In this episode, we sit down with three members of Nature United’s agriculture team:
Les Fuller — Agriculture Strategy Director
Leah Blechschmidt — Corporate Engagement Advisor, Agriculture
Warren McAuley — Prairies Agriculture Program Manager
We begin by getting to know Les, Leah, and Warren, exploring the experiences that brought them into agriculture and ultimately to Nature United. They share some of the projects, conversations, and lessons that have shaped how they think about agriculture today, as well as why listening to producers is such an important part of developing programs that work in the real world.
The conversation then turns to Nature United’s vision for agriculture on the Canadian Prairies and the importance of pursuing productivity, profitability, and ecological resilience together. We discuss some of the biggest barriers producers face when considering sustainable and regenerative practices, including financial risk, and why collaboration between producers, industry, governments, researchers, agronomists, and other trusted advisors is critical to creating lasting change.
A major focus of the episode is the Model Farm Network, a partnership between Nature United and Collective Impact. Les, Leah, and Warren discuss why the network was created, what makes it different from traditional research and sustainability programs, and what has been learned since its launch in Saskatchewan and expansion into Manitoba. We also explore the value of testing practices under real farm conditions and why producer-to-producer learning can be such a powerful tool for building confidence in new approaches.
We broaden the conversation to discuss Natural Climate Solutions, emerging agricultural innovations, trusted advisors, and the relationship between sustainability and farm profitability. Our guests share their perspectives on what these ideas mean for grain and livestock producers and how practical, producer-focused approaches can help accelerate adoption.
Finally, we look to the future—what success could look like for the Model Farm Network and Nature United’s agriculture work over the next five years, what excites our guests about the next generation of Canadian producers, and the misconceptions about sustainable and regenerative agriculture they hope to change.
It’s a conversation about the people, partnerships, and practical solutions helping shape a more productive, profitable, and resilient future for agriculture on the Canadian Prairies.