Between The Rows

The Christmas season is chock-full of traditions, many of which result in a bountiful harvest of memories of family, friends and a sense of community that we carry with us for many years. In this episode of Between the Rows, our hosts from this past year share their Christmas memories such as carolling for neighbours, daydreaming over holiday mail-order catalogues, Santa getting stuck in the furnace, games with food, making ice-cream from scratch on the farm, a year-end doggerel, and more. Hosted by Laura Rance.

Data management on the farm has come a long way since the days of keeping a pen and notebook in the tractor. But are farmers capturing maximum value from the "crop" of data they now harvest every year? In this special sponsored edition of Between the Rows, we discuss how farmers are changing the way they use data and what to look for in a data management packages with Krista Kilback, marketing manager for AgExpert at Farm Credit Canada, and Justin Funk, partner of Real AgriStudies. Hosted by Laura Rance.

Sustainability still reigns in discussions of farming's future, and canola is no exception. Alberta Farmer reporter Alexis Kienlen recaps the Canola Week conferences in Saskatoon, where topics at hand included not only improving the plant and its efficiency in the face of climate change, but also the use of the crop as a feedstock for new reduced-footprint renewable diesel. Also: for all the apparent day-to-day drama in canola futures, they're still entrenched in the $800-$900 per tonne range. Phil Franz-Warkentin of MarketsFarm discusses what's behind the near-term fluctuation and what it'll take to break out of that range one way or the other. Hosted by Dave Bedard.

The variety of plants that grow on pastures are many, so how do cattle choose what to chow down on and what to snub? Laura Rance speaks with author and animal behaviour scientist Fred Provenza about the foraging habits of cattle and why taste is more than just flavour on the tongue; Western Producer reporter Ed White talks with Garry Wasylowski of the Manitoba Association of Watersheds about its ‘boots on the ground’ approach to watershed management, Ananda Fitzsimmons of Régénération Canada about the role that farmers play in preserving rural areas, and one Manitoba producer about how his cattle help support the natural environment. Hosted by Ed White.

Earlier this year, Health Canada revised its rules to allow more genetically edited foods into the market without special safety checks. Now, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency may be on a similar path when it comes to genetically modified seeds. Dr. Cami Ryan with Bayer AG discusses the differing viewpoints between the public and scientific communities when it comes to the safety – and acceptance – of GM foods; plus, Marla Carlson with SaskOrganics shares why organic farmers are concerned that an upcoming decision by the CFIA may not include genetically modified seeds into a mandatory registry. Hosted by Geralyn Wichers.

As the mercury begins to dip and the harvest season draws to a close, icy temperatures, fewer daylight hours and the threat of winter storms pose new safety hazards on the farm. Preparing for the risks common to the season can help to protect your people, your livestock and your equipment. Cultivating Safety Between the Rows is back with timely safety expertise, resources, and solutions to protect your farms greatest asset. As the winter season sets in, Hosts Kristin Hoffman, Consultant with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) and Gord Gilmour, of Glacier FarmMedia talk to the experts for advice on how to minimize risk and avoid accidents. On this episode, managing exposure to the cold, ice and snow on the farm. Fred Young, WSPS Consultant, joins Kristin and Gord to talk winter safety. In the second half of the show, working alone may be an unavoidable part of your farming activities, but recognizing potential hazards, planning ahead and focusing on the work at hand can reduce the risk of injury or death. Nicole Sherman, a consultant with WSPS, highlights some of the dangers and shares guidance on how to stay safe while working alone.

A proposed bill by the Ontario government is poised to open up the province’s Greenbelt, an area established for farmland and environmental protection, to urban development. Peggy Brekveld of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture speaks to what this decision could mean for Ontario farmers, and local food production. Wayne Caldwell with the University of Guelph discusses what Bill 23 means for land use planning and if the strategy can meet the province’s housing needs. Plus, Manitoba Co-operator reporter Geralyn Wichers speaks with Naomi Johnson with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank about what it was like to attend the COP27 climate change conference. Hosted by Kristy Nudds.

Why does Canada seemingly have an uphill battle each year transporting grain? Steve Pratte, senior manager of transportation and biofuel policy with the Canadian Canola Growers Association, talks about the current grain movement situation and what it might take to finally fix Canada's grain transportation problem; plus, Bruce Burnett, director of markets and weather information for Glacier MarketsFarm, reports on the extreme weather that's currently driving grain prices. Hosted by Gord Gilmour.

New food options are increasingly finding their way into grocery stores as companies target your taste buds, plant proteins being one of them. Priera Panescu with the Good Food Institute discusses the growing need for plant-based proteins and the long road to becoming a mainstream food choice for consumers; plus, Daniel Metheringham with McCain Foods, talks about the company’s move toward regenerative agriculture and its upcoming, ‘Innovation Hub,’ slated for Manitoba that will share knowledge of best practices with potato growers to increase sustainability. Hosted by Laura Rance.

What does the most recent interest rate hike from the Bank of Canada mean? Are we getting set for a replay of the 1980s farm debt crisis? What will rising rates mean for the value of farmland? On this episode of Between the Rows, Manitoba Co-operator editor Gord Gilmour speaks with Alfons Weersink with the University of Guelph, J.P. Gervais of Farm Credit Canada, and Chad Lawley with the University of Manitoba about rising interest rates and their impact on agriculture. Hosted by Gord Gilmour.

Jacqueline Keena with EMILI talks about how Innovation Farms is using new agricultural technologies to show their positive impact on productivity and sustainability; the container shipping business continues to struggle in a post-COVID world. Greg Northey with Pulse Canada talks about what’s holding the sector back, particularly for some destinations; at the Brookings Institution this October, Chrystia Freeland, Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister, spoke to the idea of, ‘friend-shoring,’ which would prioritize trade with countries that share Canadian values and shun autocracies. Ed White and Greg Northey discuss what this could mean for Canadian agricultural trade. Hosted by Ed White.

Dr. Kelly Bronson, author and Canada Research Chair in Science and Technology at the University of Ottawa, discusses her book, The Immaculate Conception of Data: Agribusiness, Activists, and Their Shared Politics of the Future, that draws attention to how data collected by your new tractor is being used to further commercialize ag-business, and how activist “hackers” use agricultural data to build open-source platforms with the goal of improving farm practices. Hosted by Geralyn Wichers.

Scientists know that the soils of pastureland and forage crops sequester more carbon than annual crops, but how much more? Angela Bedard-Haughn, from the University of Saskatchewan, is leading a project to estimate the amount of carbon stored in the forage and pasture lands in Saskatchewan. Scientists also know that tree rings can be used to understand what the earth's climate was like, 500 or 1,000 years ago. Geralyn Wichers of the Manitoba Co-operator speaks with David Sauchyn of the University of Regina, to learn more about the science of dendro-climatology. Hosted by Robert Arnason.

With the changing of the season, the to-do list for Canadian farmers is long… but time is short. As the workload increases, cool temperatures and dwindling daylight create a persistent sense of urgency which can potentially lead to injury. Cultivating Safety Between the Rows is back with timely safety expertise, resources, and solutions to protect your farms greatest asset. Hosts Kristin Hoffman, Consultant with Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS) and Gord Gilmour, of Glacier Farm media talk to the experts for advice on how to minimize risk and avoid accidents during fall harvest. On this episode, safe practices for livestock handling. One in five farm injuries in Canada are livestock related, and many are related to cattle.  Sheila James, long time cattle farmer and WSPS Consultant looks at animal behaviours and strategies to prevent injury. In the second half of the show, farming is noisy business but how loud is too loud? There’s more than one reason farmers experience hearing loss. Sara Lovell, WSPS Occupational Hygienist highlights some of the top noise culprits and shares guidance on how to preserve and protect your hearing.

Conservation easements aim to protect native grasslands, but some ranchers are hesitant to sign on the dotted line. Melissa Bezan with Canadian Cattlemen talks with Tom Harrison of the Saskatchewan Stock Growers Foundation who has a less-permanent solution; Canadian Cattlemen editor Lisa Guenther catches up with chuckwagon driver Amber L’Heureux about her 2022 season in the driver’s seat; and, Gary LaPlante a Plains Cree-speaking member of Moosomin First Nation of Treaty 6, and Randy Klassen with the Mennonite Central Committee, discuss ‘Reserve 107,’ a documentary about how a Saskatchewan community came to the realization that the land they live on actually belongs to an Indigenous First Nation. Hosted by Lisa Guenther.

Crop and livestock producers across Atlantic Canada are gauging losses -- and counting blessings -- after Fiona stormed through the region last weekend. Tim Marsh, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture, considers the damages yet to be tallied in some parts of that province, and affected farmers' next steps. Also: youth at Williams Lake First Nation interested in working with livestock get to Learn To Do By Doing, no matter what sort of access they'd otherwise have to the industry. Lisa Guenther talks to Julia Flinton about the B.C. 4-H club's approach to educational opportunities. Hosted by Dave Bedard.

It’s hard to find anything that hasn’t seen its price increase as of late, and the price of farm equipment is no exception. John Schmeiser with the North American Equipment Dealers Association offers some insight into what’s driving rising prices; Bruce Burnett of MarketsFarm takes a look at this year’s harvest progress and which crops on the Prairies are coming off better than others; and, John Greig, Glacier FarmMedia’s regional director for Ontario, shares his experiences from Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show after a two-year pandemic hiatus. Hosted by Gord Gilmour.

A past 4-H winner recounts the time Queen Elizabeth II inspected his champion Hereford steer at the Manitoba Summer Fair in Brandon, Man., in 1970; Manitoba steam-powered threshing enthusiasts share what they enjoy about the ‘huffing and puffing’ of the antique machines that once dominated Canada’s farmland; a Saskatchewan entrepreneur talks about, ‘Prairie Proud,’ his prairie-based clothing brand, and how he kept his business afloat during the pandemic. Hosted by Ed White.

The federal government’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from nitrogen fertilizer is generating heat with farmers and some industry groups. Karen Proud, president and CEO of Fertilizer Canada, says the goal of achieving a 30 per cent reduction may be achievable, but is the government’s timeline realistic and at what cost does it come to farmers? Plus, Mario Tenuta, research chair in 4R nutrient management and professor with the University of Manitoba, discusses fertilizer emission research and finding the balance between implementing 4R practices and crop yields. Hosted by Geralyn Wichers.

Alberta's UCP government is pitching a plan to shift rural law enforcement duties from the RCMP over to a provincial police force, but Western Producer reporter Alex McCuaig says rural councils remain skeptical of the province's claims of cost savings and increased staffing. Also: from where Dalhousie food policy prof Sylvain Charlebois sits, the federal Liberals' plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fertilizer are emblematic of a largely urban electorate throwing its weight around on farm policy. Hosted by Robert Arnason.