Farming the Countryside with Andrew McCrea

Many farmers have been offered contracts to devote some of their acres to solar, wind and other energy developments over the past few years. Are those projects on the decline with a new administration or are they stronger than ever? We take a look at the current market place and potential opportunities and dangers for those considering selling or leasing land for these projects. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chugwater, Wyoming is a town of under 200 residents in the southeastern part of the Cowboy state. I recent had a chance to meet their mayor, a relatively young newcomer from Pennsylvania. What he’s learned and what he’s shared with the community holds lessons for all of us on building better farms, ranches, small towns and communities that thrive.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Hula consistently raises some of the highest corn yields in the nation. His farm near Chesapeake Bay has challenges many other farmers don’t face, yet those extra hurdles have helped him learn better ways to increase bushels and profits and make him a source of advice to many other row crop farmers. We visit with him about some key areas we should evaluate to increase our chances of success every year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kim Ratcliff had some roots in ranch life, but she was working in New York City. When life events changed, she found herself helping to manage the family ranch and building a direct-to-consumer model that has been very successful. Her work offers insights into ways many of us can add value to the crops we grow and the livestock we raise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A lot of row crop farms have negative balance sheets for this year. How are lenders reacting to farm numbers that are often in the red? What are top farms doing that we can all learn from to stay well in the black? What is the route to profitability in challenging times?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roy Pfaltzgraff and Emily Kamala farm in northeastern Colorado. Their goal is to be “market makers” by growing crops for a premium that have specific end-users in mind. It’s a route that has its challenges and opportunities but a path that has them talking with many other farmers about how they can capture extra profit by doing some of the same types of things. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dalton Dilldine was recognized as Top Producer’s Next Generation award winner. His farm in the Delta region of northeast Arkansas provides opportunities to grow several crops. We discussed how he stepped into a leadership role right out of high school and how he balanced education, farming and a progressive mindset to grow his operation into the award-winning business it is today. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The impact of tariffs provides uncertainty, but are the fundamentals in the cattle markets still stacked up to keep the market moving in an upward direction? Will supplies remain low and demand steady for beef? We discuss where we stand and the drivers for were we’ll go in the cattle markets and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re all looking for ways to cut costs, boost yields and earn more per acre. One young farmer in Iowa is using a combination of conservation practices, cattle and hogs to cut his input costs and raise yields. We talk about the changes he’s made and the results he sees.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crop margins for most operators are tighter than past years. Is this the time to make a machinery sale or trade? What equipment sectors are strong or weak? What is the outlook for new equipment both now and in the future. And, what are some overlooked opportunities we should explore? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Regulations that impact the way we farm can be a concern for many. However, this farmer has been living with increased regulations for many years, and he shares what he's learned and how it’s impacted the way he farms. His experiences have him giving his thoughts with many farm groups and we visit with him on this edition of our show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you are involved in farming, there’s a good chance your family owns some land. That land may have a lot of value and passing it from one generation to the next, whether that is inside or outside the family, can have a lot of consequences attached to it. It can be difficult to maintain family harmony and the sellers often want to have a plan in place to not see taxes eat up all the profit. We discuss a 721 plan, a method that many of us may not know. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Commodity Classic always brings together farmers from all parts of the country to discuss the challenges and opportunities for grain producers. What are some of the hot topics and possible solutions to hurdles ahead? We visit with two farmers who share their insights on what is ahead for U.S. agricultureSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We hear plenty of talk about trade and tariffs, but what will the impact be on farmers and the ag industry? We visit with a former member of the office of the US trade representative who served under several presidents. He shares what has and hasn’t changed and what we can expect for agricultural trade in the coming months.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We can often learn a lot from listening to how other farmers go through their decision-making process. We visit with Michigan farmer Ryan Zelinko to see how he is managing tillage, fertilizer and more as he works to get the best ROI on every acre. He shares some of his thoughts on managing tighter margins and his focus on quality versus quantity. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of us are looking for ways to increase income and decrease costs. However, some of our cost cutting measures can wind up hurting us far more than if we had spent the money. Where is the place to save and not save money on this year’s crop? Ken Ferrie is my guest and he shares insights from his hundreds of interactions with farmers and what works, and doesn’t work, to accomplish out goals. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crop margins are tight, but corn and bean prices have moved slightly higher since last fall. Should you be selling your grain or storing it? The cattle market continues to roar higher. How far can it go or are we do for a correction? Chip Flory provides his analysis of the markets and national and global trends that may impact the road ahead.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are techniques you can adopt that are proven ways to increase your ROI? We take a look at the latest Practical Farm Research data and what it shows us over several years of trials. What practices have proved to pay off year after year and what are the emerging trends to be aware of?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We often think that success in farming is measured by the number of acres we farm or the number of livestock we raise. That isn’t necessarily wrong, but Josh Payne helps us look at agriculture from a different perspective, maximizing the profit per acre and creating a multitude of opportunities along the way. We call it “get big or get weird” and I think you’ll find his version of getting weird in farming isn’t that unusual and may just fit all of us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The bottom line is what determines our profit or loss. How can you determine what acres are losing the most money and what changes you can make to get the best ROI on every acre? We visit with a farmer who uses a variety of precision ag tools to help maximize profits each part of every field. No matter how many acres you farm or what technology you use, there are tips each of us can use.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What can we expect for our weather the rest of this winter and into spring and summer? We talk about the 2025 LRC pattern and what it shows we can expect for the coming weeks and how that might impact this season’s crops.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What should agriculture expect from President Trump’s second term? Will we see similar trade policies to those from 2016 to 2020? Brian Grete will provide an outlook for agriculture in 2025, plus share his thoughts on how to best position your operation for profits in a grain market with tight margins.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we conclude 2024, we look ahead to 2025 with an outlook on the soybean market and ways on the industry’s top producers is getting more from his crop. Plus we take a look at things we can do next year to improve our grazing programs to improve efficiency and profits in the beef business.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many have given their careers to improving farming and the industry of agriculture. This story is about a group of people who literally gave their lives in World War II to help save the world from famine. I think you’ll find the story fascinating just as I did!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris Bennett has an eye for the overlooked stories in agriculture. His writings have become fan favorites with his blend of intriguing stories – everything from true-crime to treasures uncovered on family farms. This interview brings the usual interesting mix of topics, including farming's unique tie to the Civil War and today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Thanksgiving we pause to count our blessings and remember the importance of helping others. This group lives that mission everyday and all of us in farm country can learn and apply what they have to share. It's the work of Farm Rescue that we feature on our Thanksgiving edition of the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At Thanksgiving we pause to count our blessings and remember the importance of helping others. This group lives that mission everyday and all of us in farm country can learn and apply what they have to share. It's the work of Farm Rescue that we feature on our Thanksgiving edition of the show.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most of this year's crop is out of the field and in the bin. What did we learn in 2024 to help us for the future? What are the challenges and opportunities as we look to next year? We talk with two farmers in national leadership positions who discuss what they see on the horizon. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The strategy for crop farmers in 2025 may not be how to make a profit, but rather how to lose less money? What can we do to protect the cash and assets we have? What are some of the costs that we can reduce and are there preferred tactics to implement in our current market situation?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Paul Neiffer provides some of the tax strategies we need to keep in mind before year-end. Learn what things can we do to benefit our personal and business bottom line both now and for the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The presidential election is upon us and most consider the outcome to be a toss-up. In a moment I'll take you to a time when the outcome of the race was considered wrapped up and the public awoke to find a very different outcome. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of us live in rural and agricultural America and the success of our small towns ultimately spells the success of our schools, local businesses and civic organizations. But what do you do to help a town that seems to be vanishing, taking all of those important pieces of the community with it? I'll take you to a place that perhaps looks at economic development a little differently and all of us could learn from their example. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How will equipment change to meet the demands of farming in the future? Two young researchers based in Illinois known as the “Soil Sisters” are helping shape those changes and supplying farmers with the data they need to stay ahead on their operations. We'll meet them and their important research. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jason Clay is back and brings with him many thought provoking ideas that can have an impact locally and globally. We discuss the push to grow more with less and how we get there. We discuss everything from school bonds vs. food bonds to potential changes in the farm bill of the future.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many acres of pasture ground have been converted to row crops. Is there a future for grazing cattle? What could you do to make those pastures more profitable so that raising livestock makes sense? We explore technology that helps ranchers better evaluate the decisions they make and how to get more out of the acres that are grazed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most cattle producers put up hay to feed during the year, but do you really need to do so? Eric Bailey says there's a better way to feed cattle that can increase profitability and better utilize forages. We discuss the changes we should consider to run a more efficient operation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Crop margins are tight and every bushel counts. How do you make sure you get every kernel possible out of the field? We talk about pro harvest tips that will help us get the maximum out of our fields. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Higher interest rates and lower commodity prices have put pressure on machinery prices. So is the time to make a deal? Machinery Pete is tracking the data and he says this may be the sweet spot to make a trade. We discuss what segments of the market are falling the fastest and where prices remain strong. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parts of northern Iowa and southern Minnesota were hard hit with too much rain early this season. We talk with farmer Lisa Peterson about her crop and where she's seeing people tightening their budgets. Plus we talk about what it takes to come back to the farm, especially when no one expects you to make the move. How do you navigate conversations with your siblings so you maintain harmony maintain the farm acres to make a living?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pro Farmer Crop Tour recently concluded and it appears a record harvest may be on the way. With lower commodity prices this fall, how should we look to market our grain? Is it the time to sell, store, or take another position in the market. We take a look at the big crop and what to do with it.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It appears that the U.S. will grow a very good, if not record crop this year. However, lower prices have decreased crop margins, making it more difficult to pencil a profit. How is that trend, as well as higher interest rates, impacting land and rental values? Are there signs of weakness? What other areas of the farm economy are being impacted by current trends? We talk about ways to operate with more discipline and evaluate changes in values to make the best plan for the road ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The cattle market continues to move steadily higher, reaching record setting prices. That leaves many people asking how long this trend can continue and what producers should do to protect their gains and prepare for the future. We'll touch on those topics and much more. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many farm families have more than just one child in the family. Passing the operation onto the next generation can have challenges of course. Today we meet a farmer's daughter who began full time production agriculture when her older brother transitioned out of that role. Learn how to think through the steps of moving a farm to a next generation and how to help your daughters succeed in production agriculture as well.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Davis Michaelsen is a man of many talents. We discuss global factors impacting crop and input prices. What are the areas to watch as we move into the second half of the calendar year? Plus, we discuss a new podcast features some of agriculture's best “side hustles” to make extra cash on the farm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.