Published by Kristjan Hebert, Evan Shout
A raw, off-the-cuff discussion on the real time issues in agriculture today.
Listen on Apple Podcasts1 hr 12 min
Live from Ag in Motion at the John Deere booth, Kristjan and Evan are joined by Deanna Kovar, President of Deere's Ag and Turf Division. She grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm, started as a summer intern decades ago, and has since worked her way through nearly every corner of the company. It's a chance to talk shop with someone who's both run the numbers on a combine's R&D budget and filled the drill herself. The conversation ends up being less about any single product and more about how Deere thinks. How a company built on iron became just as much a technology company, why that bet on precision ag decades ago still shapes everything they build today, and how they're trying to earn farmers' trust with their data while actually making it useful. Trade policy and tariffs come up; so does the long road from "nobody wanted to touch Operations Centre" to "I can't run my farm without it," and there's real talk about right to repair, retrofitting older equipment, and where the next wave of value on the farm is actually going to come from. It's a wide-ranging, honest conversation from someone who clearly hasn't lost the farm-kid perspective despite the corner office — capped off with a few personal questions that get at how she thinks about leadership, decision-making, and what she'd want for the future of North American agriculture.
1 hr 15 min
Evan and Kristjan sit down with Dick Wittman, farm management consultant, educator, and longtime faculty member of Texas A&M's Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP). The conversation takes a hard look at an uncomfortable trend: using a proficiency checklist tracked over 25+ years, Dick reveals that farm operators, even massive, sophisticated operations doing hundreds of millions in sales, are scoring worse on basic management fundamentals today than they were two decades ago. We talk through why: gaps in agricultural education, a generation that hasn't been tested by a truly bad year, and an industry-wide habit of avoiding the "boardroom conversations" around budgets, job descriptions, and strategic planning until a crisis forces the issue. But this isn't just a story about what's going wrong; it's about the fixes. We cover succession planning as a daily discipline rather than a one-time event, hiring outside your family, the generational shift bringing more non-owner managers into leadership roles, and why building SOPs and a culture people actually want to work for matters more than ever. If you've ever wondered whether your farm would pass its own report card, this episode might change how you grade yourself.
1 hr 36 min
The episode opens with Taylor Phillips setting the table on AI and tools in a practical way: what they are, how they are used, and why the starting point should be the problem you are trying to solve, not the technology itself. That carries into the full conversation with Nick Horob, who joins Evan and Kristjan to discuss farm software, AI, and the difference between building something interesting and building something useful. Farms do not need more disconnected tools. They need better ways to see their numbers, manage information, and make decisions with less friction. The conversation pushes past the broad excitement around AI and gets into where it can actually help. Nick talks about large language models, hallucinations, trusted sources, custom GPTs, and the importance of starting with the outcome before building anything. Whether it is equipment knowledge, grain marketing, SOPs, invoicing, or field-level financial decisions, the value comes from using AI with guardrails and farm-specific context. When the cost of building software keeps falling, the harder skill is knowing what should be built in the first place. For farm leaders already acting as the human router between employees, managers, advisors, accountants, and data systems, AI has potential but only when it is tied to better decisions, clearer workflows, and a farm that is easier to run.
1 hr 13 min
Bryce Eger returns to The Truth About Ag for a wide-ranging conversation on professional capability, leadership, follow-through and why the ag industry needs to get more comfortable being uncomfortable. From basic networking and follow-up to the difference between credentials and real knowledge, Bryce challenges the idea that experience, titles or confidence automatically equal capability. Evan, Kristjan and Bryce talk about what separates valuable advisors, salespeople and industry professionals from those who are simply showing up with a pitch. It comes down to asking better questions, respecting people’s time and teams, solving problems the customer actually believes are problems, and doing what you said you were going to do. The conversation also touches on risk, decision-making, action items, hard conversations and why agriculture cannot afford to keep talking about the same issues without taking steps forward. Bryce also shares the story behind his book, Course Corrections: Building the Pre-Shot, Post-Shot and Recovery Habits of Leadership, and why golf became the lens for exploring leadership, learning and self-awareness.
1 hr 3 min
Kristjan and Evan take a timely look at the decisions, risks, and structural pressure building across Canadian agriculture. They discuss the real-time decisions farmers are facing around seeding, canola acres, crop insurance, market risk, and the cost of pushing through difficult conditions. The episode moves into the larger structural questions facing the industry. Land values, rental rates, equipment, infrastructure, capital access, tax, succession, labour, and management are all part of the conversation as they consider what happens when old assumptions no longer hold. They discuss how land appreciation has covered up losses for some farms, why infrastructure can limit flexibility, and why the next phase of agriculture may require different financing models, different HR systems, and a clearer focus on operating profitability. Kristjan and Evan also talk about the human side of the business, including time, family, health, and the long-standing belief that hours worked are a measure of success.
1 hr 15 min
After catching up on how seeding is going, Kristjan and Evan sit down with Pierre Petelle, President and CEO of CropLife Canada, to talk through crop protection, seed technology, regulation, and how Canada competes for new agricultural tools. Pierre explains CropLife Canada’s role in representing companies involved in crop protection, seed technology, distribution, and other agricultural inputs, while also drawing on his previous experience working with the pesticide regulator. A major focus of the conversation is the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, or PMRA, and why timelines, predictability, and regulatory efficiency matter. Canada represents about 4% of the global pesticide market, so if the process becomes too slow or uncertain, companies may prioritize larger markets like the U.S. or Brazil instead. Kristjan, Evan, and Pierre also talk about activist pressure, access to information requests, European-style agricultural policy, trade concerns, and proposed changes to the Pest Control Products Act. The episode comes back to a larger question for Canadian agriculture: how do we keep the system rigorous without making it so difficult that farmers lose access to the tools, technology, and innovation they need?
1 hr 43 min
After an introduction with Kristjan and Evan discussing the hot topics in ag, they are joined by Gary Mar, President and Ceo of Canada West Foundation. Gary Mar has worked across provincial politics, diplomacy in Washington and Asia, and that varied experience shows up in how he talks about trade and policy. It’s less about theory, more about what actually moves decisions. One point comes up early and keeps resurfacing: agreements don’t carry as much weight as people think. They set structure, but they don’t solve problems on their own. Relationships are what push decisions forward. That same thinking carries into how Canada approaches the U.S. and global trade more broadly. Framing negotiations around “they need what we have” can work against you if it removes leverage before the conversation even starts. At the same time, influence isn’t just federal anymore; governors, state relationships, and long-term positioning matter more than most Canadians assume. Agriculture fits directly into that conversation. Canada has a strong story across food, fertilizer, energy, and critical minerals, but it doesn’t translate into influence on its own, especially when many decision-makers haven’t seen how modern operations actually run. Production alone doesn’t move the needle if infrastructure can’t keep up. Rail, ports, and corridors ultimately decide whether output turns into revenue. The opportunity is there, particularly in Western Canada, but it depends on aligning policy, infrastructure, and market access. And at a basic level, better decisions start with better understanding, something that still doesn’t happen often enough.
1 hr 28 min
After an introduction featuring Ryan Denis from the What the Futures podcast, John Deere’s inaugural CTO, Jahmy Hindman, joins Evan and Kristjan for a conversation. They cut through the noise around AI and ag tech and get into what’s actually changing on the farm. From his roots in Iowa to leading technology at Deere, Jahmy brings a practical lens to how data, machines, and decision-making are starting to come together. A big part of the conversation comes back to the gap between how much data farms have and how little of it turns into something useful. What does “good” actually look like? How should farms compare performance? And where does Deere fit as equipment shifts from standalone machines to systems that have to work together? They also spend time on the tension farms that they are feeling right now. Technology is moving fast, equipment is becoming more complex, and the way it’s paid for is changing. Nothing about that is simple. This episode lays out where things are headed, where they’re not, and what that means for how farms operate going forward.
1 hr 27 min
After an introduction featuring Maverick Ag CTO Taylor Phillips, Devin Lammers joins Evan and Kristjan to talk about where AI in agriculture is actually creating value and where it still falls short. From a bison ranch in South Dakota to MIT, FBN, and now TerraClear, Devin brings both a tech and farm lens to the conversation, grounded in what works in the field. The discussion starts with TerraClear’s work on HGV’s farm, mapping over 60,000 rocks and improving efficiency during one of the least liked jobs on the farm. Beyond rocks, the bigger opportunity: using high-resolution data and AI to understand what’s happening in the field in real time and make better decisions, faster. This episode is really about turning data into action. From clean data and simple systems to ROI and real-world execution, the conversation highlights what needs to happen for agtech to move from ideas to something producers actually use.
1 hr 15 min
Kristjan and Evan are joined by the renowned Arlene Dickinson, who shares how her early experiences with food insecurity shaped her thinking about food, business, and opportunity. From growing up without reliable access to groceries to building one of Canada’s leading marketing firms, her path into agriculture was not linear, but it was intentional. Through her work in venture capital, she began to question why a country with such strong agricultural production was not creating more value from what it grows. That realization led her to invest directly in the agri-food and consumer packaged goods space, where she now has a front row seat to both the opportunities and the gaps in Canada’s system. Arlene challenges the idea that agriculture ends at the commodity level, pointing to the missed opportunity in processing, branding, and commercialization. She speaks to the need for better access to capital, stronger partnerships, and a willingness to think differently about how agricultural products move from field to shelf. At the same time, she highlights the importance of understanding markets, building products people actually want, and recognizing what skills are needed beyond primary production.
1 hr 14 min
This episode of The Truth About Ag has Evan and Kristjan in conversation with Mike Frank, CEO of UPL. What follows is a wide-ranging conversation that starts on a mixed farm near South Saskatchewan and ends in boardrooms and fields across 140 countries. Mike breaks down how the crop protection business has shifted from mostly on-patent products to a world dominated by off-patent actives, and why the next decade of innovation might be less about brand-new molecules and more about formulation, mixtures, and better fit-for-purpose tools. What’s actually happening with biologicals (and the difference between yield promise and real-world ROI), how resistance management is driving adoption in places like Brazil, and why regulatory speed matters when you’re trying to commercialize anything new are all questions they dig into. They connect dots between ag, health, defence, and AI, and why Canada has a real window right now to attract talent, build commercialization capacity, and expand export opportunities.
1 hr 27 min
After catching up with Kristjan and Evan on their recent travels and conversations, Saskatchewan’s Minister of Agriculture, David Marit, joins them on this episode of The Truth About Ag. David reflects on his path from farming near Fife Lake to municipal politics, leadership within the rural municipalities association, and ultimately cabinet. He speaks candidly about mentorship, the importance of surrounding yourself with strong people, and the responsibility that comes with representing agriculture at the federal-provincial table. The conversation quickly shifts to what is pressing on producers right now. Cost of production, return on investment, and the impact of trade disruptions sit at the centre. They discuss value-added processing and why expanding crush and processing capacity inside Saskatchewan changes the math for farmers. The discussion expands into research capacity, infrastructure gaps, and how Canada scales agricultural companies beyond small and mid-sized operations. There is also a clear focus on telling a better story about production practices, emissions performance, and the competitive advantage Western Canada already holds. Bank lending structures, grain storage capacity, business risk programs, crop insurance design, and how large farms fit within existing rules all come under the microscope. David shares his concerns about regulatory bottlenecks at the federal level and their impact on innovation and livestock movement.
1 hr 17 min
Premier Scott Moe joins Evan and Kristjan for a wide-ranging conversation that connects farming roots, political leadership, and Canada’s place in a rapidly shifting global economy. Moe reflects on growing up on a mixed farm in Saskatchewan, what drew him into politics, and why thick skin, long-term thinking, and collaboration matter in public life. He shares how early experiences shaped his belief that provinces, communities, and industries succeed together or not at all. The discussion moves from COP28 to China, unpacking how Saskatchewan approached global trade conversations with a practical, unapologetic focus on food, fuel, and fertilizer. Moe explains why relationships still matter in international trade, how recent efforts helped restore agricultural market access, and why working with federal governments you may not agree with is sometimes essential to getting real outcomes for producers. They dig into the rising cost of production, business risk management, regulatory drag, and the long-term opportunity in value-added agriculture. Moe lays out why exporting ingredients instead of raw commodities is key to stability, how rural and urban Saskatchewan are more connected than people think, and why, despite uncertainty, he remains bullish on agriculture’s future when Canada shows up prepared and in the room.
1 hr 2 min
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.
56 min
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.
1 hr 3 min
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.
1 hr 14 min
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.
1 hr 25 min
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.
1 hr 16 min
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.
1 hr 0 min
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.