Another busy season and harvest are under your belt, with the next growing season soon to be in sight. During the slower times between growing seasons, planning and maintenance may be top of mind – but have you thought to check in on your mental wellness too?

In this episode of Inputs, Jill Filmer, editor of Top Crop Manager East, chats with Kylie Stokes, the program coordinator at AgriCare NL on farmer mental health strategies. AgriCare NL is a mental health and farm safety program at the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Agriculture in partnership with the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.

As a professionally trained psychotherapist, Stokes reflects on the unique pressures that farmers face – as experienced with the extreme drought conditions and trade uncertainties of 2025. She describes practical coping mechanisms to manage chronic stress and burnout from everyday life on the farm amidst the added pressures of extreme weather and market uncertainty to build resilience in the face of unpredictable times.

If you are looking for professional support, please refer to these resources:

National Farmer Crisis Line: 1-866-327-6701

AgTalk

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FCC released a report on September 22 of this year entitled The $12-billion trade shift: Canada’s opportunity to diversify food exports beyond the U.S, outlining a path to reduce Canadian food and beverage exports to the U.S. to 50 per cent of 2023 levels (76 per cent). The report suggests this is possible through strengthening inter-provincial trade, leveraging existing free trade agreements, and establishing new international trading partnerships.

In this episode of Inputs, Kaitlin Berger, editor of Top Crop Manager West, speaks with Craig Klemmer, manager of thought leadership at FCC with 15 years of experience leading the Economics and Portfolio Risk Management teams. He shares how FCC calculated the $12-billion trade shift opportunity and what's needed to get there. He highlights practical examples of opportunities to increase diversification and reduce reliance on the U.S.

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Sponsored by FCC.

The crop’s finally off the field, wrapping up another growing season. Instead of turning the page to next season, what else should happen in the field before winter hits?

In this episode, Jake Munroe, soil management specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness, discusses what farmers should prioritize once crops, specifically corn and soybeans, are harvested. Whether planning to plant a winter cover crop or not, Munroe talks about the importance of residue management, considerations for tillage, assessing soil health and more to maintain productive soil into next season and beyond.