The Truth About Ag

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.