Moisture is the most universally challenging factor in potato production: there never seems to be the right amount at the right time. On May 16th, Spud Smart hosted a roundtable webinar with three agronomy and production experts to chat about how growers can promote crop resilience and maximize productivity when conditions are less than ideal.
Specifically, the discussion dug into:
- How do you build soils that can better handle too much / too little moisture (before it’s too late)?
- What are the real economics of soil resilience?
- Where can we aim for quick wins and where should the focus be for long-term benefit?
- What specific in-crop management practices can help producers weather challenging conditions?
- What role might new varieties play?
The webinar’s speakers include:
Presenters
Cameron Ogilvie
Ogilvie is a Soil Health Educator with the Soil Health Institute – a global non-profit with a mission to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soils through scientific research and advancement.
Ogilvie leads soil health education programs for farmers, agronomists, and food companies as they work to implement profitable, resilient, and climate-smart regenerative soil management systems.
He has an MSc in Cropping Systems & Agronomy from the University of Guelph where he studied the on-farm impacts of cover crops (he prefers to call them “service crops”) on water and nutrient cycling.
Susan Ainsworth
Ainsworth is an agrologist and General Manager of the Keystone Potato Producers Association which represents process potato growers in Manitoba.
Ainsworth has worked in the potato industry in Manitoba for the past 27 years and is passionate about working with producers to help advance their productivity, profitability and sustainability. She has a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from the University of Manitoba and an MBA from the Shannon School of Business at Cape Breton University.
Ainsworth is also the owner of Stolon Glance Agronomy Ltd. and enjoys time spent learning in the field.
Amanda Crook
Crook has been in the potato industry for 13 years and with McCain Foods since 2022. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science and North Dakota State University with a Master of Science.
As the Lead Agronomist for Western North America, she oversees agronomic and sustainability improvements in Alberta, Manitoba, Washington, and Idaho. She works with McCain’s local agronomists in each of these regions to offer variety management guidance, agronomic extension services, and support for McCain’s farm partners adopting regenerative ag practices at commercial scale.
Thanks to McCain Foods for helping make this learning opportunity possible.
