Please note: This episode was recorded in March 2026. The perspectives and forecasts shared reflect the conditions and information available at the time of recording. Given the rapidly evolving global, political, and market environment, circumstances have changed since this episode was recorded.

Fuel is what drives us. It's what keeps our machinery running and our product moving. However, in times of tumultuous international disputes, farmers and ranchers are paying unprecedentedly higher prices because of decisions outside their control. How can ranchers and farmers attempt to navigate shifting fuel prices tied to global and geopolitical events? How can the industry protect itself through times of instability and unpredictability? In this episode, we’re digging in on Fuel Forecast: What’s Driving Prices and What’s Next?

Meet Our Guests

• Roger McKnight, Chief Petroleum Analyst for En-Pro International

Roger McKnight is the Chief Petroleum Analyst at En-Pro International, an Ontario based consultancy firm. With more than four decades of experience forecasting gasoline and diesel pricing in Canada and over two decades working with major oil companies with a focus in dealing with Imperial Oil, Roger understands the ebbs and flows of fuel pricing and its importance to the industry. His expertise includes refining economics, rack and retail pricing mechanics, carbon and environmental policy impacts and regional distribution constraints. Roger provides daily price outlooks for Canadian news outlets and is recognized for his practical, data backed forecasts that matter to commercial and agricultural fuel users.

• Patrick De Haan, Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy

Patrick De Haan is the Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy. For the better part of two decades, Patrick has been a widely respected energy market analyst who monitors real time gasoline and diesel pricing trends across North America. His research focuses on refinery utilization patterns, inventory shifts, global crude dynamics and consumer demand behavior. Patrick appears regularly in national media and is known for translating complex market movements into clear insights for industry and consumers.

About UFA

UFA Co-operative was founded in 1909. The co-operative was formed by farmers, for farmers, with the belief that more can be accomplished when we work together. 117 years later, UFA has grown into one of Canada's largest and most progressive agricultural co-operatives, offering the products, services and support for the farmers and ranchers who feed the world. As a co-operative, UFA is member-owned and today, its membership has grown to over 160,000. UFA continues the movement started over a century ago by serving and advocating for members of the agricultural community and beyond. At the heart of this commitment is ensuring the voice of the farmer is brought to the decision-making table. UFA is proud to give back to rural communities, ensuring they thrive for generations to come. Learn more at UFA.com.

About Your Host

Don Shafer, PhD, is an award winning broadcaster, veteran media executive, and recipient of the Canadian Music Hall of Fame’s Lifetime Achievement Award. He holds a PhD in Social Justice, bringing a rare blend of industry expertise and academic insight to the evolving media landscape.

Credits

Host: Dr. Don Shafer, PhD

Guests: Roger McKnight, Patrick De Haan

Senior Writer: Eric La Febre

Showrunner: Jessica Grajczyk

Audio Producer: Scott Whittaker

Executive Producer: Jennifer Smith

Contributor: Trish Nixon

#podcast #farming #fuel

What does the future hold for beef production in Canada? In part two of this two-part episode of Digging In with UFA, we continue digging into beef production, cattle ranching and the myths and realities around the steak on your plate. Comedian, media personality and rancher, Dickson ‘Quick Dick McDick’ Delorme joins cattle rancher, agriculture advocate and blogger, Adrienne Ivey, for a conversation about what it means to be a beef producer today. What does government oversight look like when it comes to stability within the cattle industry? What happens to consumers and producers during unprecedented economic shifts? Grab your forks and join us as we dig in with another episode of Digging In with UFA.

Our Guests

Dickson Delorme - Quick Dick McDick

Dickson Delorme created the Quick Dick McDick character through Snapchat as a way to capture the everyday humour of life on the farm. Now with a successful YouTube Channel and a stand-up comedy career under his belt buckle, Quick Dick has become a humorous voice for agriculture’s finest, with an engaging personality that resonates with anyone experiencing the wins and woes of cattle ranching.

Adrienne Ivey - Evergreen Cattle Co. / View From The Ranch Porch

Adrienne Ivey loves raising the beef on your plate, and talking about it! She is a rancher, agriculture advocate and blogger from Ituna, Saskatchewan. Alongside her family, she owns and runs Evergreen Cattle Co. and educates the public about the realities of ranching on social media and her blog, View From The Ranch Porch.

About UFA

UFA Co-operative was founded in 1909. The co-operative was formed by farmers, for farmers, with the belief that we can accomplish more when we work together. 117 years later, UFA has grown into one of Canada's largest and most progressive agricultural co-operatives, offering the products, services and support for the farmers and ranchers who feed the world. As a co-operative, UFA is member-owned and today, its membership has grown to over 180,000. UFA continues the movement started over a century ago by serving and advocating for members of the agricultural community and beyond. At the heart of this commitment is ensuring the voice of the farmer is brought to the decision-making table. UFA is proud to give back to rural communities, ensuring they thrive for generations to come. Learn more at UFA.com.

Credits

Host: Dr. Don Shafer, PhD

Guests: Dickson Delorme, Adrienne Ivey

Senior Writer: Eric La Febre

Showrunner: Jessica Grajczyk

Audio Engineer: Scott Whittaker

Executive Producer: Jennifer Smith

Contributor: Trish Nixon

#podcast

Season 2 Episode 2 - Is beef production bad for the environment? Should you feel bad about enjoying a nice, juicy steak? In this episode of Digging In with UFA, we unearth some of the myths and realities of beef production, cattle ranching and public perceptions of one of the world’s most cherished foods. Comedian, media personality and rancher, Dickson ‘Quick Dick McDick’ Delorme joins cattle rancher, agriculture advocate and blogger, Adrienne Ivey, for a conversation about the realities of beef production in the modern age. What should consumers know about beef that isn’t often discussed? How do ranchers maintain momentum during tumultuous economic times? Grab your forks and get ready to dig into another episode of Digging In with UFA.

Our Guests

Dickson Delorme - Quick Dick McDick

Dickson Delorme created the Quick Dick McDick character through Snapchat as a way to capture the everyday humour of life on the farm. Now with a successful YouTube Channel and a stand-up comedy career under his belt buckle, Quick Dick has become a humorous voice for agriculture’s finest, with an engaging personality that resonates with anyone experiencing the wins and woes of cattle ranching.

Adrienne Ivey - Evergreen Cattle Co. / View From The Ranch Porch

Adrienne Ivey loves raising the beef on your plate, and talking about it! She is a rancher, agriculture advocate and blogger from Ituna, Saskatchewan. Alongside her family, she owns and runs Evergreen Cattle Co. and educates the public about the realities of ranching on social media and her blog, View From The Ranch Porch.

About UFA

UFA Co-operative was founded in 1909. The co-operative was formed by farmers, for farmers, with the belief that we can accomplish more when we work together. 117 years later, UFA has grown into one of Canada's largest and most progressive agricultural co-operatives, offering the products, services and support for the farmers and ranchers who feed the world. As a co-operative, UFA is member-owned and today, its membership has grown to over 180,000. UFA continues the movement started over a century ago by serving and advocating for members of the agricultural community and beyond. At the heart of this commitment is ensuring the voice of the farmer is brought to the decision-making table. UFA is proud to give back to rural communities, ensuring they thrive for generations to come. Learn more at UFA.com.

Credits

Host: Don Shafer, PhD

Guests: Dickson Delorme, Adrienne Ivey

Senior Writer: Eric La Febre

Showrunner: Jessica Grajczyk

Audio Engineer: Scott Whittaker

Executive Producer: Jennifer Smith

Contributor: Trish Nixon

#podcast #farming

Season 2 Episode 1

Did you know women could own cattle before they could vote? In this episode of Digging In with UFA, we learn about the realities, misconceptions and histories of women in agriculture. Joined by beef producer and educator, Josie Pashulka, and rancher and author, Rachel Herbert, we take a look at the reality of women’s roles in Canadian agriculture from generations past to present day. What unique perspectives do they bring to the industry? What does innovation and leadership look like for women in Ag? What role does gender play in the history of legacy ranches and homesteads? Grab your shovels and join us as we dig into another fascinating topic on Digging In with UFA.

Our Guests

Josie Pashulka - Rusylvia Cattle Co.

Josie Pashulka and her husband Ken co-founded the Rusylvia Cattle Co. 31 years ago. With the help of their three sons, they operate the 400-cow operation in Derwent, Alberta. Josie advocates for producers and helps strengthen the industry as an Alberta Beef Producers Delegate. She also leads the industry as an educator and a preeminent voice in artificial insemination at Lakeland College, where she helps train the next generation of livestock professionals. She has been recognized for her work with a 2025 Women in Ag Award by Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) highlighting her impact, resilience and dedication to agriculture.

Rachel Herbert - Trail’s End Beef

Rachel Herbert co-owns and operates Trail’s End Beef near Nanton, Alberta, where she and her husband Tyler raise grass-fed, grass-finished, red and black Angus cattle using regenerative practices. As advocates for sustainability, their ranching model emphasizes rotational grazing, watershed protection and ecological stewardship of native grasslands in Porcupine Hills. Holding an MA from the University of Calgary, Rachel is the author of Ranching Women in Southern Alberta, a groundbreaking book that challenges myths and highlights the vital roles women have played in ranching history. As a fourth-generation rancher raising the fifth, Rachel draws on her family’s deep roots in Alberta ranching, including stories of her great-grandmother’s resilience during the Great Depression.

About UFA

UFA Co-operative was founded in 1909. The co-operative was formed by farmers, for farmers, with the belief that we can accomplish more when we work together. 116 years later, UFA has grown into one of Canada's largest and most progressive agricultural co-operatives, offering the products, services and support for the farmers and ranchers who feed the world. As a co-operative, UFA is member-owned and today, its membership has grown to over 180,000. UFA continues the movement started over a century ago by serving and advocating for members of the agricultural community and beyond. At the heart of this commitment is ensuring the voice of the farmer is brought to the decision-making table. UFA is proud to give back to rural communities, ensuring they thrive for generations to come. Learn more at UFA.com.

Credits

Host: Dr. Don Shafer, PhD

Guests: Josie Pashulka, Rachel Herbert

Senior Writer: Eric La Febre

Showrunner: Jessica Grajczyk

Audio Producer: Scott Whittaker

Executive Producer: Jennifer Smith

Contributor: Trish Nixon

Welcome to Diggin In With UFA: Season 2

It takes a certain kind of ambition to do what farmers do. Between the hours and the hard labor, to the public scrutiny and bureaucratic maze running, it's not an easy task. While the agriculture industry feeds millions quietly tilling and producing behind the scenes, many forget that our food comes from the hands of real people with real stories.

Join us as we share stories from those with boots on the ground and unearth unique perspectives on
agriculture's biggest conversations. It's time to grab your shovel and get to work.

#podcast #farming

Digging in with UFA - Weather and Agriculture

Farmers rely on some level of predictability. Season over season, being able to forecast a certain amount of rainfall is a more difficult task. Is this something new or, like the farmers and ranchers of generations past, is Mother Nature just keeping us on our toes? This week we are digging in on Weather and Agriculture. Join us for a thought-provoking discussion with the CEO of the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association, both nationally and provincially, Janice Tranberg and Rancher, Comedian and Youtube Personality known commonly as Quick Dick McDick, Dickson Delorme, while we dig to the root of Canadian Agriculture's most pressing topics. Guided by our host Don Shafer in partnership with UFA Co-operative, we’re ready to dig in. Are you?

#podcast #farming

With technology rapidly transforming nearly every sector of production and business worldwide, how is agriculture adapting and integrating these advancements into daily operations? And for those newly entering the sector who have grown up in this technological era, what role will they play in shaping the future of tech in agriculture? This week we are digging in on technology in agriculture. Join as we listen to true blue discussions from President of Red Deer Polytechnic Stuart Cullum and Alberta Farmer and Agricultural Social Media Advocate Charlotte Wasylik while we dig to the root of Canadian Agriculture's most pressing conversations. Guided by our host Don Shafer in partnership with UFA Co-operative, we’re ready to dig in. Are you?

https://rdpolytech.ca/about-us/faculty/stuart-cullum https://ca.linkedin.com/in/cullumstuart

@stuartfcullum @RedDeerPolytech @chatsworthfarm @prariebirder

https://albertaopenfarmdays.ca/farm/chatsworth-farm

https://www.facebook.com/chatsworthfarm/ https://www.youtube.com/@chatsworthfarm579Instagram.com/chatsworth

farm #ruraltechnology #agtech

https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/science

https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/science/scientific-research-and-collaboration-agriculture/agricult

ure-and-agri-food-canadas-strategic-plan-science

Digging in with UFA - Family Farm Dynamics and Succession Planning

Planning for the future is tricky. From unexpected life events and the sudden loss of loved ones to maintaining the legacy of a family business, preparing for succession and adapting to life's hurdles is no easy task. This week we are digging into family farm dynamics and succession planning in agriculture. Join us for insightful discussions with Maggie Van Camp, Founder and Director for Strategic Change at Loft32 and CEO of Recrest Farms, and Trevor McClean, National Leader for Transition Smart Services. Together, we'll explore the most pressing issues in Canadian agriculture. Guided by our host Don Shafer, in partnership with UFA Co-operative, we're ready to dig in. Are you?

#podcast #farming