Let’s talk about the future of farming in Canada

Farmers are no strangers to change. “When mother nature is your boss, you can never know exactly how a growing season will go,” says Crystal Mackay, agricultural communicator and host of The Ag Podcast. “Being resilient is and always has been a part of the farmer job description.” 

And while adapting within an industry prone to change is something every farmer in Canada is familiar with, the generational, economic and environmental transitions that the Canadian farming community is facing today are more significant than they have ever been. And, so are the opportunities. 

From challenges like the increase of extreme weather events and succession planning issues, to solutions like biodigesters and investing in regenerative agriculture, there is a lot to talk about. And who better to have these conversations than some of Canada’s leading voices in the agri-food and farming space.

“This series dives into some of the topics I know are on the minds of farmers and future farmers across the country,” says Mackay. “What inspires me is the continual interest and curiosity to figure out how they can better provide for their families and their land while they work to feed all of us.”

The Ag Podcast, produced by Generate Canada with support from Co-operators and the Smart Prosperity Institute, releases its first episode on September 17th. Be sure to check it out on YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. And remember to subscribe so that you never miss an episode. 

Here is what you can expect in each episode of the series – links to each episode will be added as they are released. 

Episode 1: Farm Succession Planning – September 17, 2024 

In the next ten years, over 40% of Canadian farms will change hands. With 97% of farms being family-owned and operated, this means a lot of challenging – but necessary – discussions between family members on the future of their farm. But when do you start these discussions? Where do you have these discussions? And how do you approach these discussions?

Host Crystal Mackay chats with Maggie Van Camp, farmer and founder of Farmers’ Bridge, and Patti Durand, certified Family Enterprise Advisor, on farm succession planning – the challenges that arise during this process, the importance of doing this big task, and tips on making your farm transition a success.

Episode 2: The Labour Shortage Challenge – September 24, 2024

There are currently 122,000 vacant jobs in Canada’s agriculture sector. This number is only expected to grow due to an aging workforce where more people are expecting to retire, alongside fewer working people and fewer young people entering the industry. These vacancies are impacting farmers.  We’re seeing people working unsustainably long hours, giving up on expansion plans, and leaving the industry altogether. So, how can we start closing this gap?

Host Crystal Mackay explores with Jennifer Wright, Executive Director of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC), the extent of the human resources challenges facing the industry and what supports there are for farmers to navigate some of these obstacles.

Episode 3: The Economic Opportunity of Farming Carbon – October 1, 2024 

While Canada’s carbon market scene is far behind that of Australia and Europe, it is developing into a new economic avenue for farmers, where getting compensated for climate-smart farming practices is a real possibility. However, there remains a lot of uncertainty around this emerging opportunity. What is it? How does it work? And can it be trusted?

Host Crystal Mackay chats with Marty Seymour, CEO of Carbon RX, about agriculture’s “pineapple on pizza” debate: the carbon market.

Episode 4: Turning Waste into Energy with Biodigesters – October 8, 2024

It is estimated that globally, 8-10% of total greenhouse gas emissions are a direct result of food waste. Canadians contribute to that global total, creating an estimated 50 million tonnes of food waste every year. Meanwhile, emissions from manure represent 20% of a farm’s carbon footprint. These two challenges may seem unrelated, but there is an emerging agricultural solution that can both reduce food waste and transform the emissions from food and animal waste into energy and fertilizer: anaerobic biodigesters.

Host Crystal Mackay chats with George Dick, owner of Dicklands Biogas, about how biodigesters work and what is needed for biodigesters to become a more feasible option for more farms across Canada.

Episode 5: The Rise of Regenerative Agriculture – October, 15, 2024

Canadian farmers have been farming with people and the planet in mind for a long time. While previously known as ‘best management practices,’ ‘sustainability’ quickly became the word of choice when discussing farming practices that improve yield to feed a growing world and have limited impacts on the planet and future generations. And now there is a new kid on the block: regenerative agriculture. How do sustainability and regenerative agriculture relate to one another? How has sustainability in agriculture evolved over time? What are the challenges in farming sustainably, and what is needed to continue the increased adoption of sustainable practices across the country?

In this episode, host Crystal Mackay explores sustainability in agriculture with Tim Faveri, Vice President of Sustainability and Stakeholder Relations at Nutrien, and Chris Perry, Farmer and President of CKP Farms Ltd.

Episode 6: Digging Deep on Soil Health – October 22, 2024

Human life heavily depends on a thin layer of topsoil. It grows food, retains water, and sequesters carbon. However, topsoil degradation is compromising the resilience of our soil against flooding, droughts, and pests, as well as destabilizing our food security. Many farmers have played, and continue to play, an important role in maintaining and increasing the health of our soil, but the urgency for farmers to implement and document soil-smart practices is growing across the value chain and amongst the general public.

In this episode, host Crystal Mackay digs deep with Cedric MacLeod, Farmer and the Executive Director of Canadian Forage and Grassland Association, and Tim Wray, Cattle Rancher at Wray Ranch, about why soil health is so important, how farmers can farm with the soil in mind, and the opportunity that stakeholders across the agri-food value chain have to support farmers in this work.

Episode 7: The Power of Collaboration in Agriculture and Food – October 29, 2024

In today’s society, supply chains are built for competition — competing for supplies, suppliers, and market share. But over the past decade in the agri-food space, businesses that were once fierce competitors have been standing side-by-side to overcome the sector’s biggest challenges together. Driving down emissions in the agri-food system is one of those challenges. 

Host Crystal Mackay sits down with Nick Betts, Managing Director at the Canadian Alliance for Net-zero Agri-food (CANZA), and Benjamin Eastman, Senior Farm Consultant at Co-operators, to talk about collaboration and its important role in Canada achieving a net-zero agri-food system. 

Episode 8: The Next Generation of Farmers – November 5, 2024

With 60% of farmers aged 55 and over, over 40% of Canadian farms will pass the torch onto the next generation in the next ten years. As this transition happens, young farmers will not only be stepping into a new role, but they will be experiencing opportunities and challenges that look different from previous generations.

Host Crystal Mackay talks with two farmers of the next generation, Katie Keddy and Audrey Morneau, to discuss their experiences as their family farms transition. They share the current realities of farming, the challenges and opportunities they’re encountering, and their tips for other young farmers.