The Truth About Ag

Harvest 2026 is finally in the books, and Evan and Kristjan are back together to unpack a season that tested equipment, patience and people. From challenging weather conditions and a drawn-out harvest to the decision to purchase a ninth combine, Kristjan shares what worked, what didn't and what the team learned along the way. They discuss managing staff through a difficult season, improving processes and why investing in infrastructure can be just as important as adding equipment.
As for the financial side of farming, they get into crop insurance, risk management and the importance of making decisions based on the numbers rather than reacting to one difficult season. Evan and Kristjan share their thoughts on how the industry's attitudes toward debt and entrepreneurship influence opportunities for farm businesses.
Looking ahead to 2027, they discuss crop prices, input costs, grain marketing, equipment investments, land values and interest rates. They also consider where some of the greatest financial risks lie for producers and why understanding the business behind the farm matters just as much as growing the crop.

What happens when a farm grows from a family operation into a business employing 10, 20 or 30 people? The equipment, acres, and financial systems may have evolved, but how people are managed doesn’t always keep pace.
After an introduction with Todd Andries, Evan is joined by Lyndsay Seafoot, founder and CEO of Curbridge, to talk about the people side of running a farm business. They discuss compensation for family members, career progression, employee handbooks and contracts, performance conversations, hiring and onboarding, bonus structures, and what farms compete against when trying to attract good people to rural communities.
They also discuss the less tangible side of leadership: the difference between being friendly and being friends with employees, why the first week shapes someone's experience for years, why feedback should come before a problem hits the breaking point, and how good leaders give people room to use their strengths.
Lyndsay also shares her experience as an entrepreneur and why she works with a business coach. Her go-to advice: sometimes you have to slow down to go fast.

After an introduction in which Kristjan and Evan answer questions that have come in from the last few episodes, they are joined by Candace Laing. Candace shares her path from a family farm in southwest Saskatchewan to senior leadership at Nutrien and now CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, including how her agricultural roots have shaped the way she approaches business, policy and leadership.
The conversation explores Canada’s economic future and the role agriculture should play in it. Candace, Kristjan and Evan discuss investment, rural infrastructure, regulation, productivity and why production agriculture can still struggle to find its place in national conversations alongside energy, mining and other major industries. They also explore where collaboration and larger-scale thinking could help agriculture participate in new investment and growth opportunities.
Candace also shares the story behind her book, Girl, You Got This, and why she believes sharing real career experiences can help more women see themselves in leadership. The discussion touches on women in agriculture, succession and the importance of putting the right person in the right role regardless of gender or tradition.

Policy uncertainty has become a constant in agriculture, but the bigger question is what producers should focus on. Evan and Kristjan are joined by Shaun Haney and Tyler McCann for a farm-level look at the forces shaping Canadian agriculture right now, including trade, global markets and the broader policy decisions influencing costs, commodity prices and business risk.
The conversation ultimately comes back to management. In an environment where markets can move quickly, and outside factors are difficult to predict, knowing your numbers, understanding how much risk your business can carry and making decisions with a longer view become increasingly important. The group also challenges some of the prevailing pessimism around Canadian agriculture, looking at the competitive advantages producers have today and how better financial and risk management can help farms respond to uncertainty.

After an introduction in which Evan discusses what he would do to help agriculture in the future, Evan and Kristjan are joined by Andrea Gruza and Mitchell King of Bonnefield Financial for a conversation about farmland, access to capital and the role of private investment in Canadian agriculture.
Andrea and Mitchell explain how Bonnefield works with farmers, including sale-and-leaseback arrangements, land unit exchanges and expansion-related land purchases. They discuss how lease rates are determined, how long-term leases and buyback options can be structured, and what they look for when deciding which farm operators to work with.
The conversation also covers farmland ownership rules, the availability of capital in different provinces, succession and transition situations, and the challenges farms can face when land they currently rent or want to acquire comes up for sale. Evan and Kristjan also share their perspectives on land ownership, rental arrangements, working capital and the importance of understanding the different financing and partnership options available to a farm.