Episodes
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What if you could turn every stressful conflict into a moment of growth instead of dread?
In this Season 2 finale of The Extensionists, we sit down with Rachelle Brockman, principal of Eureka Experience, to explore how to master conflict as a learnable skill. Rachelle dives into how understanding different personality types—including Myers-Briggs communication styles—can fundamentally change how you handle a challenging situation.
Whether you are managing complex business operations or family dynamics, Rachelle shares practical advice on how to stay assertive, clear, and empathetic when the pressure is on.
From the power of the "30-second conversation" to her philosophy on being a "practitioner" of leadership communication, this episode is a masterclass in effective interaction.
Join hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck as they wrap up another year of exploring how knowledge moves from research to real-world impact.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, researched by Ashley Robinson, and marketed by Michelle McMullen.
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We know the science, but how do we make it resonate?
Let's rethink the 'expert-led' model and explore how to build more impactful, collaborative sessions for our farming communities.
In this episode of The Extensionists, hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck are joined by Jane Mangold, a professor and extension specialist at Montana State University, and Nicole Fleming, director of the TBR Community, to discuss "Training from the Back of the Room" (TBR). This learner-centred methodology flips the traditional classroom, turning passive listening into active, experience-based engagement.
For extensionists, it's about sharing knowledge in a way that’s not only more effective but also more interactive, fun and rewarding for both the presenter and the audience.
Tune in to discover how to move beyond the expert-led model to foster deeper connections, tap into audience expertise, and design sessions that attendees can put into action immediately.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, researched by Ashley Robinson, and marketed by Michelle McMullen.
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Missing episodes?
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What can agricultural extension professionals learn from stand-up comedians?
In this episode of The Extensionists, hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck welcome Dean Jenkinson, comedian and artistic director of the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, to explore the communication skills and habits used by those who make us laugh. They examine how extensionists can use these techniques to help build meaningful connections with farmers.
Drawing on his experience writing over 75 jokes a week during his 15 seasons with This Hour has 22 Minutes, Dean emphasizes the importance of consistently getting ideas down and not waiting for inspiration. He also shares the valuable lesson of not taking rejection personally, noting that unselected ideas are simply opportunities for more practice.
Tune in for insights on how the approaches comedians use to hone their craft can successfully crossover to the world of agricultural extension.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, researched by Ashley Robinson, and marketed by Michelle McMullen.
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How do you navigate the unspoken expectations, deep-seated fears, and intergenerational tensions that make farm succession planning so difficult?
In this episode of The Extensionists, Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck are joined by Patti Durand, author and facilitator with Brightrack Consulting, to explore the challenges and opportunities in family farm transition. Drawing on her experiences with over 400 families, Patti explains why "intention is not a plan" and how the paralysis of inaction can impact multi-million dollar operations.
She shares actionable communication tools—like embracing "the pause" and pre-scripting tough talks—to help families move away from a narrative of fear and toward an empowering process of finding growth and vision for the future.
Tune into the full conversation for insights on how families can build a clear path forward for their family farm transition.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, researched by Ashley Robinson, and marketed by Michelle McMullen.
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What do 33 years in agricultural communications, a role as senior communications advisor for Grain Farmers of Ontario, and a 26-year run as the lead guitarist for the country rock band "The GMOs" all have in common?
In this episode of The Extensionists, we sit down with Owen Roberts, senior advisor of strategic communications for Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) and former International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) president, to discuss his diverse career and the vital lessons he's learned about connecting research to the public.
We explore the critical need for simplicity and transparency when communicating agricultural research to all audiences—from farmers to urban consumers—and how to clearly explain the connection between ag research and what ends up on our dinner plates. Owen shares his unique perspective on why Canada is lacking in formal ag extension programs compared to the U.S., and the opportunity we have to mentor the next generation of ag journalists.
Owen believes there’s an opportunity for Canada to rethink how it does extension. “I do think there’s an opportunity. One of those opportunities that I found, when I worked at the University of Guelph for 33 years, was to look outside traditional ways of doing things, but maybe not radically different. One of the things we did was involve students in extension.”
Plus, hear about Owen’s long-running side gig as the lead guitarist for the country rock band, "The GMOs," which is celebrating its 26th anniversary this year!
Tune into the full conversation for more great insights on agricultural communications and innovation.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, researched by Ashley Robinson, and marketed by Michelle McMullen.
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How do we get extension right by bridging the gap between researchers and farmers? In Episode 35 of The Extensionists, hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck welcome Lauren Benoit, a 2024 Nuffield Scholar and PhD student at the University of Saskatchewan, for a discussion focused on strengthening public-private partnerships for the benefit of the entire agricultural value chain.
Lauren shares key findings from her Nuffield research on agricultural systems, drawing on lessons from the Netherlands and Australia regarding public and private collaboration on research and extension. She highlights the challenge of maintaining two-way feedback when extension is privatized and stresses the opportunity for collaboration between researchers, growers, and the value chain to ensure research is reliable and applicable to farm needs.
Lauren emphasizes, effective engagement is crucial: “If you are showing up to an agronomy day, the whole experience for everyone is going to be better if you ask questions and if you actually engage with the presentation,” she says. “But, just having growers understand that their input and feedback helps make the system better, too.”
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, researched by Ashley Robinson, marketed by Michelle McMullen, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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Do traditional extension methods still work? On Episode 34 of The Extensionists, hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck meet with Cees Leeuwis, professor of collaborative research, communication and change at the Knowledge Technology and Innovation Group at Wageningen University, to examine traditional extension models and opportunities for system changes.
They discuss the transition from traditional, one-way "knowledge transfer" to a collaborative "two-way street" approach. Cees explores the evolution of the Dutch term for extension, voorlichting, which literally means "holding a light in front of someone". He argues this paternalistic model—where scientists are in the light and farmers are in the dark—is outdated and often fails to produce relevant results.
The discussion also dives into the current agricultural landscape in the Netherlands, specifically the impact of strict nitrogen regulations and the shift toward privatized extension services. Cees highlights the urgent need for "process facilitators" to repair damaged relationships between the government and producers.
Thank you to our episode sponsor, Manitoba Pulse & Soybean Growers.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, researched by Ashley Robinson, marketed by Michelle McMullen, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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In the 33rd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck chat with Steve Larocque, the owner and president of Beyond Agronomy, to discuss controlled traffic farming and Nuffield Canada.
Steve shares how he grew up in the Ottawa Valley in farm country. After school, he moved out to Alberta thinking he would work on the oilfield, but instead found himself entering the ag world through a job at the Alberta Wheat Pool. He later founded his own agronomy company Beyond Agronomy to fulfill a need he saw.
His ag journey later led him to apply to be a Nuffield Scholar in 2008. Steve learned about the scholarship after reading a book that inspired him to apply. His study topic was on precision ag leading him to discover and focus on controlled traffic farming. He later became an advocate for it. Toban questions if he should do it on his own farm.
The three talk about what Nuffield Canada is and the impact it has had on Canadian agriculture. Steve shares what we can learn about ag extension from it and the opportunities for Canadian farmers with it. The three also discuss peer to peer learning and why it’s an important extension tool.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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In the 32nd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck talk with Mohamad Yaghi, Farm Credit Canada’s vice president of the Innovation Hub and Ag Expert, about technology and farming remotely.
Mohamad shares how he operates his family’s Lebanon-based olive and grape farm from Canada. He discusses how technology is making it easier to do so and what farmers in North America can learn from this.
The three talk about the struggles with tech adoption on farms and how we can make that process easier for farmers. Mohamad shares the importance of data and how that is the basis of AI, especially when it comes to farmers wanting to use artificial intelligence systems on their farms.
Thank you to our episode sponsor SaskOilseeds.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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In the 31st episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with David Lazarenko, partner and executive vice president at ThinkShift, to talk about the world of advertising and what those in agriculture extension can learn from it.
The three talk about notable ads – which ones are good and which ones don’t resonate. They discuss how people aren’t remembering ads as much anymore, and why experience is more important now.
The three also talk about David’s love of comic books, the intricacy of storytelling, and how these relate to advertising and extension. They discuss AI and the impact it is and will have on the world of advertising, and finally they debate the role agencies will play in the future in advertising and why strategy is important.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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In the 30th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Franck Carisey, the owner of Uluwehi Coffee Farm in Hawaii, to learn about coffee farming and how important extension is to running his operation.
Franck talks about growing up in France, moving to the United States, and how he ended up - rather recently - becoming a coffee farmer in the Kona region on the Big Island of Hawaii. He shares the story of how he started his farm from scratch, from a book.
Franck talks about how he works with extension services through the United States Department of Agriculture and University of Hawaii. And even though Franck only started his farm within the last five years, he’s started to have other producers reach out for help with their operations.
The three also discuss what life is like living in Hawaii, and if running a coffee farm is really a retirement job.
Thank you to our episode sponsor SaskOilseeds.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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In the 29th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck are at Ag Days for our first ever live recording with media personality Dez Daniels. They talk with Dez about her childhood growing up on a farm in Ituna, Sask. At the time she wasn’t a big fan of farm life and wanted to get away, but now, looking back, she appreciates it.
She also discusses her time as host of the popular show Great Tastes of Manitoba. Dez talks about the magic of tv and shares tips for how to do interviews and tell stories visually. Toban and Dez discuss the hour of writing they do a day and how this could be used for board meetings.
The three also talk about connecting through empathy and holding space. They discuss why this is important for extension and making hard decisions on the farm.
To be noted, the audio quality has an echo at the start of the episode but is clearer after the first 10 minutes.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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Does the message actually matter if the messenger misses the mark?
In the 28th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Tongzhe Li, a professor and Arrell Family Chair in Behavioural and Experimental Economics at the University of Guelph. Her research on farmer behavior proves a vital point: it’s not just what you say to a farmer, but how you say it that truly shifts their decision-making.
To bridge the gap between theory and reality, Tongzhe became a farmer. By purchasing a farm in southern Ontario, she moved beyond research data to gain a raw, firsthand perspective on the grueling nature of the industry. This "boots-on-the-ground" immersion transformed her understanding of farmer behaviour.
Tongzhe’s perspective is shaped by her journeys through Oxford, Barcelona, and Taiwan. To her, travel is an exploration of context. She believes that the value of any journey is defined by the people you encounter and the purpose behind the trip, reinforcing her core philosophy that in both communication and exploration, the "who" and the "how" are just as vital as the "where."
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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In the 27th episode of The Extensionists, we take a look back at the year that was. Co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck share what they learned from the guests they chatted with in 2025.
We then welcome our behind-the-scenes team, producer and editor Abby Wall and coordinator Ashley Robinson, to discuss highlights, what it takes to put The Extensionists together, and what everyone is looking forward to in 2026.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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Is soil health really Senator Robert Black’s passion? And why does it take so long to get a Bill passed with the government?
In the 26th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with the Honourable Robert Black, Senator for Ontario and Chair of the Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry. Senator Black shares how he became a soil health champion and pushed for the new Senate report on soil health.
Senator Black takes the time to explain how the parliamentary process works, using his soil- related Bill as a case study. He also shares tips on how to have the most impact when meeting with politicians. He’s a fan of leave-behinds, his of which are infographics.
Senator Black tells the story of how he became a Senator through “raising his hand.” The three also talk about the importance of Senator Black’s 4-H background in his Senate work.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and
designed by Michelle Houlden.
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Why are we so skeptical when it comes to soil health policy? Sabrina Perić, associate professor of anthropology at the University of Calgary, took a deep dive into what Canadian farmers are really thinking and feeling when it comes to soil health and other policy decisions.
In the 25th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Sabrina, who didn’t actually set out to work in agriculture but found herself drawn into it. The energy researcher grew up in Yugoslavia in a port city, which fueled her later interest in energy.
Sabrina’s interest in people ultimately led to a crossover into the world of agriculture. Her latest research into soil health skepticism in Canada revealed a national disconnect. The three also discuss the idea of a national soil strategy and how buy-in may happen if policymakers are willing to do boots-on-the-ground work with farmers.
They talk about Sabrina’s childhood growing up in modern day Croatia, Italy, and Slovenia (Yugoslavia) and summers spent on her grandmother’s farm eating as many cherries as possible.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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Being a farmer can easily become your identity, but what happens when that identity is threatened? For “The Recovering Farmer” Gerry Friesen, he found himself facing that very issue nearly two decades ago.
In the 24th episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Gerry. The three dig deep into the mental health struggles farmers face and what you can do to support yourself and those around you. It really can be just as easy as listening when a friend decides they’re ready to talk.
They discuss how mental illness isn’t something that just happens one day. It’s something that builds over years. Gerry shares his own experience with being diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and the work he has done to help others in the agriculture industry who have faced similar challenges.
Gerry also shares his favourite Mennonite foods, which Toban enjoys himself, and the three discuss how hard it is to shed that Mennonite guilt.
Thank you to our episode sponsor Alberta Canola.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
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The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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Meaghan Seagrave has very unique insights into the opportunities for Canadian agriculture.
In the 23rd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Meaghan, executive director for Bioindustrial Innovation Canada. This organization is developing programming and early-stage investments in bio-based technologies that fit along a green-based value chain.
These bio-based inputs come from agricultural and forest sources, and are used to create products that will allow for decarbonization. That is, they are meant to replace the fossil-based items we currently use. They’re a group of chemists and engineers that provide resources, including embedding Bioindustrial Innovation Canada staff into companies to bring products to commercialization.
Meaghan shares what she sees as opportunities for Canadian agriculture. According to her, in Canada, we’re holding back. There isn’t the support for commercialization of products. We need funding and national support to get this stuff done, Meaghan says during the episode.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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Why doesn’t the agriculture industry work together on research? Rupp Carriveau found himself asking this as he began working with the greenhouse industry in southern Ontario.
In the 22nd episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Rupp, a professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Windsor and co-director of Agriculture UWindsor Centre of Excellence (AGUWin). Rupp shares how he became involved in the greenhouse industry through his natural curiosity and wanting to improve the sector.
Rupp was instrumental in developing AGUWin, a unique program bringing researchers at the University of Windsor - who are working on anything involving agriculture, from law to science to engineering - together to work directly with growers to improve the greenhouse industry in the region. It connects the university to growers and their immediate needs/challenges. Rupp didn’t stop there though, he also helped found the Canadian Greenhouse Excellence Network, which works to educate Canada’s greenhouse industry. In this episode, Rupp shares the stories of these two initiatives.
Rupp also talks about a death-defying hike he took in the Grand Canyon and how the F1 movie turned him off of the sport. He discusses his love of football and how he has been sharing it with his daughters.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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What is the best way to get information to farmers? According to Jolanda Jansen, you should leave out the facts and you shouldn’t tell them what to do. Instead, ask questions.
In the 21st episode, and season 2 premier of The Extensionists, co-hosts Jay Whetter and Toban Dyck sit down with Jolanda, a communications consultant and co-owner of St Anna Advies, to talk about her work. She delves into why you should start by asking a question and how you can take your conversations from an eight to a nine.
Jolanda shares what she has learned about communications from her days as a ski instructor in Switzerland and why there are deeper emotions tied to the choices we make.
Website: https://theextensionists.com
X: https://x.com/thextensionists
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104093329/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61563563092114
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theextensionists/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheExtensionists
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theextensionists
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theextensionists.bsky.social
The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.
The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and designed by Michelle Houlden.
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