Episode 3 – Keith Downey

The Extensionists

In the third episode of The Extensionists, co-hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter chat with one of the “fathers of canola” Keith Downey. Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s, while working with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in Saskatoon, Keith was instrumental in creating the crop we now know as canola – Canada’s most valuable crop.

In this episode, Keith talks about the science, policy and the business team effort to develop the canola industry ecosystem, and how oilseed processor J. Gordon Ross saved the day. Keith, Toban and Jay also discuss what it would take to bring another canola-like revolution to the Canadian agriculture landscape.

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The Extensionists - Conversations with Great Thinkers in Agriculture is a Burr Forest Group production with new episodes airing every other week on Tuesdays. Hosts Toban Dyck and Jay Whetter have in-depth conversations with industry experts, researchers, innovators, and farmers about the latest developments in agriculture and their implications. With a focus on making complex agricultural topics accessible and engaging, The Extensionists bridges the gap between research and farming by connecting the agricultural community to great ideas and thinkers.

The Extensionists is produced and edited by Abby Wall, coordinated by Ashley Robinson, and directed by Ryan Santschi.