Advertise on podcast: The Truth About Ag

The first recording of 2026 opens with a realistic read on the mood coming out of Crop Production Week. Many producers are still coming to grips with what 2025 actually looked like once yield met real pricing, and the optimism some were hoping for hasn’t fully shown up. The conversation walks through what that means for grain marketing right now, why so much grain remains unsold, and how flat spreads and cautious buyers are leaving more acres exposed than many are comfortable with. Evan and Kristjan discuss the pressure points showing up inside farm businesses. Fertilizer prices haven’t reset as expected, booking levels are low, and there are real questions about how the system will handle the spring push. They also dig into logistics and grain movement, highlighting how managing trucks and timing can be just as challenging as growing the crop, and why 2026 is forcing more producers to truly understand their numbers. The episode wraps with a wider look at the industry and the year ahead, pulling in takeaways from Texas and a candid discussion on land, capital, trade uncertainty, and what the next 12 months could mean financially. Things may get tighter before they get easier, but for farms willing to stahttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-ag/id1740590178y engaged and strategic, opportunity can still show up in tough cycles.   09c93d00-02dc-11f1-a090-07eb536fe5c6

In this episode, Evan and Kristjan sit down with first-generation farmer and long-time ag industry leader April to explore what it really takes to build both a business and a life on the farm. April and her husband Chad started their operation from scratch east of Regina over 20 years ago, and she’s spent much of that time balancing “church and state” – growing a farm, raising a family, and leading big teams in corporate agriculture. They dig into how boots on the ground experience shapes better decisions in head offices, and how boardroom skills like hiring, benefits, leadership, and meeting cadence come back to make the farm stronger. They discuss why communication with retailers and grain buyers is a competitive advantage, and how simple things like pre-planning, targets, and asking better questions can change those relationships completely. The conversation also goes bigger-picture: optimism about agriculture, the growing weight of policy risk, volatility in inputs and capital, and why the real line between controllable and uncontrollable risk has shifted. April opens up about the decision to step away from a demanding corporate career, come back to the farm full-time, and design a life in balance. From multi-year plans and farm meeting cadence to culture, guilt, and kids growing up fast, this one hits both the business and the human side of modern farming.

It’s a catch-up Christmas special on The Truth About Ag. With nearly 50 episodes behind them, Evan and Kristjan look back at the conversations that shaped the show. From CEOs who started on the ground floor to guests who opened up about health, mindset, and the realities of modern farming. They revisit the moments that stuck, the one-liners they still use, and the guests who shifted how they think about leadership and life. The conversation moves into the big issues farmers are facing now: grain dryer grants and why infrastructure, not price, is the real bottleneck; rising land values and the wave of recent farm sales; and why some operations are choosing to exit at the top. They dig into succession, working capital pressures, and the growing need for farmers to think beyond the next season and start planning for the next decade. They wrap with a look at growth, hiring before you’re drowning, performance reviews that don’t blindside anyone, and the mentors and books that shaped their own paths. It’s a reflective, honest episode that sets the stage for where agriculture and the show is headed next.

Evan and Kristjan sit down with Ken Seitz, CEO of Nutrien, whose journey from a Saskatchewan dairy farm to leading one of the world’s largest ag companies is a story rooted in humility, hard work, and curiosity. Ken shares how growing up on the farm shaped his leadership approach, the mentors who taught him the value of truth, discipline, and community, and how those early experiences continue to influence his perspective on business and community. The conversation covers everything from global fertiliser trade flows and market volatility to the future of technology and talent in agriculture. Ken explains how Nutrien adapts to geopolitical uncertainty, why flexibility is the only way forward, and how Canadian farmers can use data, discipline, and bold thinking to stay competitive. Through it all, he returns to the same theme that Saskatchewan values, curiosity and commitment to compete are what drive progress in both farming and business.

In this episode of The Truth About Ag, Kristjan and Evan are joined by longtime friend and Canadian agriculture executive Bryce Eger. They get into how their small-town roots shaped the people and professionals they’ve become, despite all three of them ending up in careers they were once told not to pursue. Bryce’s leadership has guided teams through mergers, cultural shifts, and major innovations in seed technology and commercialization. Today, Bryce continues to bring his trademark people-first approach to an industry that’s constantly evolving. The conversation ranges from leadership and business advice to technology and personal fulfillment. They also discuss the realities of technology adoption, the ongoing debate between generic and non-generic products, and how purpose and happiness shift as careers mature. Bryce offers thoughtful insights on the fundamentals of leadership and the role that lifelong learning plays in both professional success and personal balance. It’s a candid, thoughtful conversation about growth, perspective, and finding meaning in the work you do - on the farm, in the boardroom, and everywhere in between.

John Heimbecker of Parrish & Heimbecker joins Kristjan and Evan to share what four decades in Canadian agriculture have taught him about leadership, diversification, and long-term thinking. From his start in a Toronto trading office to leading one of the country’s largest family-owned agribusinesses, John talks about how P&H develops people from the ground up, why family members start at the bottom, and how empowering non-family managers has kept the company moving forward. The conversation dives into marketing discipline, hedging strategies, and the role diversification plays in managing volatility across grain, feed, flour, and eggs.  John also breaks down the supply chain challenges that hold Canadian agriculture back - rail monopolies, port inefficiencies, and the policy changes that could fix them. It’s a candid look at legacy, leadership, and the mindset required to build a business that lasts beyond a single generation.

Evan and Kristjan welcome Warren Kaeding, third-generation farmer and MLA for Melville-Saltcoats, for a conversation that ties farm life to global trade. Warren shares how his roots in pedigreed seed and recognition through Outstanding Young Farmers shaped his path into politics, and why “engagement, engagement, engagement” is the thread running through both farming and government. The discussion ranges from recent trade missions in Asia to the role of Saskatchewan’s trade offices and STEP in opening doors, building trust, and keeping Canada competitive. Warren explains how volatility today is driven less by supply and demand and more by geopolitics and policy, pushing farms toward longer-term strategies like storage and procurement planning.  From rebuilding producer trust to asking buyers what they really want, the episode highlights why communication and collaboration remain the foundation for agriculture’s future.

This week on The Truth About Ag, we’re tackling the theme “Fear Sells—Who’s Buying?” Evan is joined by Todd Andries, repeat guest Dean Klippenstein, and U.S. farmer Rich Bronec for a wide-ranging roundtable on what’s really happening in agriculture as 2025 winds down. From land transitions and rental opportunities to rising fertilizer costs, shifting rotations, and the reality of cash flow crunches, the group dives into where the opportunities are even in a margin-tight environment. They cover long-term leases, machinery costs, lender expectations, and the growing importance of financial acumen on today’s farms. Whether you’re wrestling with operating loans, debating rent vs. buy decisions, or considering how to build a war chest for the next big expansion, this conversation is packed with practical insight. Tune in for honest talk, a few laughs, and a forward-looking perspective on how producers can find stability and growth in uncertain times.

In this episode, Evan and Kristjan welcome Leta LaRush, Vice President of Business Management for BASF Canada Agricultural Solutions. What follows is a conversation that weaves together agriculture, leadership, innovation, and the realities of life outside of work. Leta explains why it takes as long as twelve years to bring a new agricultural product to market, how regulation and red tape impact innovation, and what Canada needs to do to stay competitive. She talks about the importance of spending time in the combine each year, the debate between brands and generics, and the role trade barriers play in shaping the industry. The conversation also touches on the realities of building a career in agriculture. Leta discusses the choices she has made as a working parent, the value of equal parental leave, and why she has focused on roles that offer opportunities to learn and grow rather than just the ones with the most prestige. She shares the influence of mentors and executive coaches on her career and offers practical advice on leadership, scheduling, and professional development.  

Kristjan and Evan sit down with Jace Young, Founder and CEO of Legacy Farmer, to take a hard look at the financial side of agriculture and why it’s so often misunderstood. They talk about why so few people are giving farmers solid financial advice, and how easy it is to misread just how long the rope is when working with the bank. They share their perspective on a big industry problem: banks chasing new customers while letting existing ones drift without real, up-to-date support. The conversation goes well beyond banking. They get into succession planning, how and when to bring your kids into the profits, teaching respect versus fueling entitlement, and using tools like the equity calculator to put real numbers behind big decisions. From moving conversations off-farm to reshaping roles and building accountability charts, this episode is packed with ideas on how to improve communication, shift mindsets, and keep your business and your family moving in the right direction.

In this episode, Evan sits down with Dallas Simmonds of Raptor Enterprises for his second appearance on the podcast. This time, the conversation goes deeper. Dallas opens up about what it really means to find fulfilment after farming. He reflects on the coaching programs he's taken, the leadership skills he's built, and how his personal definition of success has shifted over time. Together, Evan and Dallas talk about the emotional toll of generational succession, the pressure to conform to old-school work expectations, and why guilt often follows those who step away from the family operation—even if it's for the right reasons. They explore the idea that less can be more, the mindset shift from a tired farmer to an energized leader, and how younger farmers are starting to prioritize their health and longevity. It’s a conversation about accountability - physical, mental, and business - and why doing the inner work matters more than ever in an industry that often hides it.

In this episode of The Truth About Ag, Evan and Kristjan are joined by two key leaders in Canadian agriculture - Justine Hendricks, CEO of FCC, and Darren Baccus, EVP of Agri-Food, Agribusiness Alliances and FCC Capital. The conversation is anchored in one of the most ambitious investment announcements in Canadian ag history: FCC Capital’s $2 billion commitment to accelerate innovation in agriculture and food. It’s about what this funding makes possible and how it’s already being deployed. In just 18 months, the team has already moved nearly $200 million into the sector. They discuss the strategy behind the announcement, how stakeholder voices helped shape the direction, and why it’s so important to bring new types of investors into ag.  The conversation digs into the challenges of educating investors, the work it takes to de-risk innovation, and the unique complexity of building and running a modern farm business. Because while everyone agrees on the need to increase productivity, the root causes holding us back are more layered than they appear. And if we’re going to solve the big problems, we need bold investments, honest conversations and a shared understanding of what’s really at stake.

In this episode, Evan sits down with Kristjan and Jeff to talk about the lead-up to harvest, a time filled with anticipation, preparation, and pressure. They start by comparing planning the night before versus the morning of, and how that small difference can shape the tone of the entire day. The conversation quickly broadens into how harvest has evolved over the last decade, largely due to advances in technology.  They get into how to train effectively, especially when every hour counts. They discuss the importance of knowing whether a breakdown is due to process or people, and how to set your team up for success when the stakes are high. As the season kicks into gear, they reflect on how to balance it all - equipment, timelines, decision-making, and family dynamics.  The discussion also touches on team structure: why having a mix of personalities and skills matters, how divide and conquer plays out on the ground, and how leadership styles need to adapt. They explore what it would look like to have a non-family CEO on a family farm, and why the next generation might be better suited to strategy, while the older generation thrives in execution and operations.

In this episode, Evan sits down with Trent Klarenbach, Special Crops and Grain Marketing Analyst, to dig into one of the most emotionally charged and financially complex topics in agriculture: land.  They unpack a century of Saskatchewan farmland values and debate whether a market correction is overdue. How farmers think, how they’ve evolved, and how the human desire to own land has stayed surprisingly constant, even as economics, policy, and risk have shifted dramatically over the decades. Trent shares insights from his latest blog and video, and they reflect on how land has always felt unaffordable, no matter the era. Evan and Trent talk about how today’s producers are increasingly making land decisions with a business-first mindset, examining fundamentals like rent vs. cost to own, investment return, and the strength of farm balance sheets. But even in this data-driven world, human psychology still plays a starring role. They explore what really motivates people to invest, what keeps farmland values climbing, and how history might offer a few warnings and a few lessons about what’s coming next.  An interesting discussion from two different perspectives. 

Ben Voss has lived many lives in one: engineer, CEO, global ag-tech leader, and farmer. In this episode, he shares how his career has taken him around the world—everything from orange juice farms in Brazil to dairy operations in Europe—only to circle back to his roots in Saskatchewan. Now splitting his time between leading sales at Raven Industries and working on his family farm, Ben brings a rare perspective that blends international ag-tech with day-to-day farm realities. We get into how leadership styles shift between the boardroom and the farm, how equipment decisions reveal more than just financial strategy, and why the used equipment market is telling a new story in agriculture. Ben talks about equipment life cycles, succession plans, and the differences he sees between Canadian and U.S. farms—from buying habits to maintenance approaches.