The First Sixteen

Mar 13 2024 29
The First Sixteen Podcast artwork

Welcome to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s podcast series that explores the freshest ideas in agriculture and food. Each episode explores a single topic in depth—digging deep into new practices, innovative ideas, and their impacts on the industry. Learn about Canada’s agricultural sector from the people making the breakthroughs and knocking down the barriers! Farmers and foodies, scientists and leaders, and anyone with an eye on the future of the sector—this podcast is for you!

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Is that a robot in your field?

Mar 13 2024 32 mins  
Ag-robotics specialists Chuck Baresich believes you’ll have a robot in your field sooner than you think. What will they do? How will they add value to your farm? Chuck paints a picture of that future. And what is the government doing to help the agricultural sector be ready for those robots? Marco Valicenti, Director General of Innovation Programs Directorate and Brett Maxwell, D

Hiring smart

Feb 14 2024 28 mins  
Hear from two innovators who are successfully tackling labor shortages in our sector: one at the national level with an all-encompassing, all-stakeholders-engaged strategy; and the other on a regional level with a smart program for hiring and settling new immigrants into a rural community.

Straight talk about pesticides

Jan 17 2024 37 mins  
How is pesticide use evolving on farms? What are maximum residue limits? How does the government determine what is safe? Brian Rideout, a fruit and vegetable grower from Ontario, explains how pesticide use has changed on his farm in the last 20 years. And Fred Bissonnette, Executive Director of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, explains the regulations behind pesticide use in

Turning manure into gold

Dec 15 2022 27 mins  
“Waste is not waste. It’s just misplaced resources”. That is according to Rajinikanth Rajagopal and the team of researchers at the Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre as they work to adapt anaerobic bio digestion to a Canadian climate and livestock sector. We also speak to Mauricio Alanís, Director of Sustainability Strategy and Partnerships at Maple Leaf Foods. His c

Modelling the future of water

Nov 23 2022 22 mins  
To predict the future of water, we have to understand the present. That's exactly what AAFC's Dr. David Lapen and Dr. Steven Frey from Aquanty Inc., are endeavoring to do. Listen in as they discuss their work on a complex, country-wide hydrological modelling tool. It is designed to help researchers, producers and decision makers anticipate water resources of tomorrow and make bette

Saving our organic soils

Aug 24 2022 22 mins  
40% of Quebec’s fruits and vegetables are grown in the Montérégie region due to its abundantly fertile organic soils. But these soils are under threat. We speak to Jacynthe Masse, an agroecology researcher, and Denys Van Winden, a vegetable producer from Sherrington, to learn about the challenges they’re facing and the experiments they’re running to save these soils.

Agroforestry: The new-old science

Jul 11 2022 24 mins  
When agriculture meets forestry, the result can have a surprising impact on the environment, wildlife habitats, crop production, and beyond. AAFC research scientist Dr. Raju Soolanayakanahally and Kevin Boon, General Manager of the BC Cattlemen’s Association, explore the roots of the long-standing practice of agroforestry, and the benefits it brings to the future of agriculture a

Shedding light on food fraud

Jun 22 2022 16 mins  
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency come together in this special two-part episode on honey fraud in Canada. Hear a scientist from each organization discuss how they identify fraudulent products – and check out the CFIA’s Inspect and Protect podcast for the perspective of a policy leader and a beekeeper!

Putting a rope around antimicrobial resistance in cattle

May 25 2022 21 mins  
When veterinarian Dr. Greg Dimmers noticed an alarming pattern of infection in beef cattle, he contacted microbiologist Dr. Tim McAllister to get some answers. Hear the two speak about their respective paths in the study of antimicrobial resistance.

The Cutting Edge

Apr 27 2022 18 mins  
Have you ever wondered where companies go to develop their secret recipes and test new food processing technologies? Canadian innovators go to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s research centre in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec to develop and test new products. Listen to Sabine Ribéreau, the pilot plant manager, and Deena Alari, the research and development manager from Smuckers, as th