Emily Ford

Chris Herbert
3 days ago
3 min read

Growing Resilience: Emily Ford on Regenerative Agriculture, Joint-Venture Farming, and the Future of Canadian Soil”

TL;DR

On the Rural Entrepreneur Podcast (listen here), host Chris Herbert sits down with Emily Ford, agronomist at Alberta-based Quattro Ventures and 2023 Nuffield scholar.

Emily explains how Quattro Ventures is moving toward regenerative-agriculture practices—driven in part by McCain Foods’ 2030 commitment—while keeping an eye on economic sustainability.

Introduction

Emily Ford details the motivations, barriers, and real-world payoffs of “regen,” describes Quattro’s unique multi-family joint-venture model, and suggests that Canadian farmers are already poised to lead on soil health, climate resilience, and innovation.

Ford’s two-year study, Regenerative Agriculture in Potato Production Systems (Aug 2024), probed why and how producers adopt regenerative agriculture—and what holds them back—at a time when McCain Foods has pledged that all of its processing potatoes will be grown regeneratively by 2030.

Key Points & Insights

Theme	Insight
What “Regenerative” Really Means	Ford’s six pillars: minimize soil disturbance, maximize crop diversity, keep soil covered, maintain living roots, integrate livestock, and respect local context.
Why Big Buyers Care	Climate extremes threaten supply chains; healthier soils buffer against flood and drought, giving processors like McCain more “assured supply.”
Regen ≠ Organic	Unlike certified organic, regen doesn’t ban inputs outright—it focuses on lowering environmental impact and improving soil function.
The Long-Game ROI	Soil-health payoffs often take >5 years; that makes it hard to outbid conventional renters for land in short leases.
Adoption Drivers	Two big catalysts: (1) buyers’ requirements (e.g., McCain 2030), and (2) farmers hitting economic or ecological “walls” that force change.
Real-World Turnaround	Manitoba grower saved a near-bankrupt farm by slashing input costs via regen practices over 5–10 years.
Quattro’s Joint-Venture Model	Five family farms, one board & CEO, crop-specialist supervisors (potatoes, pulses, beets, hemp, essential oils). Gains efficiency and innovation bandwidth.
In-House Agronomy Edge	On-farm agronomists are rare in Canada outside southern Alberta potato country; Quattro views it as a core competency.
Profitability & Innovation	Farmers remain “natural innovators,” turning to direct-to-consumer sales, ag-tourism, and diversified ventures to capture more margin.
Mindset Shift	Ford urges the industry to share failures alongside successes—making regenerative transitions less daunting for newcomers.

Listen to Our Interview with Emily Ford

Timeline with Timestamps

Time	Topic
00:00–01:14	Introductions; Ford’s McCain background & motivation for Nuffield research
02:19–03:17	Realization: research must focus on drivers & barriers, not one-size-fits-all agronomy recipes
04:42–05:51	How regen soils buffer extreme weather; supply-chain resilience for processors
07:10–08:17	Clearing up regen vs. organic misconceptions
09:43–11:28	Challenge: convincing landowners during short-term leases; regen is a “long game”
12:34–13:33	Two adoption pathways: buyer pressure vs. economic necessity
14:24–15:25	Ford’s Nuffield takeaway: avoid “regen vs. conventional” factionalism—work together
22:14–25:36	Deep dive on Quattro Ventures’ multi-family structure and crop-specialist roles
27:05–28:16	Value of in-house agronomy; rarity across Canada
29:18–31:17	Profitability hurdles; consumers still fixated on low prices
32:29–33:28	Closing thoughts: regen improves taste & nutrition, boosts brand trust

Notable Quotes

“It’s hard to go green when you’re in the red.” — Emily Ford quoting Tasmanian farmer Ian Field (21:08)

“Regen doesn’t tell you what you can’t do; it asks how you can reduce impact while staying profitable.” — Emily Ford (07:10)

“Most growers are already the best stewards of their land—they just don’t wear a label.” — Emily Ford (28:16)

“Farmers hold a lot of the solutions to the climate crisis.” — Emily Ford (28:16)

Conclusion

Emily Ford paints a pragmatic, hopeful picture: regenerative agriculture isn’t a rigid checklist; it’s a toolbox farmers adapt to local realities.

With processors pushing for climate-resilient supply, and joint-venture models like Quattro proving that collaboration breeds efficiency, Canadian producers can capture both ecological and economic upside—provided they have time, data, and peer support to de-risk the transition.

Call to Action

Listen & Share – Catch the full 33-minute episode wherever you get your podcasts and share it with a producer who’s curious about regen.
Read the Report – Ford’s Nuffield paper (link in show notes) dives deeper into adoption barriers and success stories.
Start Small – If you’re a grower, experiment with one regen practice next season—then swap lessons learned with neighbors.
Support Local – Consumers: seek out farms using soil-health practices or buy direct to reward the extra effort.
Stay Connected – Subscribe to the Rural Entrepreneur Podcast for more conversations at the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and rural business.