The Business of Agriculture Podcast

In Agriculture we generally have the perception that farmers as price takers are being short-changed as “middle men” make all the margin. While it's popular to talk about “cutting out the middle man,” how realistic is it to actually happen? Ryan Moe and Todd Thurman join Damian to discuss who these middle operators are, what they do, and whether or not they can be eliminated. In an era of quickly deploying technology and rapid information availability, those in the middle have to add value or they'll go extinct. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag Redox Bio-Nutrients redoxgrows.com Truterra truterraag.com

Ag commodity marketing is too complex, largely misunderstood, and the industry is full of products and services you probably don't even need to profitably market your grain. That truth bomb — along with many more — is courtesy of Joe Vaclavik of Standard Grain. Mr. Vaclavik, a former grain trader turned commodity marketing commentator, says there are only three things a farmer needs to be profitable. Conversely, there are nine things almost no farmer EVER needs to use, including options trading, long range weather prognosticators, and exotic grain marketing contracts. Joe keeps it simple. And blunt. If you're thin-skinned, don't tune into this episode. For the rest of you in Ag, enjoy! Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag Redox Bio-Nutrients redoxgrows.com Truterra truterraag.com

Interest rates appear to be stabilizing, wage and food inflation are still worsening, and predictions for America's Ag sector are a bit dour for 2024. What's going on at the macro-economic level and what does it mean for Agriculture? Compeer's Chief Risk Officer, Bill Moore, joins Damian to discuss inflation, land values, debt, the American consumer, savings accounts, interest rate pressure, price increases, and what impact all these things will have on Agriculture in the year ahead. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Cost of production set a record in 2023 as the most expensive crops ever planted. How things turned out for the P&L statement depended on weather, yield, and how well operators navigated the commodity markets. Prices for land, labor, fuel, machinery, and crop inputs aren't subsiding, nor is the interest rate for borrowed money. All this points to a challenging farm business environment for 2024. Put simply: Crop insurance and adherence to business will matter more in '24. Chris Barron with Ag View Solutions discusses farm finances with Damian. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Canada is the world's number one exporter of oats — a commodity enjoying an upswing in demand thanks to snack bars and oat milk. Did you know almost every bushel of oats goes straight to human consumption? With horse racing's decline in popularity, human oat consumption is the key to future growth. John Bergen and Riley Anderson, Manitoba farmers, join Damian to discuss oat production, exports, agronomics, and the business of oats. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Calvin Koeller's Illinois farm operation is about to lose a couple miles worth of farm land to an electrical grid expansion. This new electric line project was defeated a few years ago but, with support from the Inflation Reduction Act — and some Illinois politics — the Grainbelt Express Electric project is back on track. As currently designed, it's going to cause significant disruption for farmers like the Koellers. Calvin is joined by fellow Illinois farmer John Carroll to discuss infrastructure, eminent domain, and green policy winners and losers in and out of Agriculture. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Currently, pork profitability (or lack thereof) has certain observers comparing the industry to the late '90s when pork was in turmoil. It was that era, in fact, that set the stage for today's (mostly) vertically integrated hog production model using contact grower farmers. Adam Krause, a contract grower, joins Glenn Muller, Executive Director of South Dakota Pork Producers Council in an extensive conversation with Damian about all things pork. The topics: Exports, flavorless pigs, grandma's cooking, African Swine Fever, manure's value, contractual production critics, Proposition 12, Mexican growth, and pig rectums. Tune in!! Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

If you're in business, at some level, you're in sales. So, how exactly would you rate your sales game? Do you ask the right questions? Is your product knowledge keeping up? Do you understand the needs and problems of the customers you seek to serve? St. John (“Sinjin”) Craner, a sales and marketing trainer specializing in Agriculture explains how selling has evolved and why the methods of yesterday won't work in today's Ag. Find St. John Craner at www.ruralsalessuccess.com Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

The Mississippi River is low and that's causing shipping problems for Agriculture. Mark Milam with Independent Commodity Intelligence Services joins Damian to discuss issues of transportation, supply, and distribution of fertilizer for crop year 2024. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

The chasm between beef and dairy is being bridged as the two industries fuse in a trend that could be good for beef, dairy, consumers, the marketplace, and maybe the environment. The advent of sex-specific semen made a whole lot of dairy cow uteruses available. Meanwhile the beef industry needed calves. The result: beef bulls being bred to dairy calves creating calves intended specifically for the beef trade. This trend is upending the marketplace. Ian Wheal of meat supply chain consultancy Breedr joins Nebraska cattleman and founder of HerdDogg — a cattle biometrics company — Andrew Uden for an explanatory dialogue about Beef-on-Dairy. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

As it turns out, we've not always been good to our soil. Fortunately we're starting to better understand the living organism beneath our feet. However, we're still mistreating this valuable asset that's selling for $15,000 to $20,000 per acre in some areas. David Kleinschmidt of Progressive Agronomy and Illinois farmer Mike Imhoff discuss cover cropping, soil biology, advanced soil testing, and programs to help reverse sins against your soil.

Using a $40 million federal grant paid over five years via USDA's climate initiative, DeLong company created the “Grown Climate Smart” program. A 38 branch Ag retailer and grain elevator, DeLong has roughly 250,000 customer acres enrolled in the program that incentivizes wind breaks, cover cropping, tillage reduction, and nutrient management. Now the question is: Will consumers or downstream Ag customers pay a premium or be able to justify a premium associated with “climate smart” designation? DeLong's Dylan Vaca and Wisconsin farmer Randy Hughes join Damian Mason to discuss the challenge of fetching a premium for environmentally conscious commodities. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Farmland prices have been on fire the last couple years. But are those prices peaking? Beyond the huge sale numbers seen on social media, Ag property has been selling well but…there are signs of a cooling off. What can we expect moving forward? Will the institutional investors remain in Ag land? And what are the drivers of farm ground pricing and sales? Howard Halderman of Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management joins Damian in a webinar format. We thought it was so insightful and timely, we're bringing it to you as a Business of Agriculture podcast. Enjoy!

Businesses are encouraged to conduct assessments of their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. In short: What are you good at, what do you suck at, where will tomorrow's money be made, and what things could put you out of business? The most critical element of an effective SWOT Analysis is the ability to be critical. That's why I brought in Ryan Moe, member of The Business of Ag Success Group, Regional Director with StoneX, and unapologetic truth teller. It's a long episode but among my all-time favorites and an awesome, insightful conversation! Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Used machinery markets are heating up earlier than normal. Is this because farmers in need of equipment recall getting shut out during the supply chain disruptions of Covid or is there a used equipment shortage? What are interest rates — more than double what they were just a year or so ago— doing to the farm implement market? Does a farmer need the newest and shiniest machinery in an era of evolving and transportable technology? Is there a place for smaller scale farm equipment in tomorrow's Ag? Is farm machinery a barometer for the greater Ag economy. A predictor of the future? Those questions and more are addressed in this insightful discussion between Damian and Moving Iron's Casey Seymour. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Comet Bio is a technology-enabled food ingredient company that, after eight years, is finally ready to churn out food ingredients. The company extracts fiber — arabinoxylan to be specific — from wheat straw and turns it into an ingredient for food companies to use in food for human consumption. This is a win-win for everyone involved: New demand for an Ag by-product (straw) is always good, creating a product that adds up to 100 times value is even better. Comet's CEO, Rich Troyer explains the process, the product, and the potential. The company's first processing facility is in Denmark, with plans to build and open a facility in North American wheat country in the future. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Organic food sales growth still outpaces conventional, despite food inflation and even after nearly two decades of “organic” being a thing. Additionally, the margins are better for organic. So, how much longer can “organic” grow organically? How do organic chicken farms operate, is it the same as vertically integrated conventional poultry production? Where does the product end up? Lorenzo Bared, VP of Strategy for Farmer Focus, the nation's largest branded organic poultry producer with a business model focusing on independent family farmers. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

I was recently asked by two investor friends of mine, “Damian, if I handed you a billion dollars, where in Ag would you invest it?” The question, as well as the six weeks of pondering it inspired in my head, made me think this was a solid and stimulating topic for The Business of Agriculture. Looking from 2023 and beyond, where within our industry will there be a need for investment capital to fuel expansion to feed new demand? Biologicals? Ag tech? Real estate? Environmental plays using Ag? Food waste? Infrastructure? Rob Saik of AGvisorPRO joins me on this fun discussion. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Silage — in case you're unfamiliar— is high moisture forage chopped and stored for cattle feed, principally dairy animals. It derives its name from the fact we used to blow this forage into silos. That's not done much anymore for reasons of safety, practicality, and scale. The most common method of ensiling and storing cow feed involves piling it on concrete, packing it with a large tractor, then covering with plastic. For reasons of economics and environment — which aren't always opposing forces — the stack and pack silage practice may be changing. Large silage bags such as the 14 x 500 footers used by Iowa dairyman Anthony Nunes reduce feed waste, improve feed quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Nunes joins nutritionist Marc Etchebarne and environmental consultant Jake Schmitz to discuss the future of feed storage. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Regenerative practices have become a new area of focus in production Agriculture. But what about our grazing lands — are we managing those lands for healthier soil, a healthier environment AND a healthier bottom line? Hugh Aljoe and Jim Johnson with Noble Research Institute, an Oklahoma-based ranch and research entity operating on 14,000 acres, join Damian. They discuss the important role grazing land plays in American Ag and methods by which to improve soil, environment, and our balance sheet. With almost double the number of acres in grass and rangeland as there are in crops, proper management can boost beef production while more than offsetting the greenhouse gases released by all of production Agriculture. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

A few years ago there was a great deal of hype surrounding Controlled Environment Ag (indoor farming). Money was pouring into the space from outside investors. Along with the money came the media coverage, which brought more money and more hype. According to some, we were just a short time away from never eating vegetables grown conventionally in fields again. Yet, here we are in 2023 still eating lettuce from Yuma and produce trucked in from California. What happened to the indoor Ag revolution? Walt Duflock with Western Growers discusses the realities of produce farming, while Adam Bergman, Global Head of Ag Tech with Citi discusses the money and business side of controlled environment agriculture.

My farmer friends at XtremeAg say, “The limiting yield factor isn't the seed, it's probably us.” Well, that's not necessarily the case — another huge limiting yield factor is loss due to pathogens. With so many nasty diseases out there, our problem has often been misdiagnosis or a failure to treat our crops before the damage is done. Fortunately, new technology has emerged to detect pathogens before they present themselves. Thus allowing preemptive treatment or, in the absence of pathogens, no treatment which is a win for the environment AND your wallet. Mike Tweedy with PatternAg joins Damian to discuss new innovations in autumn pathogen detection which allows for seed selection and treatment plans months before any problem arises. Sponsored by:
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We're several years into various programs looking to sign up acres for such things as carbon sequestration, nitrogen reduction, cover crops, and other regenerative practices. Yet, there are still not very many acres signed up. Why is that and what will it take to get more acres involved with ecosystem marketing? In this episode Damian asks the questions you've asked him. Why are companies paying farmers to plant cover crops? How much are they paying? Will consumers support these costs in an era of food inflation? Will these programs go away? Tim Meinhold and Laura Kowalski with Primient — a corn processing company — join the discussion with Truterra's Gregg Allard. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

If you're in modern day production Agriculture, you are in business. Probably to the tune of millions of dollars of allocated capital. Yet, many farmers don't flex their money mindset or think like entrepreneurs. This could make for real on-farm struggles moving into an era of high interest rates, consolidation, and demographic changes on North American farms. Evan Shout, CFO of Saskatchewan's HGV (Farms) and founder of FarmerCoach joins Damian to discuss improving one's entrepreneurial quotient, the business side of farming, and how to remedy business mindset shortcomings. Sponsored by:
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Every Summer we begin to analyze crop reports, look at the markets and ask the question, “Will Ag make money this year? And if so, which sectors?” Jarod Creed of JC Marketing & Ag Financial Services joins Damian to discuss farm income, recent ag economic history, political winds shaping or shifting Ag, and other forces impacting farm revenue. The good news: 2023 looks profitable for many. The bad news: We work in a business with plenty of ups and downs…as you'll enjoy hearing Jarod and Damian discuss. Sponsored by:
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We produce a LOT of agricultural output here in the United States and the trend line for increased productivity isn't letting up. So what happens when we run out of places to sell our output or creative ways to burn through our crops as we've done with ethanol or renewable diesel? Will we see calls for controlling the supply through a quota system on production? Damian Mason predicts (with 58% accuracy!) that supply management is in America's future. The reasons why: higher margins, more predictable economics, environmentalist push for reduced food waste, and a call for bigger returns on capital among larger scale operators. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

As you've likely heard me say, we in Agriculture suffer from commodity mindset. When we think of growing margins, we think of reducing costs, getting bigger, and making more with less. But what happens when there's almost no efficiencies to be gained, or worse yet when we make so much stuff that even through efficiencies the margins are paltry due to an oversupply of food? Well, what if I told you that day is fast approaching? Friend of show, Todd Thurman joins me to discuss the future of Agriculture and the inherent need to not just add efficiencies but to also grow revenue and profit margin. Branded products, source verification, niche markets, and environmental impact quotients are just a few of the margin boosters coming soon to an Agriculture near you! Sponsored by:
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The proliferation of biological crop inputs over the last several years has been almost overwhelming. I personally believe soil biology — understanding it and working with the soil versus against it — is the next frontier for production Agriculture. That said, the world of biological soil and crop enhancements is crowded while still a bit murky. What exactly is in those jugs of biologicals, what do they do, how do farmers benefit from them, and will we use more biologicals and less chemistry on farms of tomorrow? Answers to those questions and so many more are in this discussion with Illinois farmer Greg McClure and BWFusion agronomist Sean Nettleton. Sponsored by: 
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Mike Way started his Ag career selling citrus upon graduating from Fresno State. A few years later, he hopped over to vegetables with a few partners. Today he is the CEO and half owner of Prime Time — a California-based grower / shipper / packer of produce specializing mostly in peppers. Mike explains the challenges of providing year-round vegetables to the food service and retail marketplace while also navigating California's increasingly anti-Ag policies. Both of those challenges spurred his business to expand into Mexico. Chances are, you've eaten a Prime Time pepper. If you're looking for the story behind that pepper, here it is. Sponsored by:
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North American farmers are losing valuable bushels of corn and soybeans at both the front and back end of their combines -- those bushels never making it to the grain bin. We in Agriculture have been conditioned to focus on increasing production. But what about the money being lost by losing yield on crops you've already produced? That was the motivation for Craig Ganssle, founder of Farmwave, which uses AI technology to reduce grain loss. Craig is joined by Midwest farmer, Jacob Smoker who explains his results using the Farmwave system. Sponsored by:
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In a year's time, interest rates have more than doubled, commodity prices have declined by roughly 15 percent, while land and cash rent prices are in record territory. So, is everything alright with farm financials? John Maman with Nutrien Financial joins Damian to discuss Agriculture money and the marketplace. No, it's still not the 1980's and yes, you should have a firm understanding of the 5 C's of credit! Sponsored by: 
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If you work in the Business of Agriculture, you likely know of a dysfunctional family farming operation. Contrary to the pastoral vision of farming portrayed in children's books, many farms are stress-filled places to work with family members in conflict, run by narcissistic owners. So says Andy Junkin who works as a farm mediator and advisor to keep family farming operations from imploding. Andy joins Damian to discuss succession plans, working with the next generation, and the 9,000 hour rule. If you're a farmer in that 77%, you may not like what you hear in this episode. Which is exactly why you need to hear it! Sponsored by:
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Farmland values have been on a tear the last couple years. Who's buying America's farms and why are they doing so? Is it true that institutional investors are keeping farmers from expanding ownership? Will interest rate hikes cause farm ground prices to plummet? Are foreigners buying the property next door? Is farmland still a good investment? Should there be restrictions on who can own farm ground? Paul Pittman of Farmland Partners answers all those questions and more — buckle up for a fast moving discussion! Sponsored by:
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Drone technology is evolving at a rapid pace. Will we see a future where unmanned aerial vehicles replace the traditional crop duster? Likely not for a number of practical reasons as well as the technology advancements being made in manned agricultural aviation. A more likely scenario is where drones compliment airplanes (as well as terrestrial application units) for greater precision, reduced product application, and improved production. In this forward looking episode Damian sits down with Bill Reynolds of Leading Edge Aerial Technology, Andrew Moore with National Ag Aviation Association, and Mike Dipaola CCO of Taranis. Sponsored by:
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“Our industry is going to require 60,000 4-year college graduates and we're around 38,000 students graduating from the Ag curriculum currently.” So says Dr. Tom Paulson, department head at Morningside U's Applied Agricultural and Food Studies. Dr. Paulson is joined by Tom Moss and Liz Zoebel, two of 75 students studying Agriculture at the Sioux City, Iowa college. They discuss what they're learning, what they're not learning, where we can help them develop professionally, and much more. Tune in to this spotlight on tomorrow's Ag leaders. Sponsored by:
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Have you noticed steaks and chicken breasts are considerably larger than they were just a couple decades ago? Switching to pork, have you noticed your chops are less flavorful (maybe that explains the popularity of bacon)? Todd Thurman and Nevil Speer join Damian to discuss the meat production model and how we've gotten to a place of less flavor and huge carcasses. Can we reverse this trend by focusing on consumer preferences or will Agriculture continue to focus on production rather than consumers? Profit margins of tomorrow depend on our response to consumer signals. Sponsored by:
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Every five years congress hashes out, argues about, and then releases a new and revised Farm Bill. At least that is what's supposed to happen, although it may not happen for the 2023 version. Paul Neiffer, the Farm CPA, joins Damian to explain the current Farm Bill, predict what's in the new version, and discuss proposed changes. The new Farm Bill's spending is set to grow by 60% -- much of it for nutrition programs — but where else will this money end up? Listen and find out! Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Fact: There will be fewer American farmers ten years from now than there are today. In no way is this meant to be fatalistic or negative, it's just reality. “Peak farm” occurred in 1935 with 6.8 million farming operations in the U.S. The number has been declining ever since to two million farming operations today. Of those two million operations, about 175,000 do almost all the heavy lifting of food production and farm the vast majority of acres. That number is expected to drop as farm consolidation continues. Facing this reality, what strategies should be employed to succeed if your customers are farmers and each year there will be fewer of them? Joel Farley and Eric Lohse of Midwest Ag Advisors discuss their business and what they're doing to expand in the face of Ag consolidation.

When you think of buying a piece of farm ground, you probably think of the very real possibility that the soil is depleted. But what if it's got more than enough fertility and what if you can actually use that banked fertility to lower your taxes? Turns out, per IRS Section 180, you can depreciate excess fertility on newly acquired farm land (purchased, not rented). Alec Bean with Agricultural Soil Management explains this crinkle in the tax code that might make your next farm land purchase a bit better for your tax plan. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Much of American Agriculture is predicted to have a prosperous 2023. But there are concerns. Commodity prices are high but so are inputs. Exports set a record last year but geopolitical strife is simmering on the verge of boiling over. What's the future hold for Ag? Arlan Suderman, Chief Commodities Economist with StoneX Financial and a self-proclaimed “glass half-full” guy discusses farm economics, trade, domestic consumption, burning through over-production, and why the USDA is wrong about China among other things.

The Amazon effect is coming to Agriculture. In fact, it's already here. If you need something on your farm, chances are you can order it up on your smart phone and have it by the end of the week. Even chemicals, seed, and fertilizer. But will Ag retail go away? Not likely, given the proximity, relationship, and handling capacity. Lance Ramthun, founder of Farmerce, discusses his company's incarnation, growth curve, and value proposition. This is a fun and moving discussion about the future of Ag input allocation! Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

All indications are, money is going to be blowing into Agriculture from a myriad of sources over the next year, largely in the form of environmentalism. Is this trend for real? Will the funds come from a new Farm Bill? Are corporate players truly investing in Ag or just covering their tales in the new era of ESG — Environmental, Social, and Governance movements? John Duff of Sero Ag Strategies provides his take on the matter. While carbon sequestration programs are still evolving, nitrogen reduction programs, carbon intensity scores, and even water reduction and quality initiatives are in the offing. While some in Ag look at this new environmentalism with skepticism, there appears to be money behind the movement. Agriculture is a business, which means this revenue stream should be on everyone's radar. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

If you've worked in the Business of Agriculture for one year or the past 50 years, all you've known is increased globalization of our industry. That's changing and the pace of change will likely accelerate during the next decade. Todd Thurman, co-host of The Business of Ag Success Group discusses the rise of globalization as we examine American Ag exports past, present, and future and what tomorrow's global markets might look like. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

North American Agriculture has benefited greatly by China's rise during the last couple decades. But, as you've heard, all good things must come to an end and in this case, the end might not end well. Tensions between China and the west — particularly the United States — have ramped up. And frankly, those tensions aren't likely to subside. In this episode we discuss trade, numbers, and the reasons it's time to start weaning North American Agriculture off the adversarial customer that is China. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

American Agriculture often times suffers from a disorder I've termed Acute Commodity Mindset. Symptoms of this disorder include thinking customers should purchase what we produce — regardless of what they actually want — and resisting opportunities to up-sell higher profit margin products. We saw both of these behaviors in the recent “spat” with Mexico, who initiated a ban on GMO corn beginning in 2024. Mexico softened their stance on Genetically engineered corn after being threatened by American Ag. Unfortunately, we'll take the wrong lesson from this “victory” over our number two Ag customer, who I believe will ultimately look to replace the U.S. as a corn provider. XtremeAg's Matt Swanson discusses the issue. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

A few years ago, it seemed that capital was on every corner looking for a place to invest. But even in those cash-rich days, not a lot of investors looked at Agriculture as an investment objective — aside from biological crop inputs and technology. Then there is Open Prairie, an Illinois-based private equity group deploying investor money into growing agricultural companies. Open Prairie's founder and CEO, Jim Schultz discusses the landscape of Ag venture capital, why he's bullish on Ag, and the future. Mr. Schultz also explains — in simple terms — the process of investing and how his fund works, then he shares some great illustrations citing companies you may have heard of! Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

Luke Roush was just a kid when I met him, now he's managing a diversified Indiana farming operation with his father. We talk about skill sets, strengths, weaknesses, employee management, growth, money, the future, and more. What does Luke see from his perspective? Where are the challenges, and where are the opportunities? How does technology adoption favor his generation? What concerns do the next generation of farmers have? Most importantly, what excites tomorrow's farmers? It's all here! Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

A shovel full of soil contains billions of microbes, thousands of bacteria, and a biological complexity we're only beginning to understand. With the advent of soil sampling, we've generally tossed out macronutrients in large quantities and started to look at micronutrients. But we've not done much when it comes to predicting pathogens. So, we've either treated unnecessarily for disease and pathogens, or we've suffered yield loss oblivious to the pathogenic pressure. Those days are done — or at least they can be. Mike Tweedy with PatternAg explains Predictive Agronomy. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

More than half the states in the U.S. are considering “right-to-repair” laws according to a recent article. Legislation at the federal level is being pushed by Montana senator Jon Tester. Pushers of “right-to-repair” regulation position themselves as victims of big equipment companies. Big equipment companies, on the other hand, claim they have the right to void warranties if owners put the wrenches to their increasingly sophisticated machines and, in doing so, make a mess. Ultimately, I believe this issue will resolve itself as equipment gets increasingly complex and as the ownership model morphs into more of a subscription. Fred Simkin, right-to-repair proponent and engineer joins me for a discussion (and occasional disagreement) on the subject. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

I've been hearing the complaint, “it's hard / impossible for a young person to start out in farming these days” for decades. Recently, an interviewer went down this road about the struggle of young people to get into farming and blamed the phenomenon on “corporate-ization.” You've no doubt heard this complaint yourself, but is it even true? If it is true, why is it? In this episode I provide some historic perspective, numbers, data, outlook, and reality: that commodity production favors scale and size, whether you're in the business of making corn or manufacturing copper. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

Kelly Garrett is an entrepreneurial farmer from western Iowa. His business interests include farming, trucking, plant food distribution, ag retail, and now: direct to consumer beef. Kelly joins me to discuss the motivation behind creating GLC Beef and the opportunities for increasing profit margins by becoming vertically integrated. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com