the jet stream on a whiteboard in real time and make it feel like a kitchen table conversation. That is exactly what happened here. Darren Sander runs a farm south of Rosetown, Saskatchewan. He has spent years figuring out how to reduce the damage weather does to his operation before the weather ever shows up. He opens the session by laying out the practical side — what farmers actually do to protect their crops from a season that has already made up its mind. Together, the three of them cover a lot of ground. Topics Covered How prairie farmers mitigate weather before it arrives Seed timing, variety selection, soil biology, compaction, and why the first 30 days dictate maximum yield potential. Darren explains the logic behind building resilient crops when the inputs are already fighting you. What the drought monitor is actually showing — and what it is missing The North American drought monitor does not capture long-term soil depletion well. For producers entering their eighth or ninth year of persistent dryness, the map looks more encouraging than it is. Drew explains why, and what to watch for as temperatures climb this spring. The ridge of high pressure problem — and why the US dryness matters to you When soil is dry, ridges of high pressure intensify and hold. When soil is wet, ridges collapse. Right now, the Rocky Mountain snowpack and the US Plains are running significantly below normal, which means any summer ridge could anchor itself, amplify, and push north into the prairies. This is not the official forecast. It is the official worry. What a Montana low means for the Southwest prairies Montana lows have been rare in recent years. That is a big part of why southern Alberta and southwest Saskatchewan have been so dry. One showed up in April 2026. Drew explains why that matters and what it signals about the pattern shift that may be coming. The two competing weather patterns fighting over the prairies right now A ridge-dominated western pattern and an active US trough pattern have been alternating all winter. Neither one has been generous to the Canadian prairies. Drew explains when and how the jet stream will shift northward — and what that means for when moisture actually arrives. The 18-year cycle and what it says about 2026 The lunar cycle is one of Drew's most reliable long-range tools. He walks through what it is, how it interacts with El Niño, and why 2026 looks meaningfully different from the worst years of the recent drought. El Niño — what it actually means for the prairies, and what it does not El Niño is coming. The hype is overblown. Drew separates the signal from the noise, breaks down timing versus intensity, and explains what the transition from La Niña to El Niño typically looks like for June, July, and August across different regions of the prairies. The solar cycle, commodity markets, and the window you are in right now Drew overlays the 11-year and 22-year solar cycles with corn and canola futures prices going back to the 1970s. The pattern is real and it matters for how you think about marketing. The 2020–2023 drought was not random — it was consistent with the solar minimum-to-maximum period. We are now two years past the solar maximum. That changes the outlook. Why the Northeast prairies and Manitoba face a different set of problems Too much snow. Heavy soils. A wetter June on the way. The challenge in the east is almost the opposite of the challenge in the southwest, and Drew addresses both. Peace country — is it going to be wet all spring? The short answer: yes, there is real risk of delayed seeding. Drew explains the pattern and what to watch for. Weather modification — does cloud seeding actually work? Drew gives a genuinely honest answer to a question that generates a lot of heat in agricultural communities. Worth listening to. Forest fire smoke and its effect on crop temperatures An uncomfortable truth: in 2021, smoke from northern fires may have actually moderated temperatures enough to reduce crop losses. Drew explains the physics. Global market drivers to watch in late 2026 and into 2027 El Niño's impact on Southeast Asia, India, and the pulse markets. Coffee, cocoa, palm oil, and what to pay attention to if you're thinking about canola. Timestamps [00:00:00] Welcome and context — 420 registered, 250 live [00:01:00] Introduction to Drew Lerner and World Weather Inc. [00:02:30] How probabilities work — and why no weather forecaster really knows what they're doing [00:05:00] Darren Sander on farm-level weather mitigation — seed primers, soil biology, compaction [00:08:10] Drew on how farmers in the US approach weather risk [00:13:00] AI, machine learning, and the future of weather forecasting [00:19:00] The North American drought monitor — what it shows and what it misses [00:22:00] The ridge of high pressure — basic atmospheric physics and why the US dryness is your problem too [00:27:00] Nine years of drought in southwest Saskatchewan — when does the drought monitor catch up? [00:27:30] The Omega block explained — live whiteboard illustration [00:31:00] Soil moisture assessment heading into spring 2026 [00:35:00] Snow cover — who has too much, who has too little, and what happens next [00:39:00] The two storm systems coming in April — what to expect in your area [00:41:00] Why the Montana low is encouraging news for southern Alberta [00:43:00] Manitoba — a different problem, a wetter spring coming [00:44:00] The primary influences on 2026: La Niña fading, El Niño arriving, the 18-year cycle, the solar cycle, ocean temperatures [00:50:00] Warm ocean temperatures globally — why that matters for storm moisture [00:52:00] The upper air pattern that has dominated since November — and when it breaks [00:58:00] US frost risk and potential market opportunities for prairie producers [01:01:00] The 30-day outlook — less precipitation coming after these two storms, then a pattern shift [01:06:00] El Niño timing and what the 18-year cycle data says month by month: May, June, July [01:13:00] The 1972 comparison — why Drew does not like it as an analog, and what is different this year [01:17:00] Drought monitor data collection — how granular is it, really? [01:19:00] Weather modification and cloud seeding — does it work? [01:26:00] The solar cycle and commodity futures — a 50-year correlation worth understanding [01:37:00] Global market drivers: Southeast Asia, India, pulse crops, coffee, cocoa, and canola [01:39:00] India's monsoon — El Niño timing versus the Indian Ocean Dipole [01:42:00] Final questions, closing remarks, and gratitude from the room About Drew Lerner Drew Lerner is the founder and senior agricultural meteorologist at World Weather Inc., a subscription-based service relied upon by commodity markets, food companies, and producers worldwide for over four decades. His forecasts cover the Canadian prairies, the US Plains, and global crop production regions. To subscribe or get in touch: worldweather.cc About Darren Sander Darren farms south of Rosetown, Saskatchewan, and has spent years building a farming system designed to withstand weather stress — from seed to harvest. About Growing the Future Productions Growing the Future Productions is a live, interactive briefing platform for prairie producers and agricultural professionals. We run monthly sessions with the best minds in prairie agriculture — weather, markets, land, technology, policy, and the things that actually matter on the farm. Subscribe to the Growing the Future Podcast wherever you listen. Follow Growing the Future on LinkedIn and Instagram. To find out about upcoming live sessions, visit growtingthefuture.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

FCC just dropped the 2025 farmland numbers. Canada up 9.3%. Manitoba leading at 12.2. Saskatchewan at 9.4. West Central Saskatchewan at 4.8 — roughly half the provincial move. That split is what this episode is about. Dan hosts a live panel with four guests who are in the data, closing deals, and financing purchases right now. Not forecasting from a distance. Actually in it. Together they work through what the headline number isn't telling you, why buyers are getting more selective, what lenders are seeing at Q1, and what comes next for a market that has run hard for twenty-five years. The honest answer from every person on the panel: the market is not the same everywhere, and it hasn't been for a while. Topics and timestamps: 0:00 — Introduction. The division forming between good land and everything else. FCC 2025 numbers across the prairies. 5:00 — Panel introductions: Tim Hammond (Hammond Realty), Bobby Montreuil (Hammond Realty / active producer), Courtney Thevenot (Scotiabank Ag), Conrad Olson (FCC, West Central Saskatchewan) 6:00 — What the market is telling the people actually closing deals — that the FCC report won't show until next year 8:00 — Why 30 pre-approvals per tender became 4 or 5. Less players. Not less land moving. 10:00 — West Central at 4.8% vs. the provincial 9.4%. What tighter margins and rougher crop years look like in the numbers, lagged. 13:00 — Live audience poll: where do you think farmland values are going in your area in the next 12 months? Results: 53% flat, 18% down, 24% up. 17:00 — How fortunes get made in land. The cap rate reality. Why the guy who paid $2,100 when everyone said $1,800 was the ceiling was right. 19:00 — Where are producers actually getting their local farmland values? Neighbors and coffee shop vs. realtor vs. lender vs. FCC. (Spoiler: coffee shop was first pick for 26%.) 23:00 — The Saskatchewan Comparable Farmland Reports and Farmland Security Board database as a tool for area-specific data. 28:00 — "They're not making any more land." How land buyers pencil it out when input costs keep rising and commodity prices stay uncertain. 29:00 — The lender's view: it's never about one parcel. It's about the whole operation. Cash flow. Equity. Fit. 33:00 — Large land packages and what potential Manette-scale offerings might signal for market dynamics. 37:00 — Next audience poll: what is your most likely land move in the next 12 months? 45% hold. 25% buy. 11% sell. 20% rent before purchase. 38:00 — Strategic efficiency purchases. Buying to right-size. Selling what's far away and consolidating closer to home. 41:00 — The Pareto Principle and farmland: 80% of what's for sale is weaker land. Was true in the 2000s. Still true now. 44:00 — Succession pressure and what it means for supply. 65% of Saskatchewan farmland owned by someone 65 or older. What happens when no one's taking over? 46:00 — Lending health check. Are declines increasing? Short answer from both Scotia and FCC: not really. Agriculture is holding stronger than the general business community. 51:00 — Creative financing structures for land that doesn't pencil on its own. Interest-only periods. Phased purchases. Part-buy, part-rent. 54:00 — Final round: one takeaway from each panelist. Bobby: still long on farmland. Courtney: Canadian ag is set up to shine. Conrad: hesitancy with a strong dose of optimism — know your numbers and stay agile. 58:00 — Audience takeaways read live, plus upcoming episodes: Drew Lerner on spring weather, non-farming siblings and succession, Steffes auction on whether now is the time to buy iron. What makes this one worth your time: You have an FCC lender, a Scotiabank ag lender, a real estate professional who is also actively farming, and one of Saskatchewan's most experienced farm real estate agents — all in the same room at the same time. No rehearsed answers. No unified talking point. Just four people telling you what they're actually seeing in Q1 2026, with an audience of producers pushing back in real time. The takeaway isn't a prediction. It's a map. Good land in good areas is behaving differently than average land in average areas. Lenders are still lending. Buyers are getting more selective. And succession is quietly building pressure underneath all of it that the headline numbers don't capture yet. Guests: Tim Hammond — Founder and CEO, Hammond Realty. 25 years in Saskatchewan farm real estate. Expert in farmland transactions, succession advisory, and M&A. Based in Biggar, Saskatchewan. hammondrealty.ca Bobby Montreuil — Farm real estate agent with Hammond Realty and active prairie producer. Both sides of the deal, every day. Courtney Thevenot — Agricultural Lender, Scotiabank. Part of the Build Your Ag Dream Team. Sees the deals before they close and the ones that don't. Conrad Olson — Agricultural Lender, FCC Rosetown. A decade financing West Central Saskatchewan land purchases. Knows the dirt. Stay connected: Growing the Future Productions — growingtthefuture.ca LinkedIn: Growing the Future YouTube: Growing the Future Podcast available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. Hammond Realty — hammondrealty.ca Scotiabank Agriculture — scotiabank.com/agriculture Farm Credit Canada (FCC) — fcc.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

The steel-wheeled tractor was a fad once. So was the fax machine. Nobody's laughing at those now. AI is moving through agriculture whether the industry is ready or not. The global AI and agriculture market is approaching five billion dollars and growing at over 26% a year. Eighty percent of agribusinesses say they understand its potential. Only twenty percent have adopted it. And who's actually getting results? Closer to five percent. That gap is what this Growing the Future Productions live event is built to close. Dan Aberhart puts three of the most plugged-in AI power users in ag — Rob Saik, Tim Hammond, and Damon Johnson — in the same room for the first-ever episode of The AI Farm. No vendor pitches. No vague future-casting. Three people who are deep in this every single day. Audience vote at the end. Winner gets bragging rights. You get the ideas. Where AI Actually Disrupts Agriculture — And Where It Doesn't Rob Saik opens with a reframe: agriculture at the farm level ranks low on AI disruption — not because it's behind, but because farming is inherently hands-on and judgment-dependent. The bigger disruption is upstream, in realty, insurance, and the machinery sector. Prediction is where AI excels. Judgment still belongs to you. (00:07:40) — Rob walks through the tools he uses daily: Perplexity, Claude, Notebook LM, and a custom Dossier Builder that profiles anyone he's about to meet. His starter recommendation for producers new to AI: Perplexity. It's reference-based, cites its sources, and aggregates across multiple AI models. If you're perplexed about AI, that's your on-ramp. (00:21:07) — A Power Farm member built a complete grain marketing program by uploading his inventory and contracts into Claude. That's not a future possibility. That happened. Tim's Pick: A Custom GPT That Makes Decisions for Your Team Tim Hammond is in the top 1% of ChatGPT users globally — 26,500 messages, 800-plus threads in a single year. His big move: he fed 1,200 pages of regulatory knowledge into a custom GPT, locked it to that knowledge base only, and deployed it to his whole team. Now they ask the bot before they ask Tim. (00:23:14) — The framework from Jeff Woods' book The AI-Driven Leader: Context, Role, Interview, Task. Most people skip the Interview step. That's where AI surfaces your blind spots and assumptions before it gives you an answer. The farm application: 12,000 acres is the HR ceiling where most operations stall. AI helps you scale past it without adding headcount. Damon's Pick: A Full Farm Dashboard Built in 12 Minutes Damon Johnson — economist, active grain farmer, insurance builder — built a fully integrated farm management dashboard the night before this call. Six tabs. Google Maps field borders. Grain marketing scenarios. Input cost tracking. Seeding date calculator. Spray window tool. Twelve minutes. (00:38:00) — He uploaded years of historical farm data into a Claude project and prompted it to build what would previously have cost millions and years. His framing: Claude is now a prototype partner. Fail fast. Iterate. Build. (00:56:47) — He reads the exact prompt live: a grain marketing calculator for a 7,000-acre Saskatchewan farm, three marketing scenarios, net revenue comparison chart. Type it. Get it. The Poll Results — Where Producers Actually Are 19% haven't touched AI at all. 42% have played with ChatGPT but nothing on the operation. 27% use AI tools regularly for at least one part of their business. 10% have it built into multiple parts of the operation. (00:20:26) What's holding people back: a third don't know where to start. 17% don't trust the technology. 15% are worried about farm data being used. Also covered: Machine learning vs. AI explained without jargon (00:48:08). How to stop AI hallucinations (00:52:36). Drones, Starlink, and Goldman Sachs' $264 billion precision ag disruption number (00:54:24). Dan's live demo: using Claude inside Gmail to scrape 100-plus webinar registration emails and extract every question in seconds (00:46:20). And Whisper Flow — because typing is starting to feel like a fax machine. Final word from all three panelists: Start. Pick one pain point. Play with it. You'll find out what works. Featured in this episode: Dan Aberhart — Host, Growing the Future Productions Rob Saik — Founder and CEO, T1 Technology Corporation / Ag Advisor Pro Tim Hammond — Founder, Hammond Realty Damon Johnson — EVP, Global Ag Risk Solutions / Hub International Resources mentioned: Perplexity AI, Claude (claude.ai), Notebook LM, Whisper Flow, Grip farm management software, The AI-Driven Leader by Geoff Woods, Ag Advisor Pro More from Growing the Future: Podcast: growingthefuturepodcast.ca YouTube: Growing the Future Productions Ground Truth Daily: Available wherever you listen to podcasts Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Somewhere on the prairies, there's a producer trying to do it all. The agronomy. The marketing. The books. The succession. The banking. The strategy. And they're wearing every hat at once — running hot, making decisions with incomplete information, and wondering why the numbers never quite tell the full story. The top farms? They stopped doing that a long time ago. This Growing the Future Productions live event puts Dan Aberhart at the table with seven of the most plugged-in financial and business minds working in Canadian agriculture right now: Evan Shout (Maverick Ag / Farmer Coach), Brian Mack and Justin Simpkins (Grow Lytics), Travis Gerrard and Roxanne Olynick from MNP, and Courtney Thevenot and Tanner Gerwing from Scotiabank Agricultural Banking. The conversation runs nearly 90 minutes and covers the full spectrum — from bookkeeping basics to billion-dollar family legacy questions. Not a panel of polished talking points. A real room of real advisors who already work together behind closed doors, and now you get to hear it. What gets covered in this episode: The 2% / 18% / 80% Split — Where Does Your Farm Land? Evan Shout opens with a number that should stop people cold: over the last 20 years, as farm revenues have gone up and risk has increased, financial acumen in the industry has actually gotten worse. The top 2% aren't just profitable — they're operating with a completely different level of financial sophistication. The next 18% are closing the gap. The other 80% are still treating finance as a back-seat discipline. (00:07:00) — Evan breaks down what separates the top tier, and why building a team is the single most powerful thing an operation can do to move up that ladder. Access to Capital vs. Strategic Advice — They're Not the Same Thing Grow Lytics started by reverse-engineering the perfect credit deal. Not by handing out money — by working backward from what a lender actually needs to say yes, and building the farm's story from there. Brian Mack draws a clear line between knowing your costs and knowing what the bank is looking at when you walk through the door. (00:10:00) — The panel unpacks the difference between getting financed and being financially positioned. You don't want your banker to tell you it's a bad deal. You want to already know that before you show up. What Scotiabank Actually Looks For — And It's Not Just the Numbers Courtney Thevenot is direct: lending decisions aren't just financial. Management strength, character, who you've got in your corner, whether you're trying to do it all yourself — that all goes into the picture. A farm that walks in with a team behind them sends a completely different signal than one that shows up with a stack of paper and no story. (00:12:00) — Courtney makes the case for the banking relationship as an ongoing partnership, not a transactional event. Quarterly calls. Farm visits. The relationship should be built long before you need something. The Mental Health Moment Nobody Planned — But Everybody Needed An audience member, Harry Siemens, drops a question about the farm suicide rate — 3.5 times higher than any other industry. Dan opens the floor. What follows is one of the most honest conversations this panel has. Evan doesn't give the diplomatic answer. He gives the hard one: farming culture has tied identity and legacy to a business in a way that makes failure feel unsurvivable. That's not the truth. But it's the pressure people are carrying. (00:27:00) — Justin Simpkins adds context from time spent in Australia, where the numbers are even more stark. Courtney mentions the Canadian Centre for Agriculture Wellbeing as a real resource. Roxanne talks about peer groups as one of the most underrated tools for connection and permission to be honest. This segment wasn't on the agenda — but it might be the most important twelve minutes in the episode. Benchmarking, Peer Groups & the Trucker Who Blew Everyone's Mind Travis Gerrard talks about what happens when you put a trucking company's operational metrics in front of a room full of grain farmers. Nobody expected it. Everyone walked away wanting to know their numbers that much better. The benchmarking group MNP runs is covering 14% of Saskatchewan farmland — and the data is clear on what the best operations have in common. (00:19:00) — Travis and the panel dig into the power of cross-industry benchmarking, and why getting outside the agriculture bubble — like Dan's example of Strategic Coach — can be the jolt that resets how a producer sees their own operation. AI, Data & the Role of the Farm's Next Hire The panel lands on something the audience was clearly hungry for: the missing seat at the table isn't another accountant or banker. It's a CTO. A tech integrator. Someone who can get real-time data flowing — from grain cards, JD Ops, harvest profit, bookkeeping — so that the advisors in the room can do insight work instead of cleanup work. (00:44:00) — Evan lays out the vision clearly: AI isn't replacing thought leadership, but it will replace data entry, and that changes everything about how fast good decisions can get made. The Third Generation Curse — And the Harder Question Nobody's Asking John Gibson brings it live from the audience floor: why do so many family farm operations succeed through two generations and fall apart in the third? The panel doesn't flinch. Evan talks about the knowledge that gets lost when the generation that built through hard times doesn't transfer that context. Brian Mack says something that stops the room: are you trying to preserve the farm, or are you trying to preserve wealth for future generations? Because sometimes those are two different decisions. (00:49:00) — Evan makes the case for the family office model — keeping the farm intact across generations rather than selling it off every 40 years to settle estates. The math at today's land prices makes the traditional approach nearly impossible. Succession Planning — Separate Rooms, Real Conversations Travis's point lands hard: get the kids in a separate room. Get the parents in a separate room. Because what the next generation actually wants — and what mom and dad assume they want — are often two very different things. That gap, unaddressed, is where farm transitions collapse. (00:38:00) — Roxanne talks about seeing a generational shift in how clients are bringing younger family members into meetings earlier. Evan talks about farm operations actively recruiting external CEOs to run the business while family members stay involved as shareholders. The structure is changing. Who's Missing from the Dream Team? Lawyers. The panel admits it freely. Wills, shareholder agreements, prenups, joint venture agreements — verbal handshakes between multimillion-dollar operations. Evan doesn't mince words: Walmart isn't doing verbal agreements anymore. Neither should you. (01:23:00) — The closing segment also touches on life insurance, climate advisors, agronomists as financial team members, and the AI-specific skill set that's becoming the next frontier for farm advisory teams. Featured in this episode: Dan Aberhart — Host, Growing the Future Productions Evan Shout — Maverick Ag / Farmer Coach Brian Mack & Justin Simpkins — Grow Lytics Travis Gerrard & Roxanne Olynick — MNP Courtney Thevenot & Tanner Gerwing — Scotiabank Agricultural Banking Resources mentioned: Canadian Centre for Agriculture Wellbeing (CCAW) — free counseling and support resources for ag producers across Canada Sask Ag Matters — crisis line and no-cost counseling for Saskatchewan farmers Do More in Ag — mental health resources for the agricultural community Connect with the panelists: Maverick Ag / Farmer Coach: maverickg.com or farmercoach.ca Grow Lytics: growlytics.ca MNP: mnp.ca Scotiabank Agricultural Banking: Contact your local Scotiabank ag banking team More from Growing the Future: Podcast: growingthefuturepodcast.ca YouTube: Growing the Future Productions Ground Truth Daily: Available wherever you listen to podcasts Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

The data is in. Farms that perform better... perform a lot better. And the gap isn't luck. In this live webinar event from Growing the Future Productions, host Dan Aberhart sits down with three of the sharpest minds working on Saskatchewan farms right now — Darren Sander of Crop-Aid Nutrition, Dave Norris of Norris Crop Consulting, and Todd Rowan of IXL Innovations — for a frank, no-sugarcoating conversation about what separates the producers clearing big margins from the ones leaving money on the table. The number? Somewhere between $50 and $100 per acre. Every single year. Compounded over a decade — it's not a number. It's a different life. What gets covered in this episode: Soil Health & the First 30 Days — Darren makes the case that the first 30 days of a crop dictates maximum yield potential. Not the last 30. The first. That reframe alone is worth your time. He also talks about how a soil health program let his operation move from a three-crop rotation to two — and pencil out better. Earthworms optional, but encouraged. (00:04:00) — Darren breaks down the incremental gains philosophy: fertilizer protection, stress reduction, nutrient use efficiency, and how every acre should be growing the crop it's best suited to grow. Grain Marketing & the Probability Game — Dave Norris and Todd Rowan don't predict the future. They work with probabilities. And when warships started heading toward the Strait of Hormuz, they texted their clients to fill their fuel tanks. Fuel was $1.02. The downside risk was 93 cents. The upside was $1.50. That's not a prediction. That's a risk-reward conversation — and the producers who had that conversation in advance came out a lot better than the ones who watched the news. (00:09:00) — The panel unpacks why so many producers make decisions after it feels urgent, and why the best time to act is almost always when it doesn't. Crop Insurance, In-Season Pricing & the 2025-26 Landscape — It's the worst crop insurance environment since before 2021. The panel digs into what that means for in-season pricing on canola, wheat, and durum, and how to think about layering agri-stability on top when the base numbers aren't what they used to be. (00:22:00) — Dave and Todd walk through the mechanics of in-season pricing, the cash flow timing issue with SCIC payments, and how to think about selling new crop canola when fertilizer costs are still wildly elevated. The Fertilizer Problem Nobody's Talking About Enough — An estimated 400,000-tonne shortage of urea in Saskatchewan this year. Producers who didn't pre-buy are scrambling. The panel discusses how this reshapes planting decisions, top-dressing options, foliar programs as a partial substitute, and why the supply-demand models for yield estimates may be fundamentally broken this season. (00:33:00) — Todd flags what this means for crop rotation flexibility. When the only crop penciling out is canola, what happens to everything else? Macroeconomics, Gold, Oil & the Commodity Supercycle — Dave Norris had a supercycle bias since November. He didn't have a war in March as the trigger — he thought it would be El Niño. He wasn't entirely wrong. The panel talks about money flowing into commodities, what governments printing money means for grain prices, and why canola at $700 a tonne may not be the ceiling. (00:40:00) — The canary in the coal mine: when gold and silver started ripping, the smart money was already watching inflation and currency hedges. Farmers paying attention to macros have a structural edge over those only watching local basis. The $70 Poll — What the Audience Said — Dan ran a live poll with over 150 producers on the call. The majority landed between $50 and $100 per acre as the value of strong management decisions. Todd shared a real-world example: in 2021-22, clients who didn't over-contract and took in-season crop insurance pricing pocketed $18/bushel versus $12. Clients who panicked after 2021 and froze in 2022 took $17 off the combine when $22 was on the board. The math on those decisions — compounded over 10 years — is a different farm. (00:56:00) — The close. Dan pulls together the final takeaways from the audience word cloud, and the panel leaves producers with the most important thing of all: knowing when to act, and not waiting until it's obvious. Featured in this episode: Dan Aberhart — Host, Growing the Future Productions Darren Sander — Crop-Aid Nutrition Dave Norris — Norris Crop Consulting Todd Rowan — IXL Innovations More from Growing the Future: Podcast: growingthefuturepodcast.ca YouTube: Growing the Future Productions Ground Truth Daily: Available wherever you listen to podcasts Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

2,333 days ago, Jeff Bennett was the second guest I ever had on this show. Different world. Different market. Different men. Since then we've lived through bull markets, bear markets, a pandemic, and all kinds of crazy in our personal lives. Jeff runs a grain farm in Saskatchewan while quietly building a parallel business out of his garage — custom laser engraved glass and wood pieces, high-end 3D crystal branding work. He didn't start building because it was trendy. He started building because five rough crop years forced a simple question: what do you control when the weather and the banks don't care? This conversation is not polished. It's not motivational. It's a farmer sitting across from me telling the truth about debt, structure, generational disconnect, and what it actually takes to keep going when the math doesn't work. If you farm, you'll feel this one. If you don't, you'll understand something about resilience you didn't before. Timestamps [00:00:00] Cold open — "What breaks first in your life?" [00:01:00] Dan's intro — 2,333 days since Jeff's first episode [00:03:00] What breaks first — Jeff on why breaking isn't an option [00:04:00] What Jeff refuses to depend on anymore [00:05:00] If your kids copied your current operating model [00:07:00] Why Jeff rates himself "just below jaded" on the industry [00:08:00] Five rough crop years and the financial reality no one talks about [00:10:00] "Agriculture is not struggling. Farmers are struggling." [00:11:00] What makes a good farmer — passing it to the next generation [00:13:00] Diversification that isn't just more agriculture [00:15:00] The difference between being tough and being stubborn [00:17:00] Why Dad can't help — the generational disconnect in farming [00:20:00] The economics gap — when a $100K off-farm job won't cover your nitrogen [00:24:00] Succession planning and the kind of help that actually works [00:25:00] "I don't think farming is a good business" — the structural problem [00:27:00] Who's actually making the money in agriculture? [00:29:00] The equipment deal Jeff regrets — and what it cost him [00:32:00] What Jeff would do with $5 million (the answer is boring and brilliant) [00:34:00] What people romanticize about farming that's just wrong [00:36:00] If everything works, what does Jeff's life actually look like? [00:38:00] His son Axel, a 3D printer, and teaching your kids they're not just farmers [00:41:00] If the farm disappeared tomorrow [00:43:00] Has Jeff ever thought about quitting? [00:45:00] "Farmers feed the world" — a belief Jeff doesn't hold [00:50:00] Advice to his younger self: "Buckle up kid. She's about to get rocky." Connect with us Growing the Future Podcast Website: https://www.growingthefuture.ca YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrowingtheFuturePodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/growing-the-future Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growingthefuturepodcast Join the Growing the Future Mastermind on Skool: https://www.skool.com/growing-the-future Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Spring 2026 is arriving with a fertilizer market that looks nothing like anything most producers have seen. Urea at $700 a short ton. Elemental sulfur up nearly 8x in 18 months. Global ammonia production down 30–35%. China not exporting. India running at 50–60% production capacity because they can't get LNG shipments through the Persian Gulf. And retailers across Saskatchewan are 30–40% behind on bookings. Josh Linville, one of the most followed voices in fertilizer on X, joined from a ski condo in Colorado. Mario Gaudet has been in the thick of the elemental sulfur trade and has the kind of inside knowledge that doesn't show up in the headlines. Together, they broke down what's actually happening, what even the best-case scenario looks like if the Strait reopens tomorrow (answer: not great), and what decisions producers need to be making right now. This one got into places you don't hear about in mainstream ag media. Why you can't have a green energy mandate without oil and gas refining. Why Morocco building a massive triple super phosphate plant now looks like genius. Why the US imports over 5 million tons of urea per year when North America is sitting on some of the cheapest natural gas in the world. And why the retailer down the road isn't willing to hold inventory anymore, even if he thinks you're going to need it. The practical advice coming out of this conversation was clear: talk to your retailer now, build a forecast together, buy in chunks to spread your risk, and don't cut the nutrition inputs that will cost you two bushels of corn per acre to save $5 upfront. As Josh put it, the market is undefeated, and nobody has ever sold every bushel of grain in one shot. Why would fertilizer be any different? Timestamps [00:00:46] Setting the stage: Urea nearly doubled since December, global ammonia down 30–35%, spring is here [00:02:16] Josh Linville's call: the worst economic environment for farmers he's ever seen [00:05:18] Josh joins from a ski condo in Colorado; the market doesn't stop [00:06:04] Audience poll: Where are you at with your 2026 crop plan? [00:09:34] Mario's rant begins: how elemental sulfur went from $70 to nearly $580 a ton [00:10:31] The connection nobody's making: sulfur, battery production, lithium, and why green mandates need oil and gas [00:13:34] Geopolitics, the Strait of Hormuz, and 40–50% of global sulfur supply at risk [00:14:33] The 10-million-ton sulfur stockpile in Fort McMurray and why it can't get to market [00:15:40] Buying patterns: how procrastinating on fertilizer decisions became the industry's biggest self-inflicted wound [00:19:39] Josh on sulfur: how cleaner air created a new farm input problem [00:20:46] Phosphate and the Strait: Iran, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, three of the top 10 anhydrous exporters, all behind the closure [00:22:23] Tampa Index negotiations, phosphate production costs, and why summer fill pricing won't go down [00:23:22] Josh: we have already seen the cheapest phosphate price we are going to see [00:25:20] Even when the Strait reopens, the tail of this thing will last longer than people think [00:28:29] Morocco's triple super phosphate expansion: playing chess while everyone else played checkers [00:30:21] How high input costs are going to change what farmers buy this season [00:34:15] Josh's biggest rant: don't make a cut that feels good today and feels terrible in October [00:40:17] Alberta's 10-million-ton sulfur block, the LNG pipeline we didn't build, and the opportunity we've squandered [00:43:13] Is this the moment North America gets serious about fertilizer self-sufficiency? [00:45:21] The global food security conversation: who really pays when fertilizer prices go to the moon [00:48:31] Iran, the Strait, and the proxy war between the US and China [00:49:20] Why N-46 is at $1,250 Canadian when we make it in Indian Head, SK [00:54:04] Final advice from Mario: talk to your retailer, forecast what you need, buy in chunks [00:55:19] Final advice from Josh: no farmer sells all their grain at once, so stop treating fertilizer differently Connect with our guests: Josh Linville, VP of Fertilizer at StoneX. Follow him on X for daily fertilizer market updates: @JoshLFert Mario Gaudet, Busy Salt. Elemental sulfur supply across North America Growing the Future platform partners: Crop-Aid Nutrition, soil health and crop nutrition: cropaidnutrition.com Hammond Realty, Saskatchewan agricultural real estate, succession and tax planning: hammondrealty.ca Gripp, farm management software for tracking equipment, logging maintenance, and keeping your team aligned: gripp.ag Bone Trail Originals, handcrafted live edge resin art from a 110-year-old family farm in Saskatchewan: bonetrail.store Growing the Future: Subscribe on YouTube. Follow on LinkedIn and Instagram: growingthefuture.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Canola ran hard. The question wasn't whether to celebrate — it was whether to protect what you'd built. This session came out of a real conversation with a GARS advisor who pointed out something most producers have never heard explained clearly: options and production insurance don't just coexist — they can amplify each other. If you structure it right, you can protect your floor, leave your ceiling open, and potentially have the government subsidize the cost of the strategy through AgriStability. That's the thesis Ryan Bonnett walked through live. He's been trading futures and coaching producers through options for 20 years. He was joined by Derek Tallon — a central Saskatchewan grain farmer who sold 400 tons of canola the week before this session — for a real-world producer perspective on how these tools actually get used. And David Sullivan from Global Ag Risk Solutions rounded out the room with everything you need to know about where production insurance fits into the picture. Nobody was selling anything theoretical here. This was a working session. Topics covered: How to quantify your bullish or bearish position before you ever place a trade — and why gut feelings without numbers will get you burned The difference between call and put options, and when each one belongs in your marketing plan How a collar strategy works in practice: buying a $700 put and selling an $800 call for a net cost of around $10/ton — and what you're giving up to get it Why "I'll hold the option a little longer after I sell the grain" is where hedgers become speculators How paper trades through your RBC or STONEX account interact differently with your GARS policy than a delivery-tied contract does — and why that distinction matters The AgriStability angle: how your option strategy cost becomes an eligible expense, and what that means if you're one of the many producers sitting close to a claim this year What a "whole farm put" actually looks like and how it covers commodities you can't hedge on the exchange The fertilizer and fuel hedging conversation nobody else is having Useful timestamps: 00:04:17 — Ryan introduces the bullish/bearish framework and canola market context 00:07:00 — Crowd poll results: where producers' heads are at on canola prices 00:13:00 — Technical analysis walkthrough: support, resistance, and where this market could run to 00:26:22 — Call and put options explained cleanly 00:35:10 — How put options work as price insurance without elevator contracts 00:39:33 — The collar strategy: how to cheapen your protection 00:42:36 — Derek Tallon's producer perspective on using options as farm insurance 00:46:46 — David Sullivan: how options interact with your GARS production insurance 00:50:00 — The AgriStability layer: how your option cost could be 80% subsidized 00:59:32 — When and how to exit the strategy properly 01:04:29 — Fertilizer and fuel: the hedging conversation farmers aren't having yet 01:17:00 — The hardest part: closing your hedge the same day you make your physical sale Guests in this episode: Ryan Bonnett — independent commodity trading advisor, 20 years of experience coaching Western Canadian producers through options and futures strategies. Derek Tallon — grain producer, central Saskatchewan. Grows canola, wheat, and durum. Brings a grounded, practical lens on how these tools work at the farm level. David Sullivan — production insurance advisor, Global Ag Risk Solutions (GARS). Expert in how production insurance, AgriStability, and marketing strategies interact. One thing that stuck: David put it plainly — a 5,000-acre producer is sitting long on $2.5 to $3 million of grain the moment they plant. Most traders would never carry a position that size unhedged. Most producers do it every single year without thinking about it that way. That framing alone is worth the listen. Follow Growing the Future: Instagram: @growingthefutureproductions LinkedIn: Growing the Future Productions YouTube: Growing the Future Website: growingthefuture.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

The post came after a long drive home from a production show. Jay Peterson had spent the day talking to people at booths, catching up with friends, listening to the Manitoba and Saskatchewan numbers come out on the radio. And somewhere between Saskatoon and Swift Current, something settled on him. Nobody was really having the conversation. Not out loud. Not honestly. So he made a video. Johnny Cash in the background. A simple question underneath it. Why is nobody talking about the fact that nothing we can grow in 2026 is going to make us money? The comments came in five flavors. Some farmers said they'd never quit, no matter what. Some were close to a breaking point. Some said it was just another cycle. Some thought bigger forces were reshaping the whole industry. And some were just trying to make sense of it. This episode is the conversation that followed. Four farmers. Real numbers. No prescriptions. No easy answers. The question underneath all of it: when the math stops working, what are we actually farming for? Guests Jay Peterson — JSP Farms Chris Allam — Allen Farms Norm Shoemaker — Shoemaker Ag Ventures Partnership Jeff Bennett — Bone Trail Land Company Timestamps 00:00 — Jay's TikTok, the long drive home from the production show, and why the comments hit a nerve. 08:34 — The live poll. How does your farm pencil out for 2026? 26% profitable. 42% break even at best. 16% likely a loss. 09:14 — Jay on what he was actually feeling when he made the post. Inputs still high. Prices not following. The sense that everyone was in the same position but nobody was saying it. 13:48 — Norm on the math. It used to take a metric ton of durum to break even. Now it takes close to two. Costs went one way and didn't come back. 15:22 — Jeff on why he stopped trying to predict what the year would bring. Four tough years before a good one. The numbers change every two months. You still show up. 17:09 — Chris makes the case it's not that dire, at least in Alberta. Average contribution margin, a little bit of profit. But he's clear: this was never a one-year home run industry. 19:18 — Cycles. Nobody agrees on where we are. Norm says we got used to good years and probably over-invested in iron. Jay says he might just be a year-by-year guy. 21:44 — Jay on why he never wanted to be a home run farmer. Singles and doubles. The rare triple. What it felt like to watch the bottom fall out mid-harvest last fall. 28:53 — The second poll. What's putting the most pressure right now? Inputs at 55%. Commodity prices at 42%. Land costs at 36%. Equipment at 27%. 29:45 — Whether cutting production costs to meet the market is actually a strategy. Chris says you produce more, not less. Jeff says fertilizing for disaster is its own kind of disaster. 31:43 — Jay on buying base chemical components instead of prepackaged. Why he grows mustard and not canola. Efficiency over volume when the rain isn't coming. 34:24 — Norm on land values. A million dollars a quarter. A son and a son-in-law coming into the operation. The math on return when you run those numbers. 36:32 — What farmers are actually doing differently this year. Variable rate fertilizing. Weekly peer group meetings. Cost benchmarking. Lean Six Sigma on the farm. 43:18 — Jeff on switching acres to canary seed and specialty canola. Crop rotation as a profit strategy. Finally back to a third, third, third rotation after years of disease pressure. 46:00 — The last question. What are you farming for when the numbers don't work? 47:27 — Chris: the next generation, and watching marginal land get better year after year. 48:16 — Jeff: fourth or fifth generation on this land. Leaving a starting point better than the one he was handed. 49:38 — Norm: the kids, the grandkids, and the table. Number six on the way. Who's at the table is what matters. 50:32 — Jay: he got into it because he loves farming. Loves farming with his dad. Loves doing it as well or better than the generations before him. 52:27 — Why Dan wanted to create a room for this conversation. And why it matters that farmers are willing to say it out loud. Platform partners Bone Trail Originals — www.instagram.com/bonetrailoriginals/  Hammond Realty — hammondrealty.ca  Crop-Aid Nutrition Gripp — gripp.ag Connect with Growing the Future growingthefuture.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Back in June 2025, Trent Klarenbach of Klarenbach Research did something nobody had done before. He charted Saskatchewan farmland values going back a hundred years and applied technical analysis to what he found. The chart went viral on YouTube. 52,000 views. And for good reason. The RSI had been signaling overbought conditions for over thirteen years. Previous times the market crossed that line and broke below the two-year exponential moving average, the results were not subtle. A 54% drop after 1922. A 22% drop after 1968. A 60% drop after 1982. Those aren't predictions. That's the historical record. Most people buying land today have never seen it. Tim Hammond runs Hammond Realty. He's been on the floor of the Saskatchewan farmland market since 2002. He manages 80,000 acres for investors, negotiates rental agreements, and watches the bid sheets on every tender. What he's seeing right now is something he hasn't seen before. A split market. Good land in a good area still moving. Average land struggling. Inventory quietly doubling. The spread between the top bid and the second bid widening from close together to five, ten, fifteen percent apart. The top bid is still setting records. But Tim's point is that land is only worth what the second highest bidder will pay. And that depth is getting thinner. This is not a doom and gloom conversation. Saskatchewan farmers hold somewhere around 65 billion dollars of farmland free and clear. The balance sheets are strong. The ag lenders are still positive. If there's a correction, Tim thinks agriculture can absorb the first 15 to 20 percent without a cascade. The question is where it goes from there. That's the conversation this episode holds. What the chart says, what the ground says, and what it means for the decisions you're making right now. Guests Trent Klarenbach — Klarenbach Research. Technical analyst. The first person known to have charted Saskatchewan farmland values across a hundred years of data. Tim Hammond — Founder and CEO, Hammond Realty. Agricultural real estate specialist, former ag lender, manages land for sophisticated investors across Saskatchewan. Timestamps 00:00 — Dan sets the stage. The Robert Angelic webinar in January, tightening capital conditions, and why this conversation needed to happen. 04:00 — The Klarenbach Research farmland study. 52,000 YouTube views. What happens when you apply a hundred years of technical analysis to land values for the first time. 05:00 — Introducing Trent Klarenbach and Tim Hammond. 08:34 — Live audience poll: where do you think Saskatchewan farmland values are headed? Results reveal a split room. 11:50 — Trent walks through the chart. RSI, the two-year exponential moving average, and what the historical pullbacks actually looked like. 54% in 1922. 22% in 1968. 60% in 1982. 13:00 — What overbought actually means and why the RSI can stay elevated for years before anything moves. 15:00 — Tim on what the chart means personally. His great-grandfather handed back the keys in 1933 when land values had halved. The Hammond family's hundred years of farming mapped almost exactly onto Trent's cycle lines. 17:00 — What Dan took from the chart that nobody talks about at the kitchen table. 18:00 — Tim on what he's seeing on the ground right now. The split market. Good land still competitive. Average land going sideways or down. The first split he's seen since 2002. 20:00 — Second live poll on local market conditions. 52% say steady but not as aggressive. 30% still seeing competitive multiple-bid situations. 12% starting to see softening. 21:30 — Inventory. How much farmland has come to market since January and what the doubling of listings actually means in context of one per rural municipality. 23:00 — The bid depth problem. Tenders that used to get ten offers are now getting two or three. The spread between top bid and second bid is widening. What that means for actual land values beneath the headline numbers. 26:00 — Trent on the catalysts that could trigger a trend change. Credit tightening, geopolitics, commodity cycles, retiring farmers reconsidering their position. 30:00 — The long-term buyer question. Tim's dad bought land in 1981 at 80,000 a quarter. It took 27 years to look like a great investment. He still has it. 33:00 — What a 33-year wait looks like depending on your age and whether you can survive the cycle. Trent on what happened to the people who couldn't. 34:00 — If there is a pullback, what does buying the dip actually look like and who has the dry powder to do it. 38:00 — Tim's cell signal. What price movement would actually constitute a sell signal on Trent's chart and how close we may or may not be to that line. 39:00 — The retired farmer wildcard. 30 to 40 percent of Saskatchewan farmland is held by retired farmers and farm families who stopped selling when the asset kept appreciating. What happens if that calculus changes. 42:00 — Audience poll: do you believe technical analysis has value for farmland decisions? 64% say somewhat useful but not definitive. 20% say yes, charts reveal important signals. 16% say farmland is different from other markets. 43:00 — The shift from expansion to efficiency. Why buyers are getting stronger instead of bigger. 45:00 — Rental rates. Poll results: 43% say increasing, 40% holding steady, 11% starting to soften. Tim on managing 80,000 acres of rental agreements and what he's seeing in renegotiations this year for the first time. 49:00 — Rent versus land value. When you're getting 1% on an asset that might start declining, when does the math change? 51:00 — How much Saskatchewan farmland is rented versus owner-operated. Tim's gut on the percentage turns out to be almost exactly right. 53:00 — Rent versus purchase in a tighter market. Why locking in for three years looks different than committing for twenty. 54:00 — Credit conditions and balance sheets. Tim on whether he's seen lenders kill deals yet and what the equity cushion actually looks like. 57:00 — Nutrient mining clauses in rental agreements. Are landlords enforcing them? 58:00 — 42.1% of Saskatchewan farmland is free and clear. What that number means in dollars. 59:00 — Are boomers selling? Why the transfer of farmland may matter as much to the market as new buyers entering it. 01:01:00 — Trent on where he's taking the research next. An announcement coming. Subscribe to find out. 01:02:00 — The next generation question. What happens to the land when the people who said they didn't want it are the ones who inherit it. Connect with Trent Klarenbach klarenbachresearch.com — subscribe to the free newsletter to receive the farmland study directly Connect with Tim Hammond and Hammond Realty hammondrealty.ca Connect with Growing the Future growingthefuture.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Most farm families in Western Canada have built more wealth over the past two decades than any generation before them on the land. A lot of it is sitting in the ground. And that concentration, it turns out, is quietly creating a set of problems most producers have never been introduced to. This session brought the Kohr Wealth team to the Growing the Future Productions live room. Ryan Hillstead, a CPA who spent 16 years in public practice carrying a heavy ag book, walked through three client stories that stopped people cold. Shane Shepherd laid out how whole life insurance works as something you own, not just something you pay for. And tax lawyer Kelly Caruk explained why buying insurance in the wrong place can cost you the very tax advantages you were trying to protect. The conversation also got into what Ryan calls the tax liability can. The one being kicked down the road from generation to generation, growing in step with every acre of appreciating land. Somebody's eventually going to pick it up. This conversation is about making sure there's a plan when they do. Guests: Larry Scammel, Shane Shepherd, Ryan Hillstead, Kelly Caruk — Kohr Wealth Timestamps: 00:00 — Welcome and setup. Why capital concentrated in one asset class can narrow your options across generations. 03:52 — Larry introduces Kohr Wealth, their new partnership with Blue Star Equity, and their two beer rule for working with clients. 06:30 — How Kohr approaches life insurance from a balance sheet perspective. Liquidity, tax exposure, succession, long-term family control. 08:22 — Ryan Hillstead introduces himself. 16 years as a CPA in public practice, partner level with a national firm, heavy ag client base across Saskatchewan. 09:39 — How agriculture has changed in 15 years. Land values, technology, and the shift toward viewing farming as a wealth-building business. 11:42 — The $50 billion of farmland set to transfer in the next decade and why succession conversations have taken over the kitchen table. 12:58 — The disappearing tax tools. TOSI rules, passive income changes, income splitting restrictions, and the removal of surplus strip planning in 2024. 19:00 — Ryan's three client stories. Uncle Gordon. Rod. The estate freeze family with farming and non-farming kids at the same table. 21:05 — Uncle Gordon did everything right. Died with a $4 million investment portfolio. The tax bill on his land ate the whole thing. 23:09 — Rod sold the farm when no one wanted to take it over. Year three, he came in looking deflated. Said he wished he had never done it. 24:40 — The estate freeze family. $40 million corporation. Mom and dad hold preferred shares. The farm may have to sell land just to cover the tax bill when they pass. 30:56 — Shane Shepherd explains whole life insurance. What cash value is, how it builds, and why it behaves differently than anything else on your balance sheet. 33:37 — The farmland analogy. You don't sell the land to access the equity. Whole life works the same way. 38:10 — Kelly Caruk on the tax architecture. Why insurance is taxed differently than almost every other asset class, what capital dividends are, and why structure matters before anything else. 43:50 — The risk of buying insurance in the wrong place. For farm families specifically, a wrong structure can cost you the farming tax preferences you would otherwise have. 48:52 — Audience question: Can insurance companies go broke in Canada? Shane answers. Kelly adds the regulatory backstop. 51:28 — Ryan on the intergenerational tax liability. Generations kicking the can down the road. What it looks like when somebody finally has to pick it up. 54:55 — Shane closes. Tax tools have narrowed. Timing matters. Capital structure is as important as the amount of capital you have. 58:59 — Audience Q&A on preferred shares and estate freezes. Ryan and Kelly explain what preferred shares actually are and how insurance can reduce the estate tax bill, not just fund it. Connect with Kohr Wealth: kohrwealth.com Connect with Growing the Future: growingthefuture.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Now I have the full transcript. Let me create the podcast summary and notes optimized for Simplecast and YouTube. Episode Summary (for the Simplecast summary field): When nothing you can grow in 2026 is projected to make money at average yields and average prices … what do you do? In this live workshop, Dan Aberhart sits down with Dave Sullivan from Global Ag Risk Solutions, Dean Klippenstine from MNP, and producer Jake Leguee to break down the farm financials, benchmark the best operators, and engineer a revenue floor before you seed a single acre. Dave walks through real spreadsheets showing break-even costs have more than doubled since 2010, why the largest crop in Canadian history barely generated a profit, and what the top 25% of managers are doing differently. The panel digs into how to stack crop insurance, AgriStability, and GARS products — including the brand new Yield Plus option — so you can farm with confidence even in a year where the math says you shouldn't be able to. If you only listen to one episode before spring, make it this one. Episode Notes (with timestamps, formatted for Simplecast markdown and YouTube description): Engineer Your Revenue Floor Before You Seed Season 8, Episode 6 The margins are tight. The projections are grim. And spring is coming whether you're ready or not. In this live workshop with nearly 300 registered producers, we cut through the noise and get to the numbers that matter. Panel: Dave Sullivan — Global Ag Risk Solutions Dean Klippenstine — MNP Jake Leguee — Leguee Farms Timestamps: [00:00:00] Welcome and why this workshop exists — the financial questions stacking up at the kitchen table [00:02:55] Setting the stage — projections showing $25–$50/acre below break-even at average yields and prices [00:04:37] Dave Sullivan shares what he's seeing across thousands of farm financials — and why having a common vernacular matters [00:10:30] Break-even costs over time — how we went from $250 to $550/acre in 16 years [00:13:19] The 2026 budget reality — $50–$75/acre losses on average, and why we haven't seen a starting point this tough since 2007–2008 [00:17:19] Top producers vs. top managers — why the most profitable farms aren't always the biggest spenders on inputs [00:20:39] Southeast Saskatchewan benchmarks — the massive gap between top and bottom 25% and where it actually shows up (hint: it's LPM, not inputs) [00:25:07] Jake Leguee on scouting, holding back that extra pass, and why spending more doesn't always mean earning more [00:26:27] Dean Klippenstine busts the "fixed cost" myth — why that term needs to go [00:27:33] Yield Plus explained — the brand new GARS product that layers crop insurance into the calculation and can save 40–70% on premiums [00:30:26] Stacking your coverage — how to combine crop insurance, AgriStability, GARS, and GI-3 for the right fit on YOUR farm [00:34:46] Why locking in canola at this rally matters — and the futures strategy conversation [00:39:46] The AgriStability cashflow trap — great on a spreadsheet, but can you wait 12–18 months for the check? [00:44:00] The "trough of despair" — why a 70% crop can actually pay better than a 90% crop when your coverage is stacked right [00:49:23] Quotes move fast — why your GARS quote is only good until something weird happens (and weird things are happening a lot these days) [00:54:52] How GARS treats futures contracts, delivery contracts, and trade accounts [00:59:43] Why relationships with the right experts are the real competitive advantage [01:00:50] Final takeaways — know your numbers, understand your options, and get yourself on the right side of the distribution curve Key Takeaway: The gap between the top 25% and bottom 25% of farms is massive — and it's not about spending more on inputs. It's about knowing your numbers, controlling your LPM, benchmarking against your region, and engineering a financial floor before you ever hit the field. This is the year to get that right. Resources mentioned: Global Ag Risk Solutions: agrisksolutions.ca MNP Benchmarking GARS Yield Plus product (new for 2026) AgriStability & provincial crop insurance programs Register for the Convergence Conference at convergenceconference.ca and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Liquidity & LegacyWith Ted Cawkwell, The Cawkwell GroupFarm balance sheets may look strong on paper. But beneath the surface, lending behavior is changing, capital is more disciplined, and the margin for error is narrowing.In this live conversation, Dan and Ted discuss:Why profitable farms can still experience financial pressureThe difference between strategic sales and forced salesHow liquidity issues surface before they become obviousWhat well-prepared farm operations tend to have in commonWhy “just hold the land” isn't always a complete strategyTed works directly with farm families, lenders, and advisors across Western Canada and beyond. As the #1 RE/MAX farmland realtor globally, he has been involved in hundreds of farmland transactions and sees patterns long before they become headlines.This episode is not about predictions. It's about structure, positioning, and understanding how capital behaves when conditions shift.Chapters / Timestamps 00:00 – Introduction & why this conversation matters 02:30 – Market sentiment vs. reality on farmland values 06:45 – What's changed recently in buyer and seller behavior 12:30 – Profitability, cash flow, and leverage pressures 18:00 – Liquidity vs. legacy: real tradeoffs 26:00 – Investor behavior, rental land, and capital availability 34:00 – Risk, balance sheets, and selling strategically 42:00 – Productive vs. marginal land dynamics 50:30 – Perspective, cycles, and long-term thinking Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

This is Part 3 of a three-part live conversation with Robert Andjelic, Canada's largest farmland owner and this is where the discussion got real. No slides. No prepared remarks. Just live questions from producers, lenders, and operators trying to understand what happens when capital tightens. In this session, Robert responds to questions about: – Cash flow vs land value – How banks actually behave when risk rises – Why liquidity disappears before prices fall – What breaks first when leverage is stretched – How operators protect the land when margins compress – And why “survival” is not failure, it's strategy Several moments in this Q&A landed hard, including Robert's blunt reminder: “Your balance sheet won't save you if your cash flow breaks.” This conversation isn't theory. It's lived experience, shared in real time.00:00 Part 3 - Audience Q&A & Closing05:40 Banking Relationships and Financial Advice12:01 Global Agriculture and Market Dynamics33:30 Cryptocurrency and AI in Agriculture41:21 The Inevitability of War and Global Tensions41:46 China's Ambitions and Global Power Dynamics42:34 Climate Change and Carbon Credits44:51 Agricultural Financing and Real Estate51:42 Interest Rates and Economic Predictions56:35 Farmland Investment Strategies01:06:19 Global Trade and Agricultural Competitiveness01:23:48 Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts  Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

In this episode, we discuss:Why capital availability matters more than interest ratesWhat lenders look for first when credit tightensHow to speak to banks using the metrics that matterWhy preparation gives producers leverageHow operators separate themselves in tighter cycles

Is There a Capital Squeeze in Agriculture?In this special live episode, Dan Aberhart sits down with Robert Andjelic to explore a question many producers are quietly asking:Is capital tightening around agriculture — and if so, why now?This is not a prediction episode and not financial advice.It's a first-principles conversation about how credit systems work, what lenders are responding to, and why agriculture is being affected indirectly by pressures elsewhere in the economy.In this episode, we cover:Why banks are under pressure — and why agriculture is not the problemHow commercial real estate, shadow banking, and regulation affect farm creditWhere we are in the broader economic and capital cycleWhy capital availability matters more than interest ratesHow agriculture differs from other asset classes during downturnsWhy preparation and clarity matter more than predictionRobert also shares perspective from decades of experience across commercial real estate, capital markets, and farmland investing — including why he believes agriculture remains one of the strongest long-term sectors, even as conditions tighten.This episode is Part One of a two-part seriesPart One: Understanding the capital environment and why this time is differentPart Two: What to do next — practical preparation, lender conversations, and positioningIf you operate a farm, ag business, or work closely with agricultural finance, this episode is designed to help you think more clearly about the environment ahead — without panic, and without noise. Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Episode NotesWhy most diets work briefly—and then quietly collapseThe hidden cost of extreme approaches to food and fitnessGrowing up overweight and learning to separate identity from behaviorWhy protein, fiber, hydration, and sleep are foundational—not optionalThe difference between weight loss and healthAlcohol, energy, and the trade-offs we don't like to talk aboutWhy tracking creates awareness, not obsessionHow agriculture schedules complicate nutrition—and how to adaptAccountability as a support system, not a punishmentBuilding habits that can survive busy seasons, travel, and stressThis episode is a reminder:You don't need a new body.You need a way of living that doesn't break the one you have. Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

Farmers don't need another polished sales pitch — they need tools that actually work when iron is hot and harvest pressure is on.In this live episode of What Farmers Want, host Dan Aberhart puts ag-tech innovation to the test in a Shark Tank–style format designed for one audience only: farmers.

In this episode of the Growing the Future Podcast, Dan Aberhart sits down with Corliss Rassyle for a candid conversation about leadership, purpose, and what it really means to lead your life.Corliss shares her journey from growing up on a Saskatchewan farm, to building a successful business, to losing everything and rebuilding from the inside out. Together, they explore self doubt, imposter syndrome, personal responsibility, and the internal work required to move forward with clarity and confidence.This episode is for anyone in agriculture, entrepreneurship, or leadership who feels called to something more and wants to take ownership of where they're headed next.Corliss will also be joining us in person as a keynote speaker at the Convergence Conference.Topics Covered• What real leadership looks like and why it starts on the inside• Growing up on a Saskatchewan farm and early lessons in responsibility• Chasing success and still feeling unfulfilled• Losing everything and rebuilding from scratch• Self doubt, imposter syndrome, and internal validation• Vision, purpose, and personal responsibility• Leading your life instead of drifting through it• Becoming who you need to be to fulfill your vision• Why community, coaching, and events matter• What Corliss will bring to the Convergence ConferenceTimestamps00:00 Welcome and episode introduction01:07 Introducing Corliss Rassyle03:15 Growing up on the farm05:00 Building a business and finding purpose09:32 The hero's journey and hard seasons13:02 Losing everything and rebuilding17:00 Where real change begins18:18 Vision, purpose, and leading your life21:36 Becoming who you need to be24:02 Learning to value the journey27:17 Call to LEAD and leadership without titles32:00 What changes after doing the work33:13 Convergence Conference and what's possible39:04 Final reflections and where to connectGuestCorliss RassyleInternational Speaker, Author, Coach, and Founder of Corliss Co.Website: https://www.corliss.caLinksConvergence Conferencehttps://www.convergence.agGrowing the Future Podcasthttps://www.growingthefuturepodcast.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

In this episode of the Growing the Future Podcast, Dan sits down with a prairie-based entrepreneur and investor helping unlock a new wave of ag-tech innovation across Western Canada.The conversation spans angel investing, Startup TNT, and the roots of prairie innovation — from early farm accounting software and fertilizer exits to today's venture-backed ag-tech startups. Along the way, we dig into a powerful idea: agriculture doesn't just need better technology, it needs farmers back in the innovation value chain as owners, not just test pilots.This episode also reflects on the Yorkton Harvest Showdown Ag Tech Pitch, where Dan and his guest recently connected with emerging founders — several of whom will be featured in upcoming episodes.If you're a farmer, founder, investor, or someone curious about how ag-tech actually gets built and funded, this conversation offers a grounded, honest look at capital, community, and purpose-driven investing.Key Topics / Bullets (Optional but recommended)Angel investing in agricultureStartup TNT and prairie startup ecosystemsThe legacy of AgExpert and early ag innovationWhy farmers are losing equity in the value chainPurpose, responsibility, and investing in communityHow ag-tech startups actually get fundedStartup TNT: https://www.startuptnt.comGrowing the Future Podcast: https://www.growingthefuturepodcast.ca Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

In this conversation, Dan Aberhart introduces the upcoming Convergence Conference, now in its third year and happening February 3–5, 2026 in Regina. The banquet keynote speaker is Matt Havens — a leadership and generational expert with a background in corporate strategy and a knack for comedy.Dan and Matt dive into the challenges of modern farm businesses, from information overload to multi‑generational dynamics. They discuss why simplicity beats burnout and how prioritizing what really matters can help cut through the noise. Matt shares how humor makes tough conversations easier and why we often have more in common across generations than we think. They also touch on the unique challenges of family farms — being hard on family, managing multiple age groups on one yard, and the importance of empathy.The episode offers a taste of what Matt will deliver at Convergence 2026 and underscores why his message is right on point for anyone in agriculture. Tune in to hear practical ideas for leading with intention, building culture, and making space for real progress. Register for the Convergence Conference at convergence.ag and stay updated by subscribing to the Growing the Future Podcast at growingthefuturepodcast.ca.

In this episode of Growing the Future Productions, we explore what it means to go from Chaos Commander to CEO with Tim Schaefer, founder of Encore Consulting.Tim has over 20 years of experience helping farm families professionalize their operations, strengthen leadership, and prepare the next generation to succeed.In this episode:The difference between managing chaos and leading a businessHow to let go of control without losing your edgeWhat it takes to professionalize your farm operationHow to build systems and people that work without youWhy clarity and communication create freedomWhether you're stuck in the middle of harvest madness or planning your next growth phase, this episode will give you perspective, calm, and a plan for leading your farm like a business.Brought to you by:Aberhart Ag Solutions and GRIPP — the accountability app built for farms.Try GRIPP risk-free for 90 days at gripp.ag/partner/aberhart

Welcome back to Season 7, Episode 15 of the Growing the Future Podcast with Dan Aberhart and Nicole Dubé—coming to you from our brand-new studio!In this episode, we take you inside the Growing the Future Mastermind, featuring soil scientist Greg Patterson, founder of A&L Laboratories Canada. Together, we dig into advanced soil science concepts that can transform how you farm:Why cation exchange capacity (CEC) is the key to understanding nutrient availability.How base saturation makes soil chemistry actionable for real-world farming.Why the balance of calcium, magnesium, and potassium drives energy production and yield stability.This is just a taste of what happens inside the Mastermind—a place where producers, agronomists, and ag entrepreneurs come together to learn what's really working in the field.

In This Episode:Why digital scouting tools are becoming a game-changer for producersHow Agscouter streamlines reporting between agronomists, farmers, and retailersThe top frustrations farmers have with ag-tech (and how to fix them)Where tech fits — and where it fails — in real-world decision-makingExclusive insights from farmers on what they actually want from innovatorsFeatured Guests & Panelists:Jill & Kara (Agscouter Co-Founders) — sharing the vision and roadmapCherilyn Jolly-Nagel (Producer, Mossbank, SK)Scott Maurer (Maurer Family Grains)Brett Casavant (Casavant Family Farms)

One year ago, independent agronomists joined forces with MNP, Canada's largest private accounting and advisory firm. It was a move that surprised many in the industry and promised to change the way farms approach agronomy and business strategy.In this episode, we look back at what happened, why it happened, and what it means for the future of farming in Western Canada. Panelists Ryan Goodwin, Mike Palmier, and Dean Klippenstine share their perspectives on:The motivations behind the merger and the lessons learned along the wayThe biggest challenges farmers face today and how independent advice can helpWhat separates good farms from great onesHow data, finance, and agronomy can work together to support better decisions acre by acreWhether you're curious about the evolution of agronomy or looking for insights to take your farm from good to great, this episode delivers a candid, practical conversation about the future of agriculture.Listen in, and then check out the full webinar replay on the Growing the Future Productions YouTube channel.

Join Dan Aberhart on the Growing the Future Podcast for a special episode where we dive into the Growing The Future Mastermind community. In this episode, Dan highlights the top three reasons for joining the Mastermind and features expert Greg Patterson, with over 30 years of experience in soil science, plant nutrition, and microbiology. Learn about the crucial role of soil types in fertility planning, how plants reshape their microbial environment for better performance, and the significant impact of soil health on drought resilience.  Join the conversation and elevate your agricultural practices here: https://www.skool.com/gtfmastermind/about?ref=ea63befe7e934417a3e7ebb42bb2080c00:00 Welcome to Growing the Future Podcast 00:16 Introduction to the Mastermind Community 01:12 Top Reasons to Join the Mastermind 02:05 Insights from Greg Patterson: Soil Types 06:57 Understanding Microbial Environments 12:05 Soil Health and Drought Mitigation 14:37 Conclusion and Invitation to Join

Farmers Evaluate PathoScan's Ag Tech: Real Feedback, Real Insights, Ep.2 Join us in episode two of 'What Farmers Want,' hosted by Danny Aberhart, where REAL-WORLD producers dive deep into evaluating innovative Ag Tech solutions. In this episode, we feature Tayeb Soomro, founder of PathoScan, pitching his microbial profiling platform, PathoBox. The technology allows early detection and management of crop diseases, potentially transforming fungicide application decisions. Hear from seasoned farmers like Matt Wallington, Kris Mayerle, Janel Delage, and Scott Maurer, among others, as they provide candid feedback, discuss the practicality, and explore the potential ROI. CEO Doug Jones from Cornerstone Credit Union shares insights on supporting Ag Tech advancements. This interactive, no-nonsense series aims to bridge the gap between Silicon Valley innovation and practical farming needs, ensuring technologies not only impress but work effectively in the field. 00:00 Introduction to What Farmers Want 01:54 Meet the Panelists 03:19 Farmers Share Crop Conditions and Innovations 09:12 Cornerstone Credit Union's Role in Ag Tech 16:32 Challenges in Ag Tech Adoption 20:24 Introducing Patho Scan and Patho Box 35:05 Challenges with Previous Device 35:44 Improvements in Sample Preparation 37:27 Cost and Pricing of the New Technology 40:12 Fungicide Decision-Making on the Farm 44:14 ROI and Cost Analysis of Fungicide Application 49:48 Future Plans and Farmer Feedback 58:26 Final Thoughts and Closing Remarks

Join Dan Aberhart in this Season 7, Episode 10 of Growing the Future Productions' 'Dollars in the Dirt,' sponsored by Precision Land Solutions. Dan sits down with top producers and tile drainage experts from Manitoba to discuss the transformative impact of water management on agricultural land. Featuring personal anecdotes and professional insights from Chris Unrau from Precision Land Solutions, Darryl Wiebe from Beaver Creek Farms, and Jim Pallister from Pallister Farms, the conversation explores key themes like improving land value through tile drainage, the return on investment, and the regulatory landscape. This episode is packed with valuable advice for farmers looking to enhance their land productivity and sustainability. Don't miss out on the rich discussion around the benefits, challenges, and practicalities of implementing tile drainage systems! 00:00 Welcome to Growing the Future Productions 01:02 Sharing Personal Wins 01:52 Chris's Coffee Venture 04:33 Discussing Land Values and ROI 05:43 Chris's Journey with Tile Drainage 12:24 Darrell's Family History with Tile Drainage 16:29 Jim's Passion for Land Ownership and Improvement 23:54 Benefits of Tile Drainage 34:53 The Value of Tiling Land 35:29 Net Worth and Land Renovation 36:27 Payoff Time for Tiling 37:02 Soil Conservation Anecdote 38:19 Philosophical and Practical Views on Tiling 39:21 Field-Specific Benefits of Tiling 43:52 Complete Solutions for Tiling 46:14 Challenges and Solutions in Tiling 52:50 Regulatory Landscape and Advocacy 01:00:48 Final Thoughts and Wrap-Up

Help STARS save Dan at rescueontheriver.ca ! STARS: Life-Saving Missions and Community Impact | Growing the Future Podcast S7 E9 In this episode of 'Growing the Future Podcast,' host Dan Aberhart chats with Darren Entner, the Clinical Operations Manager at STARS in Regina. They dive into the vital role STARS plays in providing critical care in remote areas through air rescue missions. Dan also discusses his personal mission to raise $50,000 for STARS by participating in the 'Rescue on the River' campaign. With over 11 daily missions and nearly 4,000 in one year alone, the life-saving work of STARS is monumental. Discover how community support and innovative healthcare are making extraordinary impacts in rural Canada. 00:00 Welcome to Growing the Future Podcast 00:30 Personal Mission: Rescue on the River Campaign 02:01 Introducing the Guest: Darren Entner from STARS 04:11 Darren's Journey with STARS 07:54 The Evolution and Impact of STARS 14:25 Cutting-Edge Technology and Operations 16:27 Mission Types and Procedures 19:39 Scene Calls and Coordination 21:35 Critical Care Logistics and Communication 22:13 Challenges and Differences Across Provinces 22:37 Manitoba's Unique Circumstances 24:58 Mission Statistics and Busy Seasons 27:44 Impactful Patient Stories 31:48 Fundraising and Community Support 34:02 Rescue on the River Event 39:19 Concluding Remarks and Gratitude

Epic Solitude: A 122-Day Solo Canoe Expedition Across Canada's Wilderness | Growing the Future Podcast Join host Dan Aberhart on the Growing the Future Podcast for an awe-inspiring episode with special guest Calem Watson. In this episode, Caleb shares his incredible 122-day solo canoe expedition across the Northwest Territories, from Fort Smith to Tuktoyaktuk in the summer of 2023. Discover the compelling reasons behind his adventurous spirit, the profound solitude he experienced, the stunning wildlife encounters, and the motivation to pursue a career as a public speaker. Calem's journey offers invaluable lessons in resilience, courage, and the beauty of nature. Learn about his preparation, the kindness of strangers along the way, and the broader message of finding freedom and simplicity away from modern life's chaos. Tune in to hear Calem's story and be inspired to embrace adventure and follow your dreams. 00:00 Welcome to Growing the Future Podcast 01:52 Introducing the Esteemed Guest 02:23 The 3000 Kilometer Solo Canoe Expedition 03:57 The Motivation Behind the Adventure 05:24 Experiencing Canada's Untamed Wilderness 10:49 The Challenges and Rewards of Solo Travel 16:17 Planning and Preparing for the Journey 21:47 Sharing the Adventure and Inspiring Others 31:28 Breaking into the Wilderness 32:48 Wildlife Encounters 33:31 Survival Diets and Pemmican 37:18 Lessons from the Journey 42:34 Indigenous Culture and Kindness 47:32 Future Adventures and Reflections

What happens when you put bold ag tech in front of a panel of no-nonsense farmers and hand them the mic?In the premiere episode of “What Farmers Want”—brought to you by Cornerstone Credit Union's Rural Tech Act—host Dan Aberhart invites you to witness a high-stakes, Shark Tank-style pitch where Kyle Folk, Founder & CEO of GroundTruth Ag, makes his case for a new approach to on-farm grain grading automation.But the decision isn't up to investors. It's up to the farmers.This episode features direct, unfiltered feedback from a panel of respected Saskatchewan producers:Matt Wallington – Hanover Ridge FarmsBrett Casavant – Cas-Grain FarmsRiley Kushniruk – K4 AgScott Maurer – Maurer Family GrainsThey ask the tough questions, challenge assumptions, and weigh in on whether this technology has what it takes to make it out of the shop and onto the farm.

Engineering Leadership & Innovation in Agriculture with Ryan HusbandGrowing the Future Podcast S7E6 In this episode, we sit down with Ryan Husband, the mayor of Outlook, Saskatchewan, and the executive director of Irrigation Saskatchewan. Raised on a family farm, Ryan's journey to becoming a local leader, water management engineer, and co-owner of Husbandry Farms is full of grit and perseverance. From fighting fires to managing an orchard, Ryan's story is one of innovation and dedication to improving the agricultural industry. Join us as we discuss the complexities and rewards of irrigation, leadership in small-town Saskatchewan, and the future of farming. For more info on irrigation in Sk check out https://irrigationsask.comDon't forget to check out our family of companies and stay tuned for exciting updates. Sign up for our newsletter and be part of our journey towards a more sustainable and innovative agricultural future. You won't want to miss this one! 00:00 Welcome to Growing the Future Podcast 01:03 Introducing Today's Esteemed Guest 02:23 Ryan Husband's Background and Journey 06:06 Engineering and Agricultural Career 08:22 Challenges and Opportunities in Irrigation 13:01 Community Involvement and Leadership 17:45 Outlook's Infrastructure and Future Plans 20:34 The Importance of Irrigation in Saskatchewan 26:03 Comparing Irrigation in Saskatchewan and Alberta 32:48 Outlook's Growth and Development 48:27 Exploring the Concept of Irrigation 48:39 The Vision of John Diefenbaker 50:06 Current State of Irrigation in Saskatchewan 51:37 Challenges and Solutions in Irrigation 52:42 Gravity's Role in Irrigation 55:03 Efficiency Improvements in Irrigation 01:01:17 Getting Started with Irrigation 01:21:52 Economic and Community Impact of Irrigation 01:24:23 Leadership and Personal Growth 01:30:36 Future of Irrigation and Final Thoughts

Soil Health Revolution: Unlocking the Potential Beneath Your Feet | Growing the Future Mastermind Join host Dan Aberhart in the 'Engine of the Soil Igniting the Evergreen Revolution' webinar as he speaks with Greg Patterson, CEO and founder of A&L Canada Laboratories. This webinar, presented by A&L Canada Laboratories and Growing the Future Productions, gathers a powerhouse of agronomic expertise to discuss soil health and its transformative potential in agriculture. Greg shares his 40 years of experience and unveils a comprehensive soil health series that will bring agronomic insights to farmers in Western Canada and beyond. The session explores the history of green revolutions, the importance of soil microbiomes, balanced fertility, and innovative techniques to boost crop yields while maintaining environmental sustainability. Engage with the discussion, learn about the groundbreaking Soil Health Index, and discover how proper soil management can revolutionize agricultural productivity. Stay tuned for future sessions and masterclasses aimed at elevating agronomy practices globally. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 01:30 Excitement for Soil Health Series 03:04 Greg Patterson's Vision and Goals 06:00 Historical Overview of Fertility 06:18 The First Green Revolution 08:23 The Second Green Revolution 09:24 The Evergreen Revolution 09:50 Plant-Microbe Interactions 11:36 Soil Health and Microbial Activity 16:18 Case Study: Potato Production 19:49 A&L Biologicals and Soil Health 25:56 Balanced Fertility and Nutrient Management 33:14 Q&A Session: Soil Health and Fertility 47:59 Impact of Agriculture on Organic Matter 49:46 The Role of Sulfur in Soil Health 52:47 Microbial Activity and Soil Moisture 01:02:10 No-Till Farming and Soil Stratification 01:09:29 Soil Health Index and Microbial Populations 01:23:21 Introducing the Growing the Future Mastermind

Join Dan Aberhart on Growing the Future Productions as he discusses the volatile global fertilizer market in 2025 with Josh Linville, a trusted Fertilizer Market Analyst at Stonex. In this episode, they tackle the unpredictable fluctuations in fertilizer prices, including the impacts of tariffs, geopolitical events, and supply constraints. Josh provides a detailed analysis of the global factors affecting nitrogen, urea, potash, phosphate, and sulfur markets, and offers insights on how farmers and industry professionals can best navigate these challenges. Learn the current state of the market, predict future trends, and understand the complex forces at play in the agricultural sector.00:00 Introduction to Global Fertilizer Market00:26 Current Fertilizer Market Challenges02:07 Audience Interaction and Questions03:49 Josh Linville's Market Analysis07:49 Global Supply Issues and Political Impacts15:45 Middle East and Global Shipping Concerns20:22 European Production and Market Dynamics33:54 Technological Advances and Future Outlook35:15 Phosphate Market and Tariff Implications37:58 Understanding Market Signals38:27 Global Phosphate Supply Issues39:01 Impact of US Government Policies40:07 China's Export Restrictions43:52 India's Struggle with Subsidies48:05 Internal Fertilizer Trade Dynamics49:51 Tariffs and Market Reactions54:05 Potash and Sulfur Market Insights01:01:05 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 

In this digital interactive event hosted by Dan Aberhart brought to you by Growing the Future Productions and Global Ag Risk Solutions, farming experts dive deep into the challenges Western Canadian farmers face amidst market volatility and climate unpredictability. The webinar features key speakers including Dave Sullivan from Global Ag Risk, Dean Klippenstein and Tyson Kenneth from MNP, and Carl DeConnick Smith, who is known for his contrarian yet effective farming strategies. The discussion covers crucial topics such as effective risk management, insurance options, agri-stability, forward pricing strategies, and the importance of having a well-thought-out plan. With live questions from an engaged audience, there are lots of actionable insights to fellow farmers striving for resilience and success. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:46 Engaging the Audience 01:15 Panelist Introductions 03:15 Technical Difficulties and Chat Interaction05:48 Starting the Discussion: State of the Union 06:14 Insurance Options and Strategies 17:39 Q&A Session 19:06 New Farmer Challenges and Solutions 28:46 Halfway Mark: Transition to Farmer's Perspective 33:06 Forward Pricing and Crop Insurance 34:37 Real-Life Examples and Benefits 35:29 Multi-Layer Tools and Strategies 36:31 Insurance in Action: Case Studies 39:58 Understanding AgriStability and GARS 42:24 Scenario Analysis and Decision Making 52:21 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

In this episode of the Growing the Future Podcast, Wade Barnes, founder of Farmer's Edge, shares the raw and unfiltered story of his entrepreneurial journey—from the early days of pioneering precision agriculture to the pressure cooker of fundraising, navigating investor dynamics, and the hard lessons learned through an IPO.

What happens when a small agtech company takes on the biggest names in agriculture?In Part 2 of Wade Barnes' incredible journey, we dive into the high-stakes battle between Farmer's Edge and industry giants like Monsanto, John Deere, and Nutrien. This isn't just a story about farming—it's about corporate power, data wars, and the fight for the future of agriculture.

On this episode of Growing the Future Podcast, we sit down with Wade Barnes, a farm kid from Birtle, Manitoba, who forged his own path in agriculture, much like a samurai without a master. From humble beginnings working the land to building Farmer's Edge, one of the most influential AgTech companies in Canada, Wade's journey is a testament to resilience, adaptability, and taking on the establishment.Wade didn't follow a traditional roadmap—he challenged old ways of thinking, fought through skepticism, and built a business that changed how farmers manage their land. Without a blueprint, without guarantees, and without waiting for permission, he created something entirely new, proving that sometimes the best way forward is to carve your own path.In this episode, we explore:The roots of precision ag – How GPS, satellite imagery, and hard-nosed agronomy changed the game.Pushing against the establishment – Why traditional experts doubted his approach and how he proved them wrong.The power of relationships – How key connections with industry leaders like Cam Henry and Mark Keating helped launch Farmer's Edge.Scaling the business – The challenges of rapid growth, securing investment, and consolidating his vision.A masterclass in deal-making – How a business coach from Winnipeg gave Wade the tools to negotiate high-stakes partnerships.This is Wade's first-ever long-form podcast, offering a rare inside look at the lessons learned from building a company on the cutting edge of agriculture. His journey reflects the samurai mindset—self-reliant, disciplined, and unafraid to challenge convention.Listen now and subscribe for Part 2 as we dive deeper into the story of innovation, persistence, and the future of digital agriculture.00:00 Introduction to Precision Agriculture01:07 Welcome to the Growing the Future Podcast02:46 Meet Wade Barnes: A Visionary in Ag Tech03:32 Wade's Early Life and Farming Roots05:57 The Birth of Farmer's Edge12:39 Challenges and Innovations in Precision Ag19:47 Scaling Up and Industry Recognition29:48 Consolidation and Growth38:23 Key Partnerships and Business Lessons

From Father to Son: Preston Marthey's Water Management Legacy In this heartfelt episode of the Growing the Future podcast, host Dan Aberhart reconnects with Preston Marthey, a Territory Manager for CropX. Join us as Preston shares his inspiring journey from high school 'wild child' to an innovator in the precision ag industry, stepping into the huge shoes left behind by his father, Big Dave. Dive into the rich history of water management, the evolution of precision agriculture, and the transformative power of ag tech. Witness the strong familial bonds and core values that drive Preston's passion for sustainable farming practices, as well as the cutting-edge solutions he's bringing to farmers across North America. Tune in for a conversation filled with wisdom, wit, and a touch of nostalgia, celebrating the past while paving the way for the future of agriculture. 00:00 Welcome to Growing the Future Podcast 02:25 Introducing Today's Guest: Preston Marthey 03:12 Preston's Early Journey in Agriculture 06:23 Technological Shifts in Precision Agriculture 09:39 Generational Wisdom and Business Evolution 13:15 Challenges and Innovations in Water Management 26:39 Balancing Family and Work in Agriculture 31:38 The Art and Science of Land Forming 47:04 Balancing Simplicity and Precision in Farming 47:28 The Impact of OptiSurface on Land Leveling 48:10 Challenges and Solutions in Soil Management 50:14 Regional Differences in Agricultural Practices 53:33 The Importance of Precision Investment 55:17 Nutrient Management and Technology Integration 01:10:06 Mentorship and Personal Growth in Agriculture 01:27:40 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Benny shares a deeply personal and transformative story about losing his younger brother in 2021—a tragedy that profoundly shaped his life. His brother was murdered during a drug deal gone wrong, a moment that shook his family to the core. Benny reflected on how he hadn't spoken openly about his own struggles and the lessons he'd learned in his younger years, and he wondered if being more vulnerable could have made a difference. This heartbreaking experience led Benny to two life-changing realizations: 1. His Business Didn't Need Him Every Day: At the time of his brother's death, Benny had implemented the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) in his company, which allowed it to function without his constant oversight. For the first time, he saw how freeing it was to detach his identity from his business. It gave him the space to step away and be present for his grieving family without the pressure of everything falling apart. 2. He Needed a Greater Purpose: The loss forced Benny to ask himself a tough question: Is running a roofing company all I'm meant to do? He realized his true calling was to share his story with others—stories of resilience, vulnerability, and finding purpose beyond work. This moment inspired him to launch a podcast, take the stage at speaking events, and help others navigate their own challenges. Benny's journey is a powerful reminder of the importance of separating our identity from our work and creating space to live authentically and fully. He'll be sharing this deeply personal story—and the lessons he's learned—at the upcoming Convergence Conference 2025 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Benny's keynote promises to inspire, challenge, and help attendees see the bigger picture in both their business and personal lives. If you're ready to reflect, grow, and start 2025 with a fresh perspective, don't miss Benny Fisher at Convergence Conference. It's a message you need to hear.

In this episode host Dan Aberhart chats with Warren Bills and his little brother Terry Aberhart ... the Visionary/Integrator and Simplifier/Multiplier team who have transformed the Western Canadian agricultural industry thought their various endeavours together. They talk about their on their collaborative journey, the formation of their numerous agribusiness ventures, and the importance of aligning with values-driven partners. This conversation covers the launch of Convergence Growth, their experience with AgriTrend, insights into the MNP Ag Intellect initiative, and the establishment of Aberhart Group. The episode also previews the upcoming Convergence Conference 2025, aimed at fostering innovation and collaboration in agriculture. Join us for an inspiring dialogue on making a meaningful impact in agriculture while maintaining personal well-being and strong community ties. 00:00 Catalyst for Change: Embracing New Beginnings 00:43 Welcome to Growing the Future Podcast 02:06 Introducing Esteemed Guests: Warren Bills and Terry Aberhart 04:01 The Journey Begins: Warren and Terry's Backstory 12:14 Agritrend and Its Impact 16:46 Convergence Growth: A New Vision27:54 MNP Ag Intellect: A Collaborative Future 35:39 Aberhart Group: Family and Business Synergy 40:25 Convergence Conference: Join the Movement 47:09 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans 

In this episode of the Growing the Future podcast, host Dan Aberhart interviews Sara Shymko, the executive director of Agriculture in the Classroom (AITC) Saskatchewan. They discuss the importance of creating hands-on educational opportunities for students to explore careers in agriculture. Sara shares insights from her global experience and emphasizes the need to connect kids with meaningful food experiences to understand the local and global impacts of agriculture. The conversation highlights the Acres for Education campaign aimed at raising $100,000 to provide farm visits and out-of-school experiences for students. This episode underscores the critical need to inspire future generations to consider careers in agriculture and the collective effort required from the industry.  Connect with Sara: Website: https://aitc-canada.ca/en-ca/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AITCCanada/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AITCCanadaInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/aitccanada/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbDjICByAj9euDpyUMb9aZg   Family of Companies:https://aberhartagsolutions.ca https://aberhartfarms.com https://suregrowth.ca https://www.convergencegrowth.com Connect with us on AGvisorPro: https://getagvisorpro.com/?_branch_match_id=1190325681402129952&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXz8nMy9ZNLCjQS0wvyyzOLyooytdLzs%2FVT0xKLcpILCrRTUnMAwC2pzF0LAAAAA%3D%3D If you want to be part of the Growing the Future community, make sure to say hi on social at: https://linktr.ee/Growingthefuturepodcast 

In this episode of the Growing the Future podcast, host Terry invites Rick Block from the Canadian Food Grains Bank to discuss the organization's impactful work in global food security. They share their personal experiences abroad, the history and mission of the Canadian Food Grains Bank, and the innovative Grow Hope initiative. Terry's son Holden shares his unique perspective as a young man engaged in these critical issues. This is all about giving, the importance of relationships, and how small acts can have profound impacts on communities around the world. “The Full Man Does Not Understand the Wants of the Hungry” - Irish Proverb  Connect with Rick: Website: https://foodgrainsbank.ca Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CanadianFoodgrainsBank X: https://x.com/Foodgrains Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foodgrains Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/foodgrainsbank  Aberhart Family of Companies: https://aberhartagsolutions.ca https://aberhartfarms.com https://suregrowth.ca https://www.convergencegrowth.com  Connect with us on AGvisorPro: https://link-app.agvisorpro.com/aberhart-dan  If you want to be part of the Growing the Future community, make sure to say hi on social at: https://linktr.ee/Growingthefuturepodcast

Arthur's story starts simple: a family farm, a small-town upbringing, and a job managing dealerships where loyalty wasn't handed out, it was earned. As the dealerships grew, so did Arthur, taking on bigger roles until he eventually became President of Pattison Agriculture, responsible for 17 John Deere dealerships across Saskatchewan and Manitoba. It was more than just tractors—it was about building relationships, managing people, and proving you could hit your numbers no matter the season. Along the way, Arthur learned that customer satisfaction wasn't just a strategy—it was survival. And survival's a skill you don't forget. But it didn't stop there. The Jim Pattison Group, a corporate giant with over 48,000 employees across 25 industries, saw something in him. Arthur became one of Pattison's Vice Presidents, sitting at the same table as one of Canada's most iconic businessmen. Jim Pattison's leadership was simple and sharp: “Spend money like it's your own,” and “Don't do anything you wouldn't want on the front page of the newspaper.” It was the kind of no-frills wisdom that fit Arthur like a glove. In this episode, Arthur reflects on: The lessons learned from farming and how they carried over into running dealerships and corporate boardrooms.The challenges of balancing old-school agriculture with new business realities, including scaling operations while holding onto small-town values.What he took away from working with one of Canada's sharpest business minds—and why the hardest part wasn't making it to the top, but staying there.Now, Arthur's back on prairie soil, working with Aberhart Group to build something real—businesses that serve their people, their customers, and the land. He's traded in the skyscrapers for Saskatchewan sunsets, but the fight's still the same: do right by people, take care of the customer, and build something that lasts. Tune in for a conversation that's as much about grit as it is about growth. Arthur's journey is proof that whether you're on a tractor or in a boardroom, it all comes down to knowing the value of hard work and the power of doing things the right way. 0:00 Introduction and Core Values00:33 Welcome to the Growing the Future Podcast00:48 Introducing Today's Esteemed Guest01:15 Family of Companies Overview02:09 Arthur Ward's Early Life and Career Beginnings04:48 Transition to Agricultural Sales07:36 Challenges and Successes in the Ag Industry11:14 Leadership and Coaching Philosophy18:00 Joining the Jim Pattison Group18:51 Innovations and Future Plans41:52 Adapting to Market Changes43:19 Lessons from Farming45:25 Unexpected Life Changes48:33 Joining the Aberhart Group53:45 The Role of Chief Integration Officer56:51 Future Goals and Reflections57:36 Rapid Fire Business Insights01:02:29 Building Sustainable Businesses01:14:02 Personal Reflections and Future Plans Aberhart Family of Companies:https://aberhartgroup.comhttps://aberhartagsolutions.cahttps://aberhartfarms.comhttps://www.convergencegrowth.comConnect with us on AGvisorPro: https://link-app.agvisorpro.com/aberhart-danIf you want to be part of the Growing the Future community, make sure to say hi on social at: https://linktr.ee/Growingthefuturepodcast

Ready to learn, unlearn, and relearn how you run your farm? In this episode of the Growing the Future Podcast, Matt Gosling breaks down many different concepts that every farmer should have the opportunity to hear. From balancing nitrogen, to building dynamic soil zones, to challenging the status quo, Matt shares his 21 years of hands-on experience in agronomy, offering practical insights for treating your farm like the multi-million dollar business it is. These aren't just theories—they're hard-earned lessons on soil health, smart decision-making, and innovation that will push your farm to the next level. Hear how mentorship, continual learning, and entrepreneurial spirit are shaping the future of farming—plus, why family and purpose are just as important as innovation. Explore the future of farming with AI, data, and proven agronomy practices.  Subscribe now to learn the keys to smarter, more profitable farming! Connect with Matt:Website: https://www.premiumag.ca/ Twitter: https://x.com/PremiumAg Aberhart Family of Companies:https://aberhartagsolutions.cahttps://aberhartfarms.comhttps://suregrowth.cahttps://www.convergencegrowth.com Connect with us on AGvisorPro: https://link-app.agvisorpro.com/aberhart-dan If you want to be part of the Growing the Future community, make sure to say hi on social at: https://linktr.ee/Growingthefuturepodcast

When you've spent your life building your professional career after you left the family farm in the 80's ...When you're at the top of your game …When you've got 35 years experience in the field of international agricultural fertility …When you've been to 80 countries all around the world …When you could ride out the last victory laps of your professional life in relative safety and comfort …And yet, you decide that you can do more, you can offer value in a totally different way …That you can become an entrepreneur and build a brand new business to change the world …Yet through the many twists and turns you end up in a totally different spot than you anticipated!And you end up fighting for your very life, against the very disease that took your father's life ...When Jeff Ivan left the farm in the 80's, things were very different …In this episode you will learn about balance in the soil and in your own life as Jeff recounts his challenges as he founded a brand new company, full of scientific innovation similar to the advances that saved his life from a terminal diagnosis!Connect with Jeff: Website: https://www.soilgenic.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/soilgenic/ Twitter: https://x.com/Soilgenic Aberhart Family of Companies:https://aberhartagsolutions.cahttps://aberhartfarms.comhttps://suregrowth.cahttps://www.convergencegrowth.com Connect with us on AGvisorPro: https://link-app.agvisorpro.com/aberhart-dan If you want to be part of the Growing the Future community, make sure to say hi on social at: https://linktr.ee/Growingthefuturepodcast

Join host Dan Aberhart on the Growing the Future podcast as he welcomes Jessica Janzen, a motivational speaker, mindset coach, author, and philanthropist. Jessica shares her incredible journey of overcoming life challenges, including the heartbreaking loss of her son to Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Discover how her faith, resilience, and choice to bring joy have transformed her life and the lives of many others through the Love for Lewiston Foundation. This episode dives deep into the importance of self-worth, the power of choice, and bringing joy, even in the hardest of times. Don't miss this emotional and inspiring conversation that is sure to leave a lasting impact.

Steve and his wife Vanessa live near Three Hills, AB, with their three children. A Professional Agrologist and Certified Crop Advisor, Steve has supported farmers for over 25 years. He has a diploma in Crop Advisory and a B.Sc. in Agriculture Studies. In 2008, he received a Nuffield Scholarship to study controlled traffic farming.In 2006, Steve founded Beyond Agronomy, providing agronomic services and strategies to farms in Canada and internationally. He also ran businesses in carbon and ag technology and published The Spark newsletter from 2008-2019.A first-generation farmer since 2007, Steve operates a no-till research farm near Morrin, AB. He shares his expertise locally and internationally.In his community, Steve enjoys making ice, coaching hockey, and winter activities with his family. He's always ready for a brainstorming session.Steve shares his vision for Nuffield Canada, including better communication and branding, and the goal of making the organization more widely known and impactful.In this episode, Steve Larocque discusses:his journey with the Nuffield Scholarship and the impact it has had on his life and career.his experience with controlled traffic farming and the benefits it has brought to his farm, including improved soil health and increased yields.his approach to working with farmers, emphasizing the importance of confidence and execution in agronomy practices.the need for farmers to have a broader perspective and invest in further education to drive innovation and change in the industry.  the future of agriculture, including the role of autonomous equipment, the need for value-added products, and the importance of food processing.the shift towards sustainability and the challenges of navigating climate change policies.the need for farmers to be involved in policy-making and to have a strong voice in shaping the future of agriculture.the value of homeschooling and raising children who are informed about the industry.Aberhart Family of Companies:https://aberhartagsolutions.cahttps://aberhartfarms.comhttps://suregrowth.cahttps://www.convergencegrowth.com Connect with us on AGvisorPro: https://link-app.agvisorpro.com/aberhart-dan If you want to be part of the Growing the Future community, make sure to say hi on social at: https://linktr.ee/Growingthefuturepodcast

In this episode, you'll learn how Max Ag Consulting has approached business growth, and how Mike measures his future success. Key topics:

In this episode you'll hear a story about Craig's farming background, his high regard for putting in a hard day's work, and the turning point when being driven by success becomes a deeper desire to make an impact on the industry…and on the world. Learn from Craig's hands-on approach to aligning agribusiness solutions with growers' needs and his experiences with the cutting-edge products and practices that are shaping the future of farming. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn from the boots-on-the ground experiences of a fifth-generation family farmer from Virden, Manitoba. Tune in for a blend of personal stories and professional growth in agriculture.   

In this episode we dive deep into the sheer grit and determination of Marcel Kringe, Founder & CEO of Bushel Plus. Join us to hear about an entrepreneurial journey like no other. In the midst of a life-threatening car crash and the potential of not making it through the night at a hospital in Australia thousands of miles from home, Marcel made it through with the incredible support of his team, his family and a local South African family who helped him find community and faith. Marcel's journey is about his recovery and what he learned about being a good boss, building a people-first team culture, and scaling an agricultural equipment business using the right business structure. It's an episode you won't want to miss. ➡️ CLICK HERE TO WATCH PT. 1 Marcel Kringe | Ag Entrepreneurship: The Essence of Happiness: