Ohio Field Leader Podcast

There is more than the topography that is “rolling” at Rolling Fields Company in Perry County.  When Keith Dennis and his wife Jane purchased the farm in 1976, this rolling farm ground had water rolling any time it had a heavy rain, cutting deep gullies. Erosion was a huge concern.  Since 2011 Keith has planted cover crops and began utilizing the Haney Soil Health test.  Now the rolling fields are green and covered with a mixture of cover crops. Today the main things rolling are the numbers and data on spreadsheets from over a decade of soil health test results. Dusty and Keith discuss the farm's transition to high productivity on this episode of the podcast and look ahead to the future. 

For over a quarter century Matt Reese of Ohio's Country Journal has been covering the story of Agriculture and its' people. In those years Reese has seen a number of major changes in the soybean industry in Ohio. From No-till planting, to Round-up Ready, to Soybean Aphids and Soybean Rust, to White Mold and Specialty IP beans, Reese has covered many of the stories that have impacted soybean farmers all across the Buckeye state. In the episode, Dusty visits with Matt about his time at OCJ and all the changes he has observed, as well as some lessons learned along the way.

In this episode, Dusty visits with a farmer, podcaster, boilermaker, professor, meteorologist, grain marketer, and canoe livery owner, all rolled into one - Ryan Martin. For decades, Ryan has been forecasting agricultural weather and reporting for numerous organizations. He has also been analyzing grain markets and trade patterns, regularly sharing his valuable insights with farmers and college students alike. As a farmer, Ryan has a unique perspective on the agriculture industry and the opportunities and challenges that the future holds.

It is known as the invisible yield robber. Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is a leading cause of lower yields in soybean fields across the country with no noticeable symptoms above ground on the plant. In a recent news release from the SCN Coalition, SCN has been identified in over 30 additional counties across the country. That is in addition to the counties that it had previously been detected in. That new number includes two new counties in Ohio. Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora is an OSU Extension Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist. Dr. Lopez-Nicora has been working aggressively to help farmers identify fields with SCN populations and develop strategies to manage their presence of the pest and lower those populations. Dusty visits with Horacio on this episode to discuss the recent survey results and management strategies that farmers can employ to deal wtih the spread of SCN.

The first Ohio Field Leader Podcast for 2025 features Dusty visiting with Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora, OSU Extension Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist. Dusty and Horacio take a look back at the 2024 growing season and the stress factors that impacted soybean production from a disease pressure standpoint and things we can take away from it as we look ahead to the 2025 crop year.

In Episode 51, the final OFL Roadshow of 2024 visits the Century Farm of Todd Hesterman in Henry County. Todd has been extremely active in conservation efforts for over two decades and has served on the Henry County SWCD Board as well as the Conservation Action Project (C.A.P.) and on both the Ohio Soybean Association Board and Ohio Soybean Council Board. Todd's love for farming and stewardship of the land while working alongside his family is very evident. Todd's understanding of keeping the legacy of a family farm alive by improving it and passing it on to the next generation is at the heart of what he does. 

In episode 50, the Ohio Field Leader Roadshow travels to Stark County and the Spilman Farms. Dusty visits with Matt Spillman about their multi-generational family farm and the unique challenges and opportunities of cash grain and livestock farming in Stark and Tuscarawas counties with his uncle and brothers. They discuss everything from the 2024 growing season to Deere tractor pulling trophies to deer wall mounts.

In Episode 49, the Ohio Field Leader Roadshow traveled to Fairfield County to visit with John Hummel. John and his wife Kacy farm with John's Uncle and Father growing Corn and Soybeans in Southern Franklin and Northern Fairfield Counties. Dusty and John discuss the challenging weather year that 2024 has presented, and what it is like for a multigenerational farming operation to plan for the future in an environment with constant residential and commercial development pressure. They also take a look at the valuable work of commodity organizations and the Ohio Farm Bureau in developing young people to take on the challenges that the industry will face in the future and the importance of the relationships that are developed along the way. 

The month the Ohio Field LeaderPodcast is a doubleheader. The names Craftsman, Stanley Black and Decker, MAC Tools, and Dewalt all have immediate recognition. In this episode, Dusty is joined by Scott Porter, CEO and Founder of Dynamic Green Products. Dusty and Scott discuss how Dynamic Green Products is working in concert with those recognizable names to put more soybeans to use in everyday lives. Then Dusty and Matt Reese from Ohio's Country Journal are joined by participants on the recent Ohio Crop Tour (Sponsored by the Ohio Field Leader, a project of the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Check-off) to share highlights from around the Buckeye state.

In episode 47 of the podcast, Dusty visits with Allen and Andrew Armstrong on the Ohio Field Leader Roadshow in Clark County. Allen and Andrew discuss their multigenerational family farm and how the operation has changed over the years. With a mind for business and finding the best practices and technologies that fit their operation, the Armstrong's analyze their farm by the bushel rather than by the acre. Through the years they have their grown farm and served their community, providing leadership to organizations and made an impact at the local, state and national level.

In the July episode, Dusty visits with Jeff McKanna and Robert Gray about the history of Shady Lawn Farms and the multiple generations involved today. They discuss the adoption of new technology on the farm and the financial side of growing an operation. The work of the Ohio Soybean Council is also multigenerational at Shady Lawn, as both Lyle McKanna and Jeff McKanna have served on the commodity organization's board of directors.

The Ohio Field Leader travels to northern Wood County and Eckel Grain Farms and Cattle Company located just outside of Perrysburg, Ohio. Dusty visits with Nathan and Nick Eckel about their operation and the challenges and opportunities that present themselves when farming on the edge of suburbia and near the epicenter of the water quality issues in the Western Lake Erie Basin and Maumee River watershed. Along with their brother Nolan, these farmers combine grain farming, raising livestock, and educational research along with service to the agriculture industry as a part of their everyday life.

The Ohio Field Leader Roadshow colides with social media influencer Farmwithzoe on Episode 44. Dusty visits with Zoe Kent to discuss soybean farming, social media and it's role in promoting production agriculture to the general public, and the importance of succession planning. 

The Ohio Field Leader is hitting the road again in 2024 and the first stop is in Hardin County at the farm of Austin Heil. Learn how this 6th generation farmer gains inspiration from his Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Nicholas, who came to America in 1828, and started the farm in 1839. The family farm they still operate today. Dusty and Austin talk about agricultural technology and transitions and the future of the industry.

In 2023 the presence of White mold in soybeans across many parts of Ohio was very concerning. The negative yield impact caused many growers to ask serious questions about research and management practices that they could implement on their farms. Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Plant Pathologist and Nematologist at The Ohio State University, and Dr. Wade Webster, Plant Pathologist at North Dakota State University visit with Dusty to discuss the past growing season in Ohio, what we know about White mold in soybeans, and management strategies for farmers moving forward.

In Episode 41 Dusty visits with Ohio farmers who are serving in leadership capacities with Soybean Check-off organizations. Steve Reinhard serves as Chairman of the United Soybean Board, Bill Bayliss is the newly elected President of the Ohio Soybean Council, and David Clark serves as Vice President of the North Central Soybean Research Program. Each of the members share about the specific function of their respective organizations and their goals for the coming year.

Barry McGraw, founder and CLO of Airable Research Lab joins Dusty for the first podcast of 2024. They discuss the idea behind this one of a kind research facility housed at Ohio Wesleyan Univeristy and funded by Ohio Soybean Farmer's Check-off.  Airable provides early-stage soy-based matierials research and is responsible for a number of new soy based products and pattents. 

Dusty visits with Gary Baldosser on the final leg of the Ohio Field Leader Road Show in Seneca County.  Dusty and Gary discuss the Baldosser's multi-generation family farm and how having a plan for the future is critical for sustaining the growth of both the physical operation and family involvement.

Dusty visits with Jack Sommers at Mark IV Farm in Champaign County to discuss their family heritage in the pork business, and their use of no-till and cver crops in the Mad River Valley. There are some similarities between feeding hogs and feeding the microbes that live in the soil and Jack shares some of the insights he learned in his time as an OSU Extension Agent and implementing the practices on his own farm.  

This episode features Rusty Goebel, Williams County farmer and Vice President of the Ohio Soybean Council. Dusty and Rusty discuss crop and livestock production in the Northwest corner of the state, and the importance of teamwork on the farm and with family members, employees and commodity organizations.

On this special episode of the podcast, Dusty is joined by Dr. Horaico Lopez-Nicora, Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist at The Ohio State University, to discuss soybean diseases from the past growing season, and things to pay attention to for as we go into harvest.

Farming near an urban center has unique challenges. Dusty is joined in this episode by Matt Sullivan of Circle S Farms in Franklin County. Matt along with his wife Amy and their sons Caleb and Timothy and Caleb's wife Claire operate Circle S Farms serving the greater Columbus, Ohio metro area. Over the years the operation has evolved from a traditional crop and livestock farm in the 1950's, to a large turkey farm, to a traditional cash grain operation, to a diversified vegetable operation, to now an agritourism farm. The Sullivans still grow corn and soybeans, but also pumpkins and sunflowers. Join Dusty and Matt as they talk about the journey of this family farm and the opportunitites and challenges of farming near a large metro area.

In episode 34 of the Ohio Field Leader Podcast, Dusty visits with Roy Klopfenstein, Paulding County Farmer, and member of the Ohio House of Representatives. Dusty and Roy discuss the current growing season and some of the unique production and marketing opportunities the Klopfenstein's utilize. They also discuss the importance of service to the community and agricultural industry as well as the recently passed Ohio state budget and agricultural provisions included.  

The OFL Podcast for this month is on the road again with the latest Ohio Field Leader Road Show. Join Dusty at the Farm of Bob Suver in Clark County. Bob is a member of the Ohio Soybean Council and serves on the Market Development Committee. Along with being a 35 year no-till soybean producer, Bob also travels abroad developing markets for Ohio soybeans. He explains the ongoing work of USSEC and WISHH.  Dusty and Bob discuss no-till soybean production as well as market development both at home and abroad, and how check-off dollars make it happen.

On this episode, the Ohio Feild Leader Roadshow makes a stop in Crawford County at the farm of Steve Reinhard.  Steve is a soybean farmer and seed dealer, and also serves as Vice Chair of the United Soybean Board. Dusty and Steve discuss the spring planting season of 2023 and also the important work of the United Soybean Board leaveraging check-off dollars for farmers in Ohio and all across the country.

The Ohio Field Leader Roadshow is back for another year, and takes center stage for the podcast as Dusty visits with Jed Bower, a fifth generation farmer from Fayette County. Dusty and Jed discuss the past year as well as the early spring and upcoming planting season. They discuss the multiple markets available to corn and soybean farmers in Southwest Ohio. They also talk about some of the land use challenges faced all across the State of Ohio with industrial development taking prime farmland out of production, and what that means for rural communities and to farmers in the future.

Dusty is joined by Ohio State University Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist, Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora discussing the latest research into soybean pathogens, and in particular the work being conducted investigating Soybean Cyst Nematode. Dr. Lopez-Nicora explains the importance of knowing if a soybean field has a population of SCN and if it does, what the number is and also identifying the specific population in order to be able to plan an effective management strategy. They also discuss the continued resistance that is developing within the SCN populations to various resistance traits, such as PI 88788.

Soybean research does not happen in a vacuum. Often times it is interdisciplinary. On this episode of the OFL Podast we will visit with Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist, and Dr. Mitch Roth, Molecular Mycologist. Both of these gentlement work for Ohio Soybean Farmers every day to try to improve the health of Ohio's Soybean Crop. They analyze soybean pathogens form the genetic level all the way up tothe field level to help farmers make better management decisions.

Ohio's soybean farmers invest everyday in research to improve production and protect the environment. The Ohio Soybean Council, through the soybean check-off, funds numerous research projects taking place at The Ohio State University.  On this episode we will get an update from Dr. Kelley Tilmon, Dr. Scott Schearer , and Dr. Laura Lindsey about the latest updates on their check-off funded research projects. Dr. Tilmon will update us on the latest stink bug information. Dr. Schearer will provide an update on the use of ag drones to detect and treat for crop stress in soybean fields. Dr Lindsey will share the results of a two year study looking at early soybean planting dates and the possible interaction wtih cover crops.

For the first podcast of 2023, the Ohio Field Leader looks ahead to the future.  This is a look beyond 2023 to the needs of agriculture in future generations with the help of the Ohio Soybean Council's check-off funded GrowNextGen program. Dusty visits with Jane Hunt to learn more about this educational program that takes science into the classroom to educate and inspire young people to consider agriculture and the soybean industry in their future. Dusty and Jane look back at the last 10 years of GrowNextGen and what is ahead in terms of hands-on learing, educational activities, careers, and resources for teachers and students alike.

This edition of the podcast features the final stop of the Ohio Field Leader Roadshow for 2022 at the farm of Keith Kemp in Preble County.  Dusty and Keith talk about growing soybeans in a drought, the value of precision agriculture and new seed technologies, and the booming soybean oil market and "green oil".

The Ohio Field Leader Podcast followed the OFL Roadshow to Buck Farms in Marion County to talk about the use of biologicals in crop production and the importance of on farm trials and following the data.

The OFL Roadshow traveled to Wyandot County and Hord Farms for this issue of the podcast. Dusty visits with Pat Hord to disucss soybean's number one customer, livestock. Hord Farms is comprised of both crop production as well as hog and cattle production. Hord is a multigenerational farm and utilizes the lastest technology in both livestock and crop production including environmental stewardship parctices.

In this special episode of the podcast, Dusty visits with Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora about important fall pre and post harvest activities farmers should keep in mind when managing SCN and other soybean diseases for the future.

The Ohio Field Leader Roadshow is the  focus of this month's podcast as Dusty traveled to Fulton County to visit with Les Seiler about the conservation practices they implement on their farm. Dusty and Les discuss cover crop production, conservation tillage and no-till, and a two-stage ditch that was constructed to reduce erosion and improve water quality. Along the way they also discuss having a continuously growing crop, planting green, soil health, water quality, and pollinator habitat created by the two-stage ditch. All these practices working in conjunction to benefit to the total environment.

This episode of the podcast follows the Ohio Field Leader Road Show to Jenera, Ohio and the farm of John Motter. Dusty and John discuss raising low linoleic soybeans and the switch to high oleic soybeans. They also discuss the history, present and future of soybean oil and the over 864 different ways soybean oil is currently used for both food and industrial applications, many of which have been generated by research funded by the Ohio Soybean Council and soybean checkoff.

This episode features the Ohio Field Leader Roadshow stop in Ashtabula County at the farm of Jeff Magyar. Jeff is currently Chairman of the Ohio Soybean Council. Jeff discusses the unique aspects of farming in Ashtabula County, water quality efforts in the Northeast corner of Ohio, and the work of the Ohio Soybean Council, as well as what he learned from a tower grain dryer fire last spring.

The Ohio Field Leader Roadshow visits Shelby County and Knouff Farms, where Dusty visits wtih Patrick Knouff, President of the Ohio Soybean Association. Patrick is a farmer, seed dealer, and has served in several leadership roles with the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Association.  They discuss the current planting season, Shelby County recently being included in H2Ohio, and the future of the soybean industry and work of the Ohio Soybean council and Ohio Soybean Association.

On this episode, The Ohio Field Leader Roadshow resumes for 2022 at Neill Farms in Washington County, Ohio. Dusty catches-up with Jonah Neill to discuss intensive soybean management and high yielding soybean production. Neill Farms has raised over 100 bushel per acres soybeans for two years. 

Ohio Soybean Association President, Pat Knoff, and Ohio Soybean Council Secretary, Nathan Eckel, join the podcast to discuss the work of both organizations and how their efforts benefit Ohio's Soybean Farmers. They discuss current challenges and opportunities that face the industry and initiatives for the future.

On this episode of the podcast, Dusty is joined by Dr. Erdal Ozkan, Professor and Extension State Specialist for Pesticide Application Technology at The Ohio State University to discuss the latest research in sprayer technology and enhancements to reduce off-target movement of pesticides.

Soybean Cyct-Nematode is a yield and profit robber of soybean growers throughout the state of Ohio. Horacio Lopez-Nicora, Assistant Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology at The Ohio State University discusses his research into this pest and the economic impact it makes on farmers. Horacio also discusses the free program available to farmers to submit soil samples for SNC analysis to "Know their Number".

John Finer is this month's guest, discussing a unique and potentially valuable highly embryogenic soybean line that has been isolated from Thorne. This variant has the potential to reduce the bottleneck for producing transgenic and genome edited soybeans.

For this episode of the podcast, Dusty and the OFL Roadshow are in Logan County at Tighe Farms, which is a pasture based Jersey Dairy Farm in the process of transitioning to organic production. The land has already been certified organic, and the Cows are in the process of being certified. Dusty is joined by Gina Tighe to discuss the transition and the organic production of soybeans and milk.

Dusty is joined by Chris Rodabaugh on his 150 year old family farm in Hardin County to discuss soil stewardship, wetlands, no-till and cover crops on their multi-generational farm.

The Ohio Field Leader Roadshow is in Wood County Ohio visiting with Shane Meyer of Countryside Land Management discussing the transition from conventional farming to conservation tillage and strip-till, to cover crops and organic farming.

This months podcast joins the Ohio Field Leader Roadshow live from McGlinch Down Home Farms in Darke County. Dusty and Greg discuss all the conservation efforts the McGlinch family has undertaken in recent years, and also takes an interesting look at how rye cover crops led to growing, cleaning, and milling grain for a local distillery.

On this podcast, the OFL Roadshow was live at VanTilburg Farms in Mercer County. Dusty is joined by Matt and Luke VanTilburg to discuss cover crops and other conservation practices implemented on their farm, as well as managing water quality, the use of pivot irrigation and moisture sensors, and a large dairy operation.

Episode 9 features the July Ohio Field Leader Road Show traveling to Putnam County Ohio and Siebeneck Farms. Dusty is joined by Mark Siebeneck to learn all about their farm, conservation practices, the Farmer Advocate for Conservation Program, the H2Ohio program, and a unique piece of farm equipment that can interseed cover crops while sidedressing corn.

Episode 8 of the OFL Podcast was recorded live during the OFL Roadshow at the farm of Lowell and David Myerholtz in Sandusky County. Lowell, David and Dusty discuss the 2021 planting season, strip-tillage, nutrient management and other technologies, conservation programs, and capitalizing on investments.

Dusty is joined by Glen Arnold, Manure Nutrient Management Specialist for The Ohio State University Extension to discuss his research applying liquid livestock manure to a growing soybean crop using a drag hose system and the potential impact on crop damage and soybean yield.