The Future Herd

Many independent actors, adapting togetherFood systems are changing faster than most of our institutions can keep up.The Future Herd is a podcast about understanding where our food actually comes from—how it’s grown, governed, financed, regulated, and lived with—and what it will take to adapt together in the decades ahead.Hosted by Jesse Hirsh, the show explores leadership through collaboration across agriculture, policy, technology, labour, and climate. Rather than treating food as a sector to be optimized, The Future Herd treats it as infrastructure: ecological, social, economic, and political.Season One is developed in alignment with the Agri-Food 2050 process, a long-term effort to think beyond short political and market cycles and toward the resilience of Canada’s food system over the next generation. The show’s founding partner is the Agricultural Adaptation Council, whose role is to create space for experimentation, dialogue, and collaboration across parts of the system that rarely speak to each other. Additional partners and perspectives are welcome.This introductory episode sets the foundation for the season by introducing the core idea behind the “future herd”: food systems are made up of many independent actors—farmers, animals, ecosystems, institutions, technologies, and communities—coordinating without central control. Adaptation emerges from interaction, not command.Across Season One, conversations return to a set of recurring themes, including long-term thinking and the meaning of 2050, interacting drivers of change, labour and the future of work, climate resilience, digital infrastructure and AI, public trust and narrative, equity and inclusion, governance as coordination, lived experience from the frontlines, and the persistent gap between vision and action.The Future Herd is for farmers, producers, policymakers, technologists, and anyone who eats—and wants to better understand the system they depend on.

What does it really take to prepare the agri-food sector for the future?In this episode of The Future Herd, Jesse Hirsh is joined by Ruth Knight, director with the Agriculture Adaptation Council and chair of the Agri-Food 2050 committee, for a wide-ranging conversation on foresight, leadership, and cultural transformation in agriculture.Rather than treating the future as something to be predicted or controlled, Ruth argues that future readiness is a mindset—one rooted in curiosity, patience, dialogue, and imagination. Together, they explore why resilience emerges from conversation rather than consensus, how play and experimentation can unlock innovation, and why engaging younger generations is essential to the long-term health of the agri-food system.This episode examines the tension between problem-solving and big-picture thinking, the limits of top-down planning, and the need to shift from systems of control toward systems of emergence. At its core, the conversation asks how leaders can create the conditions for adaptation, learning, and collaboration over the next 25 years.Topics CoveredWhy foresight is a practice, not a predictionCuriosity and patience as leadership strengthsDialogue versus debate in sector-wide planningPlay, imagination, and safe experimentationIntergenerational leadership and youth engagementFrom control to emergence in agri-food systemsBuilding cultural capacity for long-term resilienceGuestRuth KnightDirector, Agriculture Adaptation CouncilChair, Agri-Food 2050 CommitteeIndependent Agronomist and Rural Development ConsultantAbout the PodcastThe Future Herd explores leadership, collaboration, and long-term thinking in agriculture and food systems. Through conversations with sector leaders, policymakers, producers, and innovators, the podcast examines how we adapt together in an era of uncertainty.

In this episode of The Future Herd, Jesse Hirsh speaks with Jennifer Wright of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council about what it will take to prepare Canada’s agri-food workforce for the decades ahead. Their conversation explores why technology alone cannot deliver the future many envision, and how skills, training systems, and collaboration form the real foundation of innovation.They discuss the growing importance of micro-credentials, upskilling and reskilling the existing workforce, and hybrid training models that meet people where they are—from farms to living rooms. The episode also tackles a persistent challenge in future-focused work: how to move from conversation to action, and how short-term deliverables and shared accountability can sustain momentum toward 2030 and 2050.At its core, this is a conversation about people—how we prepare them, how we support them through change, and how collaboration becomes the infrastructure that allows a sector to move forward together.

In this episode of The Future Herd, Jesse Hirsh sits down with Rene Van Acker, President and Vice Chancellor of the University of Guelph, to explore the evolving role of universities in shaping the future of agriculture and food.At a time when climate volatility, technological disruption, and political short-termism are redefining the operating environment for farmers and institutions alike, what responsibilities do academic leaders carry? And how can universities foster the collaboration, interdisciplinary research, and entrepreneurial energy required to build a more resilient food system?Van Acker reflects on the University of Guelph’s agricultural heritage and its culture of practical engagement—where research is designed not just to generate knowledge, but to put that knowledge into action. The conversation explores the importance of extension and public engagement, the power of cross-sector collaboration, and the growing role of students as drivers of innovation.The discussion also confronts climate change directly. While political rhetoric may fluctuate, farmers are experiencing increasing weather volatility firsthand. The challenge for institutions is to embed long-term foresight into planning processes that often default to short-term thinking.This episode is a thoughtful exploration of leadership, institutional responsibility, and generational momentum in the agri-food sector.In this episode, we discuss:Why collaboration is foundational to long-term agricultural resilienceThe evolving role of extension and knowledge mobilizationInterdisciplinary research and entrepreneurialism in agri-foodLeadership as the creation of “open space” for new futuresStudents as engines of innovation and transformationClimate volatility as the defining foresight challengeAbout The Future HerdThe Future Herd is a podcast about collaboration and leadership in a changing food system. Each episode features conversations with leaders, innovators, and thinkers shaping the future of agriculture and food.

If Canada is serious about competing globally in agri-food, commercialization can’t be an afterthought.In this episode of The Future Herd, Jesse Hirsh sits down with Dana McCauley — chef-turned-strategist, former food manufacturing executive, and one of Canada’s most influential food innovation leaders. Dana’s career spans fine dining, food media, corporate leadership, and national ecosystem development. Few people understand as clearly how ideas move from kitchens to factories to global markets.Together, they explore:• Why food innovation is as much about culture as it is about technology • The hard realities of commercialization in Canada • What scaling a food business really demands • Why mentorship and knowledge-sharing are critical infrastructure • How Canada can build a more coordinated, competitive agri-food sectorThis is a conversation about systems — and the people who quietly build them.If you work in food, agriculture, manufacturing, research, or policy, this episode offers a grounded look at what it actually takes to turn ambition into durable industry.About The Future Herd: The Future Herd explores leadership, coordination, and foresight in Canadian agri-food. We speak with the builders shaping the next generation of food and farming.Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of innovation, agriculture, and authority.

Guest: Tyler McCann, Managing Director, Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI)Global trade is shifting. Geopolitics is intruding into supply chains. Food is no longer just food — it is leverage, resilience, and power.In this episode of Future Herd, Jesse Hirsh sits down with Tyler McCann, Managing Director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), to explore what leadership looks like in a world where stability can no longer be assumed.Together they examine:Why the global context for Canadian agriculture has fundamentally changedThe discipline of focus in a sector overwhelmed by issuesHow policy actually moves — and why convening mattersThe cultural tendency toward incrementalism in Canadian agri-food governanceWhy diversity of participation strengthens policy outcomesThe difference between a commodity sector and a strategic oneThe urgent need to build domestic value-added capacityTyler draws on his experience inside federal government and now at CAPI to explain how coalitions form, how priorities get chosen, and where the real leverage points exist in shaping Canada’s agri-food future.At the heart of the conversation is a simple but consequential question:Does Canada treat agri-food as a strategic sector — or as a commodity engine navigating price cycles?In an era of geopolitical volatility, that distinction matters.About the GuestTyler McCann is the Managing Director of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), an independent, non-partisan organization dedicated to advancing policy solutions for Canada’s agri-food system. He previously served in senior advisory roles within the federal government and operates a farm in western Quebec.About Future HerdFuture Herd is a podcast exploring leadership, strategy, and structural change across Canada’s agri-food sector. We focus on systems, policy, innovation, and the people shaping the future of food.If this conversation resonates, share it within your network and continue the discussion inside your organization. The future of Canadian agri-food will not arrive on its own — it will be organized.

Agriculture is navigating a period of rapid change. Markets shift quickly, public conversations about food are shaped by social media, and the next generation of farm leaders is stepping into roles that previous generations never had to imagine.In this episode of Future Herd, Jesse Hirsh sits down with farm leader Steph Towers for a conversation about what leadership looks like in a sector facing uncertainty and transformation.Steph reflects on how many agricultural leaders arrive in their roles not through deliberate ambition, but because someone needs to step up and do the work. From there, the discussion explores how curiosity, transparency, and emotional intelligence are becoming essential leadership skills in modern agriculture.They discuss how farmers communicate with the public in the age of TikTok and Instagram, why lifelong learning is becoming a core leadership competency, and how stronger relationships — both within the sector and with the public — may be the most important foundation for agriculture’s future.The conversation also touches on mental health in farming, the importance of collaboration across the sector, and why technology will never replace the human relationships that hold agricultural communities together.If the future of agriculture depends on the quality of its leadership, this conversation offers an important glimpse into what that leadership might look like.Key ThemesHow farm leaders often emerge through necessity rather than ambitionWhy curiosity can be more powerful than defensiveness in public conversations about agricultureThe role of emotional intelligence in modern agricultural leadershipHow social media is reshaping trust between farmers and the publicWhy relationships remain the foundation of agriculture’s futureAbout the GuestSteph Towers is a farm leader and advocate who has taken on numerous leadership roles across agriculture, helping connect producers, organizations, and communities. Her work emphasizes collaboration, lifelong learning, and strengthening the relationships that underpin the agri-food sector.

Indigenous agriculture in Canada is often discussed through the lens of food security and community food systems. But what happens when the conversation shifts toward scale, capital, and commercial participation in the broader agri-food economy?In this episode of Future Herd, Jesse Hirsh speaks with Camden Lawrence of First Nations Agriculture & Finance Ontario. Camden works at the intersection of agricultural development, financing, and community capacity building, helping First Nations producers and communities explore agriculture not only as a pathway to food sovereignty, but also as a vehicle for economic growth and long-term prosperity.Their conversation explores the structural realities of modern agriculture: the capital required to enter the sector, the importance of scale in supplying large buyers, and the institutional supports needed for communities to build viable agricultural enterprises. Camden also reflects on the momentum emerging across First Nations communities, where interest in agriculture is growing alongside efforts to develop the financing tools, partnerships, and leadership needed to support it.This episode offers a thoughtful look at Indigenous agriculture as an evolving part of Canada’s agri-food landscape — and raises important questions about how the sector might grow in the years ahead.Topics DiscussedThe role of First Nations Agriculture & Finance OntarioIndigenous agriculture and economic developmentFinancing challenges in agricultureThe economics of scale in modern food productionCommunity capacity and agricultural leadershipFood sovereignty and commercial agricultureOpportunities for Indigenous participation in the broader agri-food sectorAbout the GuestCamden Lawrence works with First Nations Agriculture & Finance Ontario, an Indigenous-led organization supporting agricultural and agribusiness development across First Nations communities in Ontario. The organization provides financing support, advisory services, and programs aimed at helping Indigenous producers and communities develop sustainable agricultural enterprises.About Future HerdFuture Herd is a podcast exploring leadership across Canada’s agri-food sector as we think toward 2050. Through conversations with farmers, policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders, the show examines the ideas, institutions, and innovations shaping the future of food and agriculture.LinksFirst Nations Agriculture & Finance Ontario https://www.firstnationsag.caFuture Herd https://thefutureherd.ca

Across Canada’s agri-food sector, leadership often happens inside institutions — boards, associations, policy tables. But some of the most important voices are the ones willing to challenge those institutions and ask harder questions about the future.Jamie Reaume has spent nearly three decades inside the conversations that shape Canadian agriculture. In this episode of Future Herd, he reflects on what that vantage point has taught him: why certain debates in the sector never seem to move forward, how institutional culture shapes decision-making, and why independent thinking remains essential if agriculture is going to navigate the decades ahead.Early in the conversation Jamie describes himself plainly: a rebel, a radical, and a free thinker. That perspective drives a wide-ranging discussion about leadership, honesty inside the sector, and the tension between supporting agriculture and challenging the assumptions that hold it back.This episode explores:• Why dissent matters inside the agri-food sector• The institutional habits that slow change in agriculture• Leadership, independence, and the future of sector dialogue• What it means to fight for a food system that is fair and resilientIf the Future Herd is about imagining leadership toward 2050, then voices like Jamie’s are essential — people willing to speak plainly about the path ahead.

Innovation in agriculture isn’t the problem—implementation is.In this episode of The Future Herd, Jesse Hirsh sits down with Todd Ormann of Olds College to explore why so many promising technologies struggle to reach the farm, and what it actually takes to close that gap.From the role of applied research and Smart Farms to the fragmentation of Canada’s innovation system, this conversation unpacks the infrastructure behind real progress. Todd offers a grounded perspective on validation, trust, workforce development, and the institutions needed to translate ideas into practice.This is a conversation about the work that happens after the breakthrough—and why it matters more than ever.Key ThemesThe gap between innovation and adoption in agricultureThe role of applied research institutions like Olds CollegeSmart Farms, data, and real-world validationWorkforce development and the future of agricultural skillsRethinking Canada’s agri-food innovation systemGuest Todd Ormann Vice-President, External Relations & Research Olds College of Agriculture & TechnologyHost Jesse Hirsh The Future HerdLinksOlds College of Agriculture & Technology: https://www.oldscollege.ca/Learn more about The Future Herd: https://thefutureherd.ca/

Raj Thandhi brings the conversation back to something the agri-food sector often treats as secondary, but that quietly determines everything: culture.This episode explores the space between what is grown and what is actually lived. Not in abstract terms, but in the practical realities of kitchens, habits, and identity. Raj makes a clear point—food doesn’t move because it exists. It moves when it belongs. When people recognize it, understand it, and know how to work with it in their own lives.Her work sits inside that process. Through recipes, storytelling, and education, she translates between cultures and contexts—connecting Punjabi traditions with local ingredients and contemporary Canadian realities. In doing so, she’s not just sharing food. She’s shaping how culture adapts, and how agriculture finds relevance within it.What emerges is a shift in how we think about the system itself. Culture is not downstream from agriculture. It is one of the primary forces that determines whether agriculture succeeds, scales, or stagnates.This episode reframes food literacy as cultural participation, and leadership as the ability to shape meaning, not just output.Key themesCulture as a driver of demand and adoptionWhy food has to “belong” to moveDiaspora cuisine as a bridge between local and globalCooking as a form of cultural infrastructureRethinking leadership through culture, not just productionAbout the guestRaj Thandhi is a chef, recipe developer, and food educator behind Pink Chai Living. Her work focuses on making Punjabi cooking accessible while integrating local ingredients and contemporary contexts. Through her recipes, writing, and digital platforms, she explores how food, culture, and place shape one another in everyday life.https://pinkchailiving.com/https://www.instagram.com/pinkchai/

Canada feeds the world—so why are thousands of people in our own communities facing food insecurity every day?In this episode of The Future Herd, I sit down with Treska Watson, who leads food security initiatives at The Mustard Seed Street Church in Victoria, BC. Treska operates on the front lines of a broken system, managing a food rescue programme that diverted 3.1 million pounds of food last year alone. But this isn't just a story about logistics—it's about dignity, collaboration, and reimagining what a food system rooted in hope could look like.We unpack the paradox of abundance and hunger, explore why "best-before" dates are more suggestion than law (yes, that yogurt is probably fine), and dive into the innovative "Viewfield" food hub model where multiple organizations co-locate to share resources and ideas. Treska shares why she believes humans are "pack animals" who need each other, and why a choice-based food bank model changes everything for the communities they serve.In this conversation, we cover:The Hope vs. Fear Framework: How to lead with hope even when the data is daunting.Food Rescue at Scale: The logistics of moving 3.1 million pounds of food to 65+ agencies.Dignity Over Charity: Why the "choice model" matters more than pre-packed hampers.Food Literacy: The truth about expiration dates, packaging waste, and consumer education.Collaboration as Leadership: How the Viewfield warehouse became a collision point for innovation.Resources & Links:The Mustard Seed Street Church: mustardseed.caThe Future Herd: thefutureherd.caFlourish School Food Society (mentioned in episode)South Island Farm Hub (mentioned in episode)A Note on Sharing: If this conversation sparked something, don't keep it to yourself. Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You don't have to rescue 3.1 million pounds to make a difference—you just have to stay curious and pass it on.

This conversation with Barb Scott-Cole explores something easy to overlook and difficult to rebuild: the social systems that make agriculture possible.Before innovation strategies, before policy frameworks, before the language of productivity and efficiency, there were communities that taught themselves. Learning was embedded in participation. People developed skills, judgment, and leadership by being part of something—by showing up, contributing, and gradually taking on more responsibility. It wasn’t formalized, and it didn’t need to be. It worked because it was shared.Barb reflects on that world with clarity and precision, not as nostalgia, but as a way of understanding what has changed. Institutions once played a close, grounded role in translating knowledge into practice, helping people adapt to new tools, new techniques, and new realities. Today, those same processes feel more fragmented. Knowledge exists, but it doesn’t always travel. Innovation happens, but it doesn’t always land.At the heart of this episode is a deeper question: how does a system reproduce itself? Not just economically, but socially—how it passes on knowledge, builds capacity, and creates the conditions for people to lead.This is a conversation about culture as infrastructure. About informal learning as a form of coordination. About trust as something built over time, through proximity and shared experience.And it’s about what happens when those systems thin out.Because the future of agriculture will depend on more than technology or policy. It will depend on whether we can rebuild the environments where people learn together, take responsibility, and carry knowledge forward across generations.In this episode:How informal learning shaped agricultural knowledge and leadershipThe role of community-based institutions in translating change into practiceWhy innovation often fails to land without shared context and trustLeadership as something grown through participation, not assignedWhat it means to rebuild the “hidden infrastructure” of farming todayIf this episode resonates, share it with someone who is thinking about the future of agriculture—not just what we produce, but how we learn, adapt, and lead together.