Farm Food Facts

Dave Mensink, pig farmer and owner of Mensink Farms in Minnesota shares how he’s keeping an eye on potential on-pack labels that provide consumer education about how animal products were raised and produced.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts guests, Chip Bowling, third generation grain farmer from Maryland and Vice Chair of US Farmer and Ranchers in Action, and Jennifer Gannon, director of programs and public relations at Maryland Grain Producers, discuss the Make America Healthy Again movement and its impact on agriculture.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Dr. Bruno Basso, professor of earth and environmental sciences, at Michigan State University, and Jeff Sandborn, a fourth-generation farmer in Michigan. They discuss yield stability analysis and how Jeff uses the data to inform his nutrient management decisions, lower his costs and increase profits.     USFRA’s study with Dr. Bruno Basso and Dr. Jerry Hatfield: Enhancing farm profitability through nitrogen efficiency and yield stability  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts guest Adam Shrif, Vice-President of Supply Chain at Culver’s, shares how they are closely monitoring cattle herd size to ensure a consistent supply of fresh, never frozen butter burgers.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Chip Bowling, third generation grain farmer from Maryland and Vice Chair of U.S. Farmer and Ranchers in Action (USFRA) and Kevin Burkum, CEO of USFRA about a comprehensive new study from S&P Global Energy and USFRA, "Fueling Agriculture: Biofuels as the Catalyst" The research offers a detailed, evidence-based assessment of how biofuels can unlock agriculture's potential.  Resources: FuelingAgriculture.com Fueling agriculture: Biofuels as the catalystWatch: Congressional Leaders, USDA & USFRA Share New Research on the Future of Agriculture, BiofuelsTo stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Adam Shrif, Vice-President of Supply Chain at Culver’s. They discuss supply chain management (especially as it relates to it’s beef supply), how data enhances its guest experience, and the importance of farmers and ranchers to Culver’s growth strategy. Adam spotlighted the Thank you Farmers Project and Culver’s commitment to USFRA.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts guests Greg Hanes, Chief Executive Officer for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, and Terry Quam, fourth generation beef farmer and board member of the Cattleman’s Beef Board and U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action, share why maintaining positive consumer sentiment towards beef and cattle production is critical for the future of the industry.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Chip Bowling, third generation grain farmer from Maryland and Vice Chair of US Farmer and Ranchers in Action, and Jennifer Gannon, director of programs and public relations at Maryland Grain Producers. They discuss this year’s planting season, weather and input cost challenges, and the opportunities biofuels can provide for agriculture.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Greg Hanes, Chief Executive Officer for the Cattlemen’s Beef Board, and Terry Quam, fourth generation beef farmer and board member of the Cattleman’s Beef Board checkoff and board member of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action. They discuss the future of the beef industry, consumer demand, export strategies, and industry collaboration.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts guests, Adam Grabenstein, a fifth-generation farmer and a board member for the Nebraska Corn and USFRA, and Kelly Brunkhorst, Executive Director of Nebraska Corn, share how Nebraska farmers are keeping tabs on input costs, weather, and exports which ultimately impact farmers’ bottom line.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. *Recorded 4.13.26

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Dave Mensink, pig farmer and owner of Mensink Farms in Minnesota, and Kevin Burkum, CEO of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action, about key themes they discussed during their panel at the Animal Ag Tech Summit, including nitrogen efficiency, water quality management and other challenges facing the pork industry.   Items referenced in the podcast: Enhancing Farm Profitability Through Nitrogen Efficiency and Yield Stability 2025 Minnesota Pork Board Environmental Steward of the Year Animal Ag Tech Summit  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Adam Grabenstein, a fifth-generation farmer and a board member for Nebraska Corn Board and USFRA, and Kelly Brunkhorst, Executive Director of the Nebraska Corn Board. They discuss the important role of the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association, the organizations’ focus areas, emerging research and future goals.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts welcomes Greg Goodwin is Director of Illinois Corn’s Precision Conservation Program (PCM). With planting season upon us, in this timely episode he explains how PCM delivers results by improving farmer profitability and soil health on a field-by-field, pass-by-pass basis. Learn more about how PCM works with famers to improve tillage, cover crop and nitrogen management strategies.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Austin Gellings, Senior Director of Agricultural Services for the Association of Equipment Manufactures and Willi Ortner, Strategic Product Manager for Kubota, shares how the MAHA movement and increasing consumer interest in where their food comes from is impacting the agriculture sector.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Ian Welsh, co-founder and chair of Innovation Forum, shares how he’s seen The Future of Food and Beverage Forum USA evolve over the last seven years, including an increasing emphasis on resilience, precision agriculture and farmer profitability. Learn more and register for The Future of Food and Beverage Forum USA. To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Austin Gellings, Senior Director of Agricultural Services for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM is a member of USFRA) and Willi Ortner, Strategic Product Manager for Kubota, about the new sanitary design standard for specialty crop equipment. The S664 DEC2025 Direct to Consumption Specialty Crop Machine Hygienic Design Requirement is available on ASABE's website. To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

This episode was originally aired on April 25, 2025 and it was a top performing episode on Farm+Food+Facts.  U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action established an independent scientific working group to analyze the potential for U.S. agriculture to collectively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and possibly achieve a state of negative emissions, or emitting fewer total GHGs than are sequestered. The resulting report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative,” was peer-reviewed and published. In this episode, we dive deeper into one of the key areas of opportunity outlined in the report: Nitrogen fertilizer management.Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Dr. Bruno Basso, professor of earth and environmental sciences at Michigan State University, as they discuss how nitrogen management can help improve farmer profitability and reduce emissions. They explore the nitrogen cycle, emerging technologies, precision agriculture and other tools to be successful.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Ian Welsh, co-founder and chair of Innovation Forum. Ian and his team will be hosting The Future of Food and Beverage USA, a national conference being held May 27-28 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, that will feature more than 250 farmers, leading brands, retailers, traders, investors and policy makers. This episode explores key topics that will be discussed at the event, including regenerative agriculture. USFRA (farmer board members and staff) will be speaking at the event.  Learn more about the Food and Beverage Forum here. Register for the forum here.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.   

Gary Wickham, founder and CEO of MagrowTec, shares how he’s watching how AI will fit into agriculture and how we can turn data into meaningful interactions.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Meryl Richards, program director of Food & Forests at Ceres, explains why she is excited about the rapid evolution of new technology in agriculture.    To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Greg Shoemaker, North America Commercial Director at Cargill and a USFRA board member, discusses artificial intelligence's impact on agriculture and how he challenges himself to learn more about it.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Meryl Richards, program director of Food & Forests at Ceres about how investors and companies are working with farmers to improve sustainability.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Greg Shoemaker, North America Commercial Director at Cargill and a USFRA board member, about the company’s seven-generation history, it’s strategic focus in the dairy division and how it helps improve profitability for farmers.  Resources:  Cargill website  Cargill Dairy MAX Dairy | Animal Nutrition - United States To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Carla Schultz, owner of Eight Plates Farm in Michigan and a United Soybean Board farmer-leader, and Patrick Giberson, owner of Giberson Farms in New Jersey and a United Soybean farmer-leader and a USFRA board member, discuss what they are keeping an eye on in 2026, including the loss of farmland and challenges in the carbon credit space.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Gary Wickham, founder and CEO of MagrowTec, about how better spray performance is reducing grower input costs and down time, and what questions to ask agronomists.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Dr. Tom Richard, retired professor from Penn State University, explains how photosynthesis can be an important tool in solving our climate challenge.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report on the “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Carla Schultz, owner of Eight Plates Farm in Michigan and a United Soybean Board farmer-leader, and Patrick Giberson, owner of Giberson Farms in New Jersey and a United Soybean farmer-leader and a USFRA board member, about the 2025 cropping year, new uses of soybeans and challenges facing the industry.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Dr. Tom Richard, retired professor from Penn State University, about agricultural energy systems and the myriad of opportunities for farmers to improve efficiency. To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report on the “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Dr. Jerry Hatfield, Retired Laboratory Director, USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment and Dr. Bruno Basso, Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Michigan State University, provide three practices farmers can implement to increase nitrogen efficiency. Learn more about the study here: Enhancing Farm Profitability Through Nitrogen Efficiency and Yield Stability To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report on the “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Dr. Jerry Hatfield, Retired Laboratory Director, USDA-ARS National Laboratory for Agriculture and the Environment and Dr. Bruno Basso, Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Michigan State University, about USFRA’s new study, “Enhancing Farm Profitability Through Nitrogen Efficiency and Yield Stability.” We cover the new analysis, what conservation and technologies support it, how to manage low- and high-yield zones and improve profitability.  Thank you to the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative for supporting this new research.  Learn more about the study here: Enhancing Farm Profitability Through Nitrogen Efficiency and Yield Stability To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report on the “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Serena Schaffner, Chief Marketing Officer at the American Pecan Council and the American Pecan Promotion Board discusses how artificial intelligence could impact the pecan industry.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Serena Schaffner, Chief Marketing Officer at the American Pecan Council and the American Pecan Promotion Board provides an overview of the U.S. pecan industry, including domestic and international marketing strategies, grower challenges and research that is identifying new opportunities.   Resources:  https://eatpecans.com/    https://americanpecan.com/   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Dr. Sally Flis, Director of Sustainable Ag Programs at Nutrien shares how she’s keeping an eye on the biofuel space and the opportunities it could have for farmers with the 45Z tax credit and other incentives.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Dr. Sally Flis, Director of Sustainable Ag Programs at Nutrien, about Nutrien’s 2024 Sustainability Report. We cover the big takeaways on nitrogen efficiencies, agronomics, the impact of technology, and more. Resources: 2024 Nutrien Sustainability Report The FARMSMART podcast  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Jamie Fisher, Managing Director of Farmer for Sustainable Food, and Paul Cornette, dairy farmer and owner of Cornette Dairy, talk about the importance of connecting farm data to the supply chain, and how farmers use tools like glyphosate for conservation efforts.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Paul Cornette, dairy farmer and owner of Cornette Dairy, and Jamie Fisher, Managing Director of Farmer for Sustainable Food (FSF), about how FSF is making a positive impact for farmers and their communities.   Resources: A Framework for Farm-Level Sustainability Projects Producer-Led Group Roadmap: A guide to farmers and partners in conservation Peninsula Pride Farms Sustainability Projects  Farmers for Sustainable Food Projects  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Doug Berven, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at POET and a USFRA board member, speaks to the current state of the agriculture economy. Learn more here.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Doug Berven, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at POET and a USFRA board member, about the importance of E-15, popular fuel choice around the world, opportunities for infrastructure updates and technology advancements.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Dawn Caldwell, Executive Director of Renewable Fuels Nebraska talks about the benefits carbon dioxide pipelines in Nebraska will provide. Dawn also shares how we must find ways to interest the next generation in agricultural careers.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Dawn Caldwell, Executive Director of Renewable Fuels Nebraska, about the status of the ethanol industry, E15, the “Golden Nebraska Triangle,” export markets and more.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Terry Quam, a fourth-generation beef farmer and member of the Cattleman’s Beef Board and of U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action, as they discuss conservation efforts, soil carbon management, price of technology, beef genetics and future goals.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Jacqi Coleman, Senior Vice-President of Sustainability Partnerships and Stewardship, and Bridgett Hilshey, Senior Director of Sustainability Projects, both at Dairy Management Inc., share what they are keeping an eye on in the space of environmental sustainability.  And check out the Dairy Conservation Navigator, created by the U.S. Dairy Checkoff, a platform that simplifies complex sustainability topics by sharing educational materials and technical insights. To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. 

Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza talks with Jacqi Coleman, Senior Vice-President of Sustainability Partnerships and Stewardship, and Bridgett Hilshey, Senior Director of Sustainability Projects, both of Dairy Management Inc., about the Dairy Conservation Navigator. It is a free online platform that consolidates science-based information about dairy conservation topics and the practices and technologies that reduce a farm’s environmental footprint.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here.  

Join us as Jennifer Gannon, director of programs and public relations for the Maryland Grain Producers, shares insights on what to consider when exploring on-farm solar projects.   To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Jennifer Gannon, a farmer and director of programs and public relations for Maryland Grain Producers, as they discuss research her group co-led to better understand the impact of changing climate conditions on Maryland growers, conservation practices farmers are implementing amid those changes, and farmers’ perspectives on the potential for revenue through carbon markets.To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Join us as Logan Thompson, Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist at Kansas State University, and Ermias Kebreab, Associate Dean for Global Engagement in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, as well as Director of the World Food Center at UC Davis, share what practices they are excited about in the space of animal production and management.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action established an independent scientific working group to analyze the potential for U.S. agriculture to collectively reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and possibly achieve a state of negative emissions, or emitting fewer total GHGs than are sequestered. The resulting report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative,” was peer-reviewed and published. In this episode, we dive deeper into one of the key areas of opportunity outlined in the report: the potential for enhancing animal production and management. Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Logan Thompson, assistant professor and Extension specialist at Kansas State University, and Ermias Kebreab, associate dean for global engagement in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, as well as director of the World Food Center at UC Davis, as they explore this opportunity. Discover the range of opportunities available to farmers and ranchers and the importance of financial sustainability. To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Join us as Dr. Romulo Lollato, associate professor of agronomy, Extension wheat and forage specialist at Kansas State University, provides insights on the challenges of estimating global warming potential per unit of nitrogen fertilizer that is applied, especially in semi-arid conditions. To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report , “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action has introduced a groundbreaking report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” In this episode, we dive deeper into one of the key areas of opportunity outlined in the report — the crop production yield gap. Join Farm+Food+Facts host Joanna Guza and Dr. Romulo Lollato, associate professor of agronomy, Extension wheat and forage specialist at Kansas State University, as they discuss the difference between actual crop yield and the potential yield that could be achieved under optimal conditions using the best practices, technology and inputs. They explore how narrowing this gap can help mitigate emissions.    To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to be Greenhouse Gas Negative.” 

Join us as Dr. Elizabeth Ellis of Colorado State University shares her insights about how farmers are increasing soil carbon storage with practices already in place.  To stay connected with USFRA, join our newsletter and become involved in our efforts, here. Check out USFRA’s report,“Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative.”