Pulse of the Prairies

Hosted by Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Welcome to Saskatchewan Pulse Growers' monthly podcast, Pulse of the Prairies, where each month we tackle the topics that are important to pulse crop farmers including market opportunities for your crop, market access and trade policy developments, innovative agronomic approaches, transportation for Canadian crops, and a whole lot more.

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June 1, 202621 min

Hear From Current SPG Board Members on Getting Involved

Thinking about getting more involved in Boards? Serving on a producer board could feel intimidating from the outside — unclear expectations, unknown time commitments, and plenty of questions that never quite get answered.This episode will shed light on those unknowns and digs into why current Board members got involved.In the latest Pulse of the Prairies, two current SPG board members discuss their experiences on the board. They share what surprised them most about joining the board, what they have gained from the experience, and why farmer voices at the table truly matter.If you have ever thought "maybe someday" or simply wondered how decisions at SPG are shaped, this episode offers an honest, grower‑to‑grower perspective you will not find in a policy document.If you would like more information about SPG board nominations, official details are available on the SPG website.

April 20, 202622 min

From tariffs to partnership: Canada and India's evolving pulse relationship

In the latest Pulse of the Prairies episode, SPG Director and Pulse Canada Chair Terry Youzwa sits down with Greg Cherewyk, President of Pulse Canada, to discuss a recent trade mission to India—Canada's single most important pulse export market. In 2024 alone, Canada shipped 1.4 million tonnes of peas and 600,000 tonnes of lentils to India, valued at $1.4 billion dollars.Greg and Terry share what can only be learned by being on the ground, from reading real-time market dynamics to building the government-to-government relationships that directly influence import policy. They also discuss the newly announced Canada-India Pulse Protein Centre of Excellence, a concrete example of the growing partnership between two of the world's leading pulse nations.With India's pulse demand projected to nearly double by 2050, and Canada and India actively negotiating a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, there is good reason for optimism.

March 17, 202631 min

Pulse Market Update with Chuck Penner

Statistics Canada’s first look at acreage for the upcoming season is based on a farmer survey conducted in mid-December to mid-January. While it is true that farmers can change plans and shift acres from one crop to another, a lot of the crop rotation is already decided at that point. This means some changes will show up in the final acreage estimates in June, but they will not be huge. In this episode, hear market analyst Chuck Penner explain how pulse acreage is expected to shift in 2026 and what factors could be influencing producers' cropping decisions. Read Chuck's written report here.

January 14, 202637 min

2025 Pulse Promoter

In this episode, SPG Board Member Robyn Henry interviews Elyce Simpson Fraser, the 2025 Pulse Promoter Award winner and CEO of Simpson Seeds. Elyce shares her journey as a third-generation leader, discusses Simpson Seeds' new lentil flour manufacturing facility in Moose Jaw, and talks about her hands-on approach to promoting pulses through community cooking classes.

December 11, 202536 min

GGC's Advocacy Work for Saskatchewan Growers

In the latest Pulse of the Prairies episode, SPG Board Director Gerrid Gust sits down with Kyle Larkin from Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) to discuss the critical advocacy work happening on behalf of Saskatchewan pulse growers. Kyle shares insights from the recent Grains Week in Ottawa, GGC's mission to Washington, D.C., on tariffs and the upcoming Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) review, and the infrastructure gaps affecting grain movement across the country.Learn about the priorities GGC tackled in 2025 and how its advocacy efforts in Ottawa and Washington are working to protect market access and improve conditions for growers. Do not miss this important conversation about the work being done on your behalf. Listen now on our website or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

December 8, 20258 min

2026 Winter Event Roundup

Winter is upon us, and SPG and SaskWheat have several education and networking opportunities available to producers and agronomists in the coming months. In this episode, get a sneak peak of what to expect at this winter's events:JAN 13-14: Sask Crops Forum | Commission AGMsJAN 20: Pulse Variety Seminar | Virtual Breeding & Commercialization UpdateJAN - MAR: Coffee Shop Talks & Think Wheat | SaskWheat's Winter Extension EventsFEB: Winter Pulse Meetings | SPG's Winter Extension EventsMAR 25-27: Learn to Lead | Personal & Professional Development for Farmers [Apply by Jan 31]

December 2, 202534 min

Seed Growers Discuss New Pea and Lentil Varieties for 2026

In this episode, SPG's Seed Program Manager Laurie Friesen chats with Justin Ritco from Condie Seeds and Thomas Winny from Winny Seeds. They discuss exciting new pea and lentil varieties for the 2026 growing season including AAC Beyond, AAC Julius, CDC Monarch, CDC 6928, CDC Lima, and a preview of CDC 6964. Learn about yield advantages, disease resistance packages, and how these varieties fit into your crop rotation and agronomic planning.

November 3, 202512 min

Meet Your 2025 Board Election Candidates

Voting has opened for SPG’s Board of Directors election. In this special podcast episode, we are airing interviews held with all four nominees so you can learn more about the candidates before casting your vote. Interviews were conducted by Neil Billinger, Agriculture Director of CJWW Radio on SPG's behalf. Tune in to learn more about the candidates and don't forget to cast your vote by November 28, 2025. Read Candidate Bios HereVoter packages, including a six-digit ID number required for the electronic voting process, will be mailed to registered pulse growers* in late October in a green envelope. Voting opens at http://www.saskpulsevotes.com at 8:00 AM CST on November 3, 2025 and will remain open until 4:00 PM CST on November 28, 2025. If growers prefer to vote with a paper ballot, the voter package will provide contact information to request a mail-in ballot. Important Dates:November 3, 2025: Voting opens at 8:00 AM CST at http://www.saskpulsevotes.com November 28, 2025: Voting closes at 4:00 PM CST January 13, 2026: SPG Annual General Meeting *A registered pulse grower is someone who has sold a pulse crop and paid a levy to SPG in the last three years.

September 4, 202521 min

Pulse Harvest Update

Despite the late rains, pulse harvest is underway in several areas across Saskatchewan. Producers are also contending with variable weather conditions which can affect storage needs and the risk of grain spoilage in the bin. In this episode, hear from SPG Agronomists on how this year’s pulse crop is coming off the field so far and what to keep in mind to ensure a successful harvest and maintain pulse quality in long-term storage.Learn more about Post-Harvest and Long-Term Storage of Pulses and Natural Air Grain DryingFind more Harvest & Storage resources and tools at KeepitClean.ca

September 2, 202528 min

Pulse Market Update with Jon Driedger

When combined with a larger old crop carry-in from the previous season, supplies coming off this year's pulse harvest are set up to be the largest in several years. In this episode, Jon Driedger, Vice President of Leftfield Commodity Research explains how this supply will contend with global demand. Read Jon's report here.