Mary-Jane leads a dedicated team at MBFI to advance Manitoba’s beef & forage industry through engaging stakeholders, evaluating on-farm innovation, and extension for sustainability of farmers, the public, and the environment. She deeply values the opportunity to collaborate with producers, researchers, education providers, extension specialists, conservation groups, and all stakeholders in field-testing management practices and growing understanding of improved production in Manitoba. Mary-Jane holds a PhD from Purdue University in soil microbial ecology in agricultural systems, is a Professional Agrologist, and Certified Crop Advisor. Her experience in ecology and field agronomy gives her a unique perspective on the challenges facing agriculture today. 

To kick off this episode, we discuss what a livestock focused smart farm is and what kinds of technologies are used in MBFI’s operations. One of these technologies, the focus of today’s episode, is a product called the Optiweigh System, which is one option available to use to weigh cattle on pasture.

The Optiweigh System, is the brainchild of Bill and Jacqui Mitchell.  From the website (link below), “The Optiweigh System is farmer developed technology that is making precision livestock management a reality.” The system was developed and is made in Australia.

Mary-Jane shares her experience using the Optiweigh system, including what it looks like, what set up entails, how it works and what data can be collected using this technology.  We also chat about using an “attractant” to encourage cattle to step onto the platform, allowing their front end weight to be taken.  From this front end weight, a proven formula is used to calculate the full body weight of the animal.  This information is sent to the Optiweight system, with the reading of their RDIF tag, allowing producers or researchers to gain valuable information about the weight of specific animals, daily gain or average weight of the group.  This information can then be used in decision making.

As usual, we chat about how this technology might benefit producers to be more sustainable and profitable, as well as environmental benefits this technology can offer.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Optiweigh Website: https://www.optiweigh.com.au/

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Since the year 2000 Carl Dahlen has been intimately involved in research efforts with a focus on reproduction, nutrition, and management of cattle.  The emphasis of his current research program is to improve fertility in livestock species and to evaluate implications of nutrition and management strategies on reproductive and offspring outcomes.  

Dahlen joined the North Dakota State University faculty in 2010 as a Beef Cattle Extension Specialist where he engaged in integrated Extension and research efforts taking place on over 350 commercial beef operations. The unique mix of his research background and practical experience has led to several novel research techniques, data collection efforts, and training methodologies.  

His current research program focuses on implications of maternal nutritional management on offspring characteristics.  In 2018 Dahlen transitioned to a position that allowed him to dedicate more time to research, as well as teach undergraduate/graduate classes in reproductive physiology.

A new facet of his research program has been dedicated to addressing whether paternal (i.e. sire) nutrition and management was not only impacting semen characteristics and molecular composition, but also implicit in offspring outcomes. Other recent efforts involve evaluating impacts of nutritional perturbations during gestation on offspring and transgenerational endpoints. 

Dahlen is currently a reproductive physiologist with an 80% research and 20% teaching appointment; teaching graduate and undergraduate Physiology of Reproduction classes. The aim of his program is to enhance reproductive efficiency in livestock species with a focus on implications of maternal nutritional management on offspring characteristics through multiple generations, and addressing whether paternal (i.e. sire) nutrition and management is implicit in offspring outcomes. Many of his research models have included precision feeding and management techniques and have incorporated equipment to remotely monitor cattle activity and feeding behavior.

In today’s episode, Carl shares information on some of the projects he has been working on that look at nutrition and mineral supplementation in beef cattle reproduction.  

He shares the impact that supplementation of vitamins and minerals has on bull fertility and dam pregnancy.  As well as why nutrition in early pregnancy is especially important.

We focus on a project published in 2024 on maternal weight gain during early pregnancy in beef heifers and the subsequent impacts on daughters and granddaughters of these heifers.  Included in this project is fetal testing, placental weight testing and the research of how heifer weight gain impacts subsequent generations. For more information on this project, please visit the link below.

We chat about how this information can impact the productivity and sustainability of beef operations and the beef industry as a whole, and other key management strategies to consider during early pregnancy. 

Links mentioned in this episode:

“The influence of gestational body weight gain rate on the development of two generations of beef cattle”  2024 North Dakota Livestock Research Report

https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/sites/default/files/2024-09/The%20Influence%20as2241-12.pdf

NDSU Animal Sciences Program: https://www.ndsu.edu/agriculture/animal-sciences

Facebook: @NDSUAnimalSciences

Instagram: @ndsu_animal_sciences 

X: @ndsu_ansc

To contact Carl, please email him at: [email protected] 

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Dr. Jason Gibbs studies the diversity and taxonomy of wild bees. He completed his PhD at York University. He was a postdoctoral researcher at Cornell University and a research associate at Michigan State University before joining Canada’s only Department of Entomology at the University of Manitoba in 2016. He is curator of one of the largest insect collections in western Canada. He has published 115 scientific papers on various aspects of bee diversity, pollination ecology, and taxonomy. He has supervised 4 PhDs and 7 MSc students. He has named dozens of new species. Four species of bees have been named after him for his contributions to bee taxonomy.

Dr. Gibbs shares his agricultural background, growing up as the son of a bee keeper, as well as some information about his research background and how this early interest and exposure to bees has led him on his career path.

Today we are taking a close look at the benefits that wild bees and pollinators bring to agricultural landscapes.  There are estimates that you can get an increase of 5-10% yield in agricultural crops from insect pollination and about 35% of crops benefit from pollination, along with many other benefits that wild bees and pollinators bring to agricultural production.  There are many types of agricultural production that require these pollination services.

We talk about the history of the number and diversification of the population size and diversity of wild pollinators in Manitoba.

Jason discusses the difference between wild bees and honey bees, what bees require for habitat and what practices in agriculture may be threatening these important insects, including the use of pesticides. 

Conversely, we discuss management practices that benefit wild pollinators and other beneficial insects, especially the use of floral or pollinator strips.  Jason also explains some of the benefits to crop health as a result of floral strips.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Gibbs’ Faculty Page U of Manitoba: https://umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/entomology/jason-gibbs 

Gibbs Wild Bee Lab Website: https://sites.google.com/site/dialictus/home?authuser=0

Find Jason on Instagram @gibbsbeelab or https://www.instagram.com/gibbsbeelab/

Dr. Gibb’s Articles: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=5SWs9jQAAAAJ&hl=en

Current projects: 

https://umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/leap

https://genomeprairie.ca/project/gg4ghg_grassland_genomics/

Museum of Entomology:

https://umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/wallis-roughley-museum-entomology

https://ecdysis.org/collections/misc/collprofiles.php?collid=129

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Dr. Bill Biligetu is an Associate Professor, at the Crop Development Center of the University of Saskatchewan. Growing up on the Mongolian Plateau, Dr. Bill Biligetu (PhD) has seen first-hand the effect climate change can have on grasslands. As the Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Forage Crop Breeding, his program has focused on developing new varieties of perennial forage species crucial to the western Canadian beef and forage industries such as alfalfa, hybrid brome, meadow brome, and wheatgrasses. His breeding objectives range from improving forage biomass/disease resistance to enhancing salt and drought stress tolerances in these crops. Beside this, he has mentored many M.Sc. and Ph.D students to the industry. Dr. Biligetu was the recipient of the Sask. Industry Innovation Award (2018), and Canadian Society of Agronomy Young Researcher Award (2020).

In today’s episode, Dr. Biligetu shares information about his work developing native and tame forage varieties and mixtures.  We discuss the objectives of this project and what forages were selected for study.  He also shares some of the science behind breeding forages and how this study is being carried out.

Sainfoin is one of the forage species being studied in the project.  Dr. Biliegtu shares some information about what sainfoin is and how it is being studied.

We also chat about the economic benefits that higher yielding, nutritious tame and native forage varieties could have for cow-calf producers in Western Canada.

Links mentioned in this episode:

University of Saskatchewan Project Page: Developing Native and Tame Forage Varieties and Mixtures https://lfce.usask.ca/documents/biligetu_forage_varieties_in_progress.pdf

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Mary-Jane leads a dedicated team at MBFI to advance Manitoba’s beef & forage industry through engaging stakeholders, evaluating on-farm innovation, and extension for sustainability of farmers, the public, and the environment. She deeply values the opportunity to collaborate with producers, researchers, education providers, extension specialists, conservation groups, and all stakeholders in field-testing management practices and growing understanding of improved production in Manitoba. Mary-Jane holds a PhD from Purdue University in soil microbial ecology in agricultural systems, is a Professional Agrologist, and Certified Crop Advisor. Her experience in ecology and field agronomy gives her a unique perspective on the challenges facing agriculture today. 

In this episode, we are talking about MBFI’s Mineral Case Study.  With the drought in 2022, MBFI’s cattle herd experienced higher than usual open-rates, which was widespread throughout the area.  After testing the animals in their herd, MBFI found that many were deficient in micronutrients, with copper being a common deficiency. 

Mary-Jane shares some of the symptoms and clinical signs they noticed in their cattle during this time, and the immediate and lingering impacts this has had.  There are many factors that probably contributed to this, Mary-Jane and the team have been working to look deeper into each to determine where they can make changes in their program.  

We discuss what the pregnancy rates looked like in 2022, 2023 and in their 2024 testing, and which ages and groups of cattle had the highest fall out of the program.

We also discuss the use of Multi-Min and why MBFI chose to use this product in their herd, and the economics of adding this direct cost to their program.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Manitoba Ag Pasture Tour Information: https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livestock/beef/pubs/pasture-tour.pdf

Shoal Lake MB Grazing School:

https://holisticmanagement.ca/courses/july-5-6-shoal-lake-mb-grazing-school/

MB Beef Producers - Producer Workshop on Unconventional Succession Planning:

https://mbbeef.ca/events/

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Andrea White is the Director of Marketing and Stakeholder Relations with the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB).  She leads the marketing and communications strategies for the CRSB and its CRSB Certified program.

She is a key liaison with the CRSB’s multi-stakeholder membership and supports marketing initiatives of those using the CRSB Certified program.

Andrea Chairs the Communications Council of the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (GRSB) and sits on Communications working groups across the Canadian agri-food sector, such National Centre for on Agri-Food Benchmarking and the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops.

Andrea grew up in Winnipeg, MB., receiving her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and Masters of Science in Food Science from the University of Manitoba. Prior to the CRSB, she worked in various roles with the BC Cattlemen’s Association, BC Association of Abattoirs, Canada Safeway and others.

Ryan Beierbach is the Chair of the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef.  

He grew up on a ranch in Southwestern SK, an area dominated by native grasslands. Ryan ranches with his wife Tania and family in Whitewood, in the pothole region of southeastern Saskatchewan, where the landscape includes small wetlands with pastures mainly made up of tame grass. Beierbachs operate a mainly cow/calf operation with some backgrounding and grass cattle. Ryan has served on many cattle industry boards and committees including the Saskatchewan Cattle Association (Board Chair; Chairs of Environment, Research and Animal Health Committees), and Saskatchewan Stock Growers Association (board member). 

Ryan is a former Chair of the Beef Cattle Research Council and currently serves as a Saskatchewan representative. He has been a director for the Canadian Cattle Association Board since 2020 and was elected as Vice President of the CCA Board in March 2025. Ryan began in the role of Chair of the CRSB in 2022 and represents the Canadian Cattle Association on the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Board of Directors.

In today’s episode, Andrea and Ryan are sharing all about the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, and what is involved in CRSB Certification.

Included in this conversation are some ways producers can ensure they are getting the most out of their CRSB certification through initiatives such as those through Cargill and FCC, as well as some of the other benefits from membership, such as advocacy for the benefits the industry provides and the positive impact that raising beef cattle has on the environment.

We chat in depth about the Guiding Principles of the CRSB and much, much more!

To contact Ryan you can call or text 1-306-735-1341.

You can email Andrea or Ryan at [email protected] 

Links mentioned in this episode:

CRSB organization website: https://crbs.ca – note the Benchmarking menu and landing page has the National Beef Sustainability Assessment videos, reports and the “NBSA” page has infographics etc.

FCC Sustainability Incentive: https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/financing/agriculture/sustainability-incentive-program

CRSB Certified program website: https://crsbcertified.ca

The factsheet and FAQs on the Qualifying Cattle Requirements: https://www.crsbcertified.ca/producers/become-certified/

Cargill Sustainability Partnership:

https://www.cargill.com/sustainability/beef/beef-partnership-collaboration

2024 National Beef Strategy Report:

https://beefstrategy.com/pdf/2024/2024_08_cca-nbs-report.pdf

You can also find the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef at:

X: @CRSB_beef

Facebook: facebook.com/CRSBbeef

IG: @CRSB_beef

Youtube: @CRSB_beef or Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

LinkedIn: search for Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Donna married her high school sweetheart Les directly out of school and has been married to him for 39 years this July.

She was raised in Virden and moved to the farm when they married. For 5 years they lived in a trailer and had one daughter there. They started into cattle with 6 mixed breed cows in 1989.

In 1991 they moved to the home farm where the Odell's began in 1892. They are the 4th generation of Odell's on that land. Donna's family also had connections to Hargrave and she too is the 4th generation to live in that community.

They raised 3 daughters. One of which farms with her husband across the highway from them. They help each other with labour and equipment and are working on succession plans. 

Donna volunteers on the board of the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program and finds purpose in speaking with farmers and others about mental health issues and finding help. She would love to see the stigma disappear.

Today Donna shares her story and experience with postpartum depression, depression and anxiety, as well as some of the factors that have contributed both positively and negatively to her mental health on the farm.

We chat about the power in sharing your story, and how this can help each of us to reduce the stigma around mental health.

As a board member for the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program, Donna shares some of the changes to the program, which include increasing the number of sessions per year to 9 per person, as well as opening this service up to farm employees as well.  

You can connect with Donna on facebook at: @Donna Greig Les Odell

The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program offers confidential, free, counselling services to Manitoba farmers, farm families and employees. 1(204) 232-0574.

The National Farmer Crisis Line is a free, confidential service available 24/7.  The phone number to call for this service is 1-866-FARMS01 or 1-866-327-6701.  

Links mentioned/used in this episode:

CBC News Article: “Virden woman wants to help farmers get mental health support from those who know ag sector” Oct. 23, 2023

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/farmer-mental-health-counselling-1.7003528

National Farmer Wellness Network & National Farmer Crisis Line: https://ccaw.ca/national-farmer-wellness-network/

Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program: https://manitobafarmerwellness.ca/book-an-appointment

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Gerry Friesen, AKA the Recovering Farmer, is a co-founder of the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program. He comes from a diverse background of experience, learning and discovery through farming and as a stress and conflict management specialist. Gerry’s passion is in helping others find solutions for the various issues that life throws at us. A combination of his own journey with anxiety and depression, training in conflict resolution and intensive counselling training provide him the tools to help others who are struggling. To learn more about Gerry visit his website at www.gerryfriesen.ca.

In this episode, Gerry shares his story about and the aspects of his life as a farmer that contributed to his mental health, positively and negatively.  From his experiences with mental health struggles and alcoholism, comes the book,  “The Recovering Farmer: A Journey Through the Labyrinth of Anxiety and Depression.”  Gerry shares some of the stories, tools and strategies that can be found within his book.

We also talk about some of Gerry’s blog posts.  This is a quote from Gerry’s blog post titled, “The Hidden Risk: How Mental Health Impacts Farm Safety” published March 16th on your website, “Farmers deal with countless factors outside of their control—commodity prices, weather, equipment failures, and market uncertainty. This constant unpredictability wreaks havoc on our minds, leaving us feeling powerless. And yet, the pressure to “push through” remains. There’s an unspoken expectation in agriculture that you work until the job is done, no matter the toll it takes on you. But at what cost? When exhaustion sets in, mistakes happen. A missed step, a moment of inattention, or a delayed reaction can turn into a life-altering accident.

The culture of farming has long been one of resilience, but resilience doesn’t mean suffering in silence. We need to start having open conversations about mental health in our farm communities.”

There is another quote from Gerry’s blog post titled, “Coming Out of the Closet” from October 20th that is discussing the stigma attached to mental health, which in part reads, 

“Talking about things that are keeping us in our closet takes courage. The word most used to describe the ability to open up is vulnerability. I have used it lots but, for interest’s sake, I looked it up in the dictionary and realized that perhaps I had never fully understood the meaning. I always assumed it simply meant that we let our guard down, to be open and honest. But there is more to the definition, something a little more nefarious.

To be vulnerable is also the susceptibility to an emotional attack, to be open to criticism and to potentially be emotionally wounded. That makes it sound scary and I suspect that’s why many avoid being vulnerable. Its bad enough that we experience mental illness and often question our value. Our self-esteem is fragile so by opening up and being vulnerable we run the risk of having our values questioned and risk our self-esteem taking another blow. So it feels safer to stay in the closet.

The good news is that vulnerability breeds vulnerability. I found it interesting that when I started openly talking about my journey others opened up to me as well.” 

We wrap up the show talking about the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program, and what that program offers to farmers and farm families here in Manitoba.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Gerry Friesen: The Recovering Farmer: https://www.gerryfriesen.ca/

National Farmer Wellness Network & National Farmer Crisis Line: https://ccaw.ca/national-farmer-wellness-network/

Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program: https://manitobafarmerwellness.ca/book-an-appointment

Find Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program on social media at:

Facebook: @Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program

Twitter: @mfarmerwellness

Instagram: @manitoba_farmer_wellness

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Dr. Briana Hagen is a leading voice in Canadian agricultural mental health. As CEO and Lead Scientist of the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing, she combines academic research with real-world solutions, co-creating programs alongside farmers to build resilience and break down barriers to mental health support. Dr. Hagen’s work spans policy advocacy, educational programming, and crisis support systems, all grounded in the lived realities of farmers. Her mission is to ensure that farmers and their families have access to trusted, tailored mental health resources — and that their voices remain at the heart of every solution.  

Today Briana joins me on the show to share information about the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing and the programs and crisis line that is available through CCAW.

We also discuss stressors that impact farmer mental health, common positive and negative coping strategies used by Canadian farmers, and some additional positive strategies producers can try if they are feeling the stress and weight that can come with this work.

We also talk about the National Farmer Crisis Line, what producers, family members or farm employees can expect when they call in, and who they will talk to when they make the call.  A take away from today’s episode is that, you don’t need to be in crisis to call the National Farmer Crisis Line.  You can call 24/7 and there is no cap to the number of times you can call in.

Find the Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing online at: www.ccaw.ca 

Or on their social media accounts at:

Facebook: Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing

Instagram: @cdnagwellbeing

LinkedIn: Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing

Twitter (X): @cdnagwellbeing 

Links mentioned in this episode:

The Canadian Centre for Agricultural Wellbeing: https://ccaw.ca/

National Farmer Wellness Network & National Farmer Crisis Line: https://ccaw.ca/national-farmer-wellness-network/

Deep Rooted Documentary Information: https://www.deeprootedfilm.ca/supporters

Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program: www.manitobafarmerwellness.ca 

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011

Lesley Kelly is a farmer, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate who farms with her family in Watrous, Saskatchewan. As the voice behind High Heels & Canola Fields, she bridges the gap between farmers and consumers by dispelling agricultural myths and fostering meaningful conversations about food and farming. Her passion for advocacy began while building a snack food company using her family’s grain, inspiring her to create an online community of over 100,000 followers to share stories, build understanding, and strengthen agriculture’s connections.

Lesley is a leader in advancing mental health in agriculture. As a trained peer supporter and co-founder of the Do More Agriculture Foundation—a Canadian charity dedicated exclusively to farmer mental health—Lesley has been instrumental in breaking down stigma, increasing access to mental health resources, and supporting farmers across North America. Since 2018, the foundation has trained thousands of farmers in mental health awareness and resilience. Her efforts have been recognized through numerous accolades, including the Farm and Food Care Champion Award, the YWCA Women of Distinction Award, and the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal. 

Beyond her farm and advocacy work, Lesley serves as a Director for Saskatchewan Wheat and co-hosts the podcast What The Farm, where she dives into topics at the intersection of agriculture, leadership, and rural life. In her spare time, Lesley is running to the hockey rink with her two sons, learning to cook for a hungry harvest crew, or spending time with her husband. 

Lesley’s goal is simple but powerful: to build stronger communities through connection, compassion, and collaboration, ensuring a brighter, healthier future for both farmers and the agriculture industry as a whole.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Do More Ag: https://www.domore.ag/

Do More Ag Crisis and Support Resources Page: https://www.domore.ag/crisis-contacts

High Heels & Canola Fields: https://highheelsandcanolafields.com/

“Without the Farm, There is No Farmer” The National Farmer Crisis Line is a free, confidential service available 24/7.  The phone number to call for this service is 1-866-FARMS01 or 1-866-327-6701.  

The Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program offers confidential, free, counselling services to Manitoba farmers, farm families and employees. 1(204) 232-0574

Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program: https://manitobafarmerwellness.ca/

The research programs and daily operations at MBFI would not be possible without the funding from the Province of Manitoba, Government of Canada, and Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, as well as the partnership with Manitoba Agriculture, Manitoba Beef Producers (MBP) and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC).

We encourage you to follow MBFI on social media, or check out the website for more information on project findings and results, upcoming events and more!

Instagram: @MBBeefandForage

Facebook: @MBBeefandForage

X (Twitter): @MBBeefandForage

Website: www.mbfi.ca 

Email address: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane’s Phone Number: 431-255-0011