FARMCON Conversations

NEW FARMCON PODCAST – This week’s conversation begins with Kevin and Todd breaking down the USDA Acreage and Quarterly Stocks reports and what they believe the numbers are really telling us about corn demand, acreage, and the market’s outlook heading into the heart of the growing season. Kevin explains why he believes the long-term downside for corn and soybean prices may not be as low as many assume, why demand and technology continue to reshape agriculture, and what he’ll be watching next as weather and future USDA reports take center stage. The discussion then broadens into risk management, investing, entrepreneurship, and artificial intelligence, including Kevin’s thoughts on building positions during volatile markets, separating investing from gambling, and why AI has the potential to dramatically reshape entire industries over the next decade. Whether you’re a producer, investor, business owner, or simply someone trying to make better decisions in an increasingly uncertain world, this episode is packed with timely insights and practical takeaways. We think you’ll enjoy the conversation.

NEW FARMCON PODCAST – This week Kevin and Todd start out with a brief discussion on grandparents actively involved in their grandkids’ lives. Kevin shares why you might not want to trust the view from the road in wet areas and why he believes the overall downside for corn and beans may not be as low as it has been in the past 20 years thanks to demand and technology. Todd then asks Kevin about his buy high and sell higher philosophy and how it applies across his investments. Kevin closes out the show with some great advice for both founder/owner/entrepreneurs and the investors who support them. You’ll want to listen in to hear some solid advice about one of the most important rules Kevin learned in Chicago – my money and their experience will probably at some point become my experience and their money!! Great lessons for all, don’t miss it.

NEW FARMCON PODCAST – This week Kevin discusses the why’s and what’s of a new series in the report… “Building an Agriculture Brand.” He and Todd also share that they are soon to release a business consulting arm to their ventures, to help anyone trying to build and scale an ag business. In his commodity comments, Kevin speaks to his belief the “globalization” is dead, “just-in-time” deliveries are going away, and what that means for the ag supply chain and logistics. He also spends a few minutes reminding producers of the three elements required for a true bull run in commodities. All that and lots more in this engaging episode!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST – This week Kevin and Todd start out sharing the realities of getting older and facing it head on. Then, Kevin shares his current thoughts on the commodity markets and the pair dive deep into “data” in response to a reader’s email following our Scope 3/Biological Pivot story on Monday. Kevin goes on to share his perspective on the “higher for longer” rate debate surrounding the Fed, as well as the upcoming SpaceX IPO and how he is positioned and what history might teach us about them. Lots of great depth in this one so don’t miss it!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST – This week Kevin Van Trump shares his current thoughts on commodities, why he and the family “background” some of their real estate investments and how he got where he is by taking action while others are still researching their next steps. The two then discuss how most people get in their own way while trading, investing and making business decisions. Kevin goes on to share a quote that changed his mental model for his business related decisions and expands on his recent story about ag investment failures, explaining why product-market fit is his primary focus before cutting any capital checks. If you are looking to better position your business and investments, this episode is not to be missed!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST – This week Kevin Van Trump shares his “bushels are bullets” perspective in regards to his crop marketing, along with other relevant analogies to help producers see the big picture and know when to fire their guns! Kevin and Todd dive into the Macro arena where yields and the stock markets are high and consumer sentiment isn’t. Just a reminder that the stock market is not the economy, as they discuss what you should be keeping your eyes on. Kevin goes on to share his hard-earned ag tech investing approach – if you invest in the space, DON’T miss this part near the end. Another great episode you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… This is a not-to-miss episode with Kevin Van Trump, Todd Loechler, and Walter Cronin of White River Nutrition, a U.S. soybean processing company. Stay tuned all the way through to find out why Walter says the U.S. soybean farmers need to hold on because you’re going to see a great decade ahead. Leading into that Kevin shares his commodity outlook and his positions. Kevin also lays out his macro narrative for the markets, Fed, and his investments. In addition to Walter’s strong belief in what lays ahead for soybean growers, he addresses the actual physical market impact of the new record biomass-based diesel RVOs over the next 6 to 12 months, and whether soybean oil or protein meal will ultimately lead the complex, plus much more. This is an masterclass in physical market dynamics and big-money strategy that you cannot afford to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler start out by breaking down the latest WASDE numbers and what they mean for you. They also dive into current crop conditions, planting progress, wheat ratings, and the potential impact of Trump/Xi talks plus standalone E15 legislation. Kevin shares his thoughts on why markets are hitting records amid high oil prices, sticky inflation, and geopolitical uncertainty. The two also discuss the AI “railroad” moment in agriculture, and what ag retailers, co-ops, and family operations should be building or preparing for right now. In addition, Kevin shares his early mistakes in his investing career. Straight talk, current data, and real strategic perspective. Don’t miss this one.

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down with Joe Sinclair, Founder and CEO, Quality Ag Service of Iowa, to discuss the current crop market conditions, planting concerns, and perhaps more importantly, where fertilizer and input prices might be headed. Joe also provides some valuable insight from the ag retail perspective on farm budgeting, the impact of see-and-spray technology, and the need for greater farm diversification. The group also talks about important strategies for building an ag business in today’s world, as well as discussing some of the bigger mishaps and mistakes they have each made along their individual journeys as entrepreneurs. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down to discuss their latest moves in the corn, soybean, and wheat markets. Kevin discusses why he likes making backend sales in both corn and wheat, but is a bit more hesitant in the soybean market. There’s some extensive talk about the importance of weather and war headlines and how they are impacting our agricultural markets. Kevin also provides his perspective and thoughts on input prices, and how interest rates will play out in the second half of the year. The group also takes a deeper dive into the impacts of AI, and how they are positioning their investments into the big changes ahead. Kevin talks in detail about what he is looking to invest in and what he doesn’t want to invest in. There’s also conversation and in depth talk about the future of human employment and what degrees and job opportunities might be best for our children to consider. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down to discuss the latest in geopolitics and how long fuel and fertilizer prices might stay elevated, and what that means for corn, soybean, and wheat prices. Kevin also takes the time to explain his marketing game-plan for this growing season and what he is thinking about 2027 prices. There’s also some great discussion around Kevin’s current investments, what he looks for when investing in private companies, and some key insights and hacks for better positioning and building businesses. The group also discusses the future of AI and how it might further impact our lives and our investments. There’s also some personal life talk and great conversation around failing and taking risks. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down to discuss their updated corn, soybean, and wheat outlook, along with recent sales and new price objectives. There are also some deeper discussions about the importance of “time” in our grain marketing programs. Kevin and Todd also discuss investing in the collectible tractor and farm equipment market. The future of interest rates, the US dollar, and gold and silver. How AI is starting to change the investment world. Investing in SpaceX pre-IPO. And some personal life talk about working to become a better person, husband, parent, and grandparent. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down to discuss the current corn, soybean, and wheat markets and also provide their updated sales targets. There are also discussions about the current conflict in the Middle East, rising input costs, rising interest rates, and how all of this might impact Wall Street, Main Street, and rural economies. Kevin also talks about his current investments in gold, bitcoin, and collectibles. The conversation also touches on the importance of working towards becoming a better long-term investor, what that takes, and why it’s so important. Also, ways to work with the kids and grandkids to teach better financial responsibilities. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down to discuss the current corn, soybean, and wheat markets and also provide their updated sales targets. There is some debate about the latest USDA data regarding new-crop planted acres. There are also discussions about the conflict in the Middle East, along with Kevin’s current thoughts regarding the stock market, and what he likes buying and does not like buying in the current landscape. There’s also more color added around the bearish worry that rising energy prices will keep inflation elevated, vs. the bullish argument that, as AI advances, it becomes increasingly deflationary for the overall economy. With this in mind, Kevin explains why he doesn’t see the Fed raising rates any time soon, but can still see the possibility of a rate cut in 2026. The conversation concludes with some deeper thoughts about society as a whole, and reflects on the rather cautionary tale about what happens when a social species outgrows its behavioral infrastructure faster than it builds new ones. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down with special guests Gary Lezak, Founder and CEO of Weather 20/20, to discuss the upcoming planting and growing season weather forecasts and how Gary and his team is bringing unparalleled weather data and predictive analytics to the world of agriculture. Kevin and Todd also get into a deeper discussion about the current conflict in the Middle East. And specifically how things might play out in the coming months for interest rates, the stock market, gold and silver, fuel costs, inputs, etc. Kevin also shares his new price targets for upcoming corn, soybean, and wheat sales; What to expect from the upcoming biofuel announcement and what US new-crop acres might look like in the upcoming USDA Prospective Planting Report. The group also talks about a few alternative investments and some personal interest regarding family wealth building. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!   If you’d like to learn more about the LRC and how it can help your decision making this year click HERE.

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down with special guests Jay Felton, Partner at Lathrop GPM LLP, and proud fifth-generation Missouri farmer, to discuss the future of AI on the farm and the workplace. Deeper discussions about the future of glyphosate and where herbicides and pesticides are headed. The group also discusses current corn, soybean, and wheat markets. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East and how it might ultimately impact US and global ag producers. The group also talks about their latest investments, various portfolio adjustments, how they are playing gold, silver, and bit coin, selling farm ground, and investing in the collectible space. The group also talks about a fun new auction app they are using called “WhatNot”. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down with special guests Tom Willis, CEO, Conestoga Energy Holdings to discuss important developments in the biofuel (RVO’s, E15, 45Z, 45Q, SAF, etc..) and ag sectors. The group also discusses current corn, soybean, wheat, and cattle markets. The recent USDA report and what 2026 might look like for producers and end users. The group also talks about their latest investments, various portfolio adjustments, and how they are playing the conflict in the Middle East. There’s also talk and conversation about the future of interest rates, gold, silver, and land prices, etc… This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

NEW FARMCON PODCAST… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down with special guest Carter Williams, CEO, iSelect to discuss important developments in the ag sector and US military development. Carter consults and spend a considerable amount of time with leaders in Washington, so his insight and perspective is extremely important to understand. The conversation also dives deeper into AI and how it could reshape our industry as well as others. The group also dives into current geopolitical uncertainties and provides more structure and detail as to what they see happening with US military action and where all of this might lead. Kevin also provides listners with his thoughts regarding the current corn, soybean, and wheat markets and how he is positioning his marketing and investment portfolio in these uncertain times. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down in this episode and discuss current corn, soybean, and wheat markets. NEW price targets for upcoming CORN and SOYBEAN SALES, and thoughts regarding recent WHEAT SALES. The team also discusses NEW stock positions and overall portfolio adjustments based on shifts and changes associated with AI, increased tech spending, and the new tariff rulings from the Supreme Court. There is also some great discussion about investing in private equity, how to play longer-term investments, what signals the bond market might be sending, and some psychological hacks to becoming a better trader. Kevin also talks a great deal about some of his latest investments in REAL ESTATE and COLLECTIBLES, and how he decides what to buy and when to sell. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss! 

In this episode… Thoughts on the current corn, soybean, and wheat markets after the USDA report, why Kevin is currently holding bearish corn and soybean positions, new positions in gold and silver, some interesting conversation about the future of AI and how it might impact the US economy and generational wealth building efforts, immigration, the Super Bowl, and much more!

In this episode… Thoughts on the current corn, soybean, and wheat markets after the USDA report, why Kevin is currently holding bearish corn and soybean positions, new positions in gold and silver, some interesting conversation about the future of AI and how it might impact the US economy and generational wealth building efforts, immigration, the Super Bowl, and much more!

In this Episode… A Discussion on Current Corn, Soybean, and Wheat Markets, Recent Volatility in Gold and Silver, Stock Market Direction, Some Conversation About Position Sizing, How Kevin Uses New Prediction Markets to Gain Some Additional Market Insights, and Much More With Special Guest Jeff Hoffman.

In this episode… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down and discuss current corn, soybean, and wheat markets, year-round E15, Chinese bean buying, and winter weather worries. The pair also discusses the Fed, who will be the next Fed Chair, when we will see the next rate cut, and why Kevin remains short the US dollar, and a few recently added new stock positions. There is also some conversation about gold and silver, investments in foreign stocks, and some extremely valuable trading and investment rules that Kevin has acquired through the years. The conversation also dives into some recent collectible purchases, land prices, inflation, and a few new books being read. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

In this episode… Kevin Van Trump and Todd Loechler sit down and discuss current corn, soybean, and wheat markets, including price targets for both the 2025 and 2026 crops. The pair also discusses the current macro and geopolitical wild-cards and how they are positioning their current investments, including stocks, metals, real estate, land, etc… There is also some conversation on a few hot collectable ideas, the interest rate outlook, and a great conversation about the future of AI and how it might impact jobs and businesses. The conversation also dives into some great family-building ideas and thoughts on building legacy-style businesses. This is a fantastic conversation you don’t want to miss!

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels sit down with Dave Parker and Tom Willis to discuss current thoughts regarding new tariffs, trade war, crop prices, biofuel, sorghum seed, and policy changes for agriculture in 2025. There are also lots of other great topics discussed. This is an episode you don’t want to miss heading into next week! 

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels sit down with Tom Willis to discuss current thoughts regarding the government shutdown, administration changes, trade war, biofuel, and policy changes for agriculture in 2025. There are also lots of other great topics discussed. This is an episode you don’t want to miss before the New Year!

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels sit down with Emily French to discuss current thoughts regarding longer term outlook on soybean prices heading into 2025, trading weather threats moving forward, opinions on grain demand projections for 2024/2025, sub $9.00 soybean futures on the horizon, Chinese demand for US grains over the next decade, loopholes in the renewable fuel market, why we are paying attention to the soy oil market, what needs to take place in Brazil during planting for a significant rally in the market, how interest rates will impact storage capabilities after harvest, widening spreads in the corn market, wheat opportunities going into Q1, how the current market conditions will start affecting land values, upcoming treasury auctions, strength of the US dollar, why we like the thoughts of precious and industrial metals longer term, upside potential in the stock market, and how the trade war plays out depending on who is elected in November. There are also lots of other great topics discussed. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels sit down with Mark Bishop to discuss current thoughts regarding the grain markets, option opportunities before harvest, updates on the rice market, what happens if we don’t get a trade war if Trump is elected in November, down side risk on wheat, money circulation in the stock market, how many rate cuts we will actually see coming up, national debit concerns, why we like the thoughts of precious and industrial metals longer term, current alternative investments coming across our desk, and our top stock picks at the moment. There are also lots of other great topics discussed. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels sit down with Braden Hudye, Co-Founder at Altrus Capital Investments, to discuss current thoughts and opinions regarding the markets, what is going to happen in the 2024 US election, recessions thoughts we’ve been talking about the last 18 months, precious and industrial metals outlook the rest of 2023, why a few of us like the thoughts of holding copper longer term, current positions in crude oil as well as natural gas, what all of us are doing with Benson Hill, our top stock picks at the moment, current thoughts on land values, and lastly, current thoughts on the crop market. There are also lots of other great topics discussed. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels sit down with Carter Williams, CEO at iSelect Fund, to discuss current thoughts and opinions regarding the markets, what the Argentina crop looks like, export outlooks moving forward, relationships with China, theories behind the Chinese balloon, new developing possibilities with Russia, overall economy outlooks from all three investors, and the introduction to the iSelect Ag Tech Rolling Fund. There are also lots of other topics discussed culminating with Kevin, Andy, and Carter providing their favorite nearby trades and investments. Enjoy!

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels sit down with professional traders Mark Bishop and Dakin Bushner to discuss current thoughts and opinions regarding the markets, yield predictions, dislocation of grain, export headwinds, Russia & Ukraine tension, where the dollar might be heading, the FED’s next move, thoughts on Brazil, inflation, input availability for spring of 2023, how we may be on the verge of a food crisis, energy prices, precious metals, and much more! The group laughs a bit as they’re not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing in today’s market:) But as always, the Highly Volatile team delivers giving their honest and unbridled opinion on corn, soybeans, wheat, energy, and the overall market. There are also lots of other topics discussed culminating with Kevin, Andy, and guests providing their favorite nearby trades and investments. Enjoy!

Special Guest: Jeffrey McPike from WASEDA Commodities is one of the most respected names in the industry. McPike graduated from Yale University in 1980. After graduating he began a long and successful career in the commodity business. McPike began his career at Continental Grain Company working in North Dakota, Minnesota, and New York, specializing in wheat and feed grains trading. He was with J.Aron & Company until the mid-90s where he focused on physical and derivative trading in the global wheat markets. McPike later became the Head of Wheat Trading at Goldman Sachs before establishing his own trading and consulting firm, “McWheat Trading”. Formerly, McPike also worked at McDonald Pelz Global Commodities, an international physical commodity brokerage firm. He has also worked for two different grain importing firms out of Egypt, and with Cefetra BV to help them expand their origination base in Central and Eastern Europe and the UK. McPike is currently a member of the WASEDA Commodities LLC team, working with clients across the Ag commodity supply chain to develop and implement successful strategies. McPike is also a frequent presenter at U.S. Wheat Associates’ conferences and global conferences in the Middle East and Africa.

In this episode of Highly Volatile, four veteran traders Kevin Van Trump, Andy Daniels, David Parker, and Mark Bishop provide their insights and opinions about the market’s current landscape and the hurdles, pitfalls and opportunities that might be encountered in the journey ahead.   

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels sit down with professional traders Bob Steele and Mark Bishop to discuss current thoughts and opinions regarding the markets, input costs, inflation, energy, precious metals, crypto’s, transportation, and much more. Interestingly, this podcast has more combined years of experience than any Highly Volatile podcast produced in the past. The group laughs a bit as they are not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing in today’s market:) But as always, the Highly Volatile team delivers giving their honest and unbridled pinion on corn, soybeans, wheat, rice, and even oats. There are also lots of other topics discussed culminating with Kevin, Andy, and guests providing their favorite nearby trades and investments. 

Big markets can make big moves so we thought it was time to circle the wagons with some experienced traders and hear their perspective on where we are headed and how to best play the opportunity as a spec and a producer. Enjoy the fireside chat!  David Parker, Professional Trader at Olam – David is a graduate of Harvard University and a 40 year veteran of agricultural markets working the commercial side of the business with the likes of Continental, The Andersons, Ferruzzi, and Nidera.

Big markets can make big moves so we thought it was time to circle the wagons with some experienced traders and hear their perspective on where we are headed and how to best play the opportunity as a spec and a producer. Enjoy the fireside chat! Accept our apologies in advance on the background noise. We recorded the conversation on Friday afternoon and think a couple of us were already kicking off the weekend:) 

Joel Ross began his career in Wall St. as an investment banker in 1965, where he handled public offerings, mergers & acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and other corporate advisory matters for a variety of clients. During the seventies he was CEO of North American operations for a UK based conglomerate where he acquired and oversaw six companies. He also sat on the parent company board. In 1981, he began his own firm handling leveraged buyouts and investment banking, as well as financing real estate syndications. In 1984 Ross began providing investment banking services and arranging financing for real estate transactions with his own firm, Ross Properties, Inc.In 1993 Ross and a partner, Lexington Mortgage, created the first Wall St hotel CMBS program in conjunction with Nomura. They went on to develop a similar CMBS program for another major Wall St investment bank and for five leading hotel companies. Lexington, in partnership with Mr. Ross established a hotel mortgage bank table funded by an investment bank, and making all CMBS hotel loans on their behalf. These were the first capital markets financing programs for hotels to be created since 1989, and it reopened Wall St to the hotel industry.In 1999 he formed Citadel Realty Advisors as a successor to Ross Properties Corp., which focuses on all types of real estate investment banking. This includes raising equity, mezzanine capital and debt for individual properties as well as entities, and advising individuals on the formation of new entities for which he then raised the equity funding. In addition to the US, Citadel has arranged the financing for numerous office and industrial transactions in the UK and Paris. He has closed over $3.0 billion of financings for office, hotel, retail, land and multifamily projects.Mr. Ross was co-master developer for a 240 acre brownfield mixed use development in Sacramento, CA., while continuing the investment banking practice in New York. He was also a founder of Market Street Investors, a brownfield land development company. Mr Ross is also involved in the acquisition of notes on defaulted loans and various REO assets in conjunction with several major investors.Mr. Ross has served as an expert witness in eight court cases testifying on debt structures, interest rates, markets and development. He was an adjunct professor in the graduate program at the NYU Hotel School. He is a member of Urban Land Institute and was a member of the leadership of his ULI council. In 1999, he conceived and co-authored with PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Hotel Mortgage Performance Report, a major study of hotel mortgage default rates.Mr. Ross is a graduate of the Wharton School and served two tours in Vietnam with the US Navy.

Listen in as KVT and Benson Hill CEO, Matt Crisp talk unfiltered about the future of agriculture, some of their favorite investments, new books they are reading, and how they are collectively working to bring premium crop opportunities to growers across the U.S. This is a great conversation with the CEO of the most talked-about ag-tech startup in the industry.   Benson Hill recently closed a $150 million Series D funding round led by Wheatsheaf Group and GV (formerly Google Ventures). The company’s leading food innovation engine CropOS taps nature’s genetic diversity to develop and commercialize healthier and more sustainable food and ingredient options that benefit farmers, food companies of all kinds, and ultimately, consumers. This funding round accelerated the food-tech company’s efforts to deploy its platform technology, expand partner development across the supply chain, and scale product commercialization efforts. The funding round attracted diverse investors recognizing the company’s strategic business model and potential including Argonautic Ventures, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), Emart, GS Group, Louis Dreyfus Company, iSelect Fund, Fall Line Capital, Mercury Fund, Prelude Ventures, Prolog Ventures, S2G Ventures, and additional strategic and family office investors.Benson Hill leverages Cloud Biology®, a discipline combining the power of data science, machine learning and AI techniques with plant biology and genomics. CropOS is the platform that makes this discipline actionable, significantly accelerating the precision and speed of product development. Benson Hill’s technology platform and collaborations empower the creation of healthier and more sustainable feed, food and ingredient options that consumers are seeking, while also delivering strong crop performance that farmers demand. 

 The group talks about their current and longer-term investments and outlooks. Topics discussed included the current agricultural markets, what’s happening on Wall Street, investments in precious metals, cryptocurrency, real estate, energy, and more. This is a great conversation that you don’t want to miss. We start talking more ag market specifics later in the conversation, so make sure to stick around!

Emily is one of our good friends and considered one of the absolute best in the business. If you have any money invested in agriculture this is a must-listen. As usual, Emily delivers and provides some very interesting insight. I am truly blessed to know so many smart people and happy that I can share. Take the time and listen to her thoughts on prices moving forward and her overall global perspective of agriculture. We all have to guide our own ship through these waters but it’s nice to get a look at someone else’s map who regularly travels to other lands and sees things from a different persepctive than our own backdoor. Take the time and fully digest this one!

Kevin Van Trump and Andy Daniels host a roundtable discussion with their sons Jordan Van Trump and Drew Daniels. Both Jordan and Drew trade and invest, so the topics of conversation are very interesting and offer differing perspectives. The discussion starts with current thoughts on the ag markets and how the group plans to play their hand into 2021. The topics then move to other outside investments, such as stocks, gold, land, guns, bitcoin, etc… There are a lot of interesting thoughts and perspectives shared that make it worth the listen. Hope you enjoy.Happy New Year from our family to yours!

NEW “Highly Volatile” Zoom Call:  Farming, Food and Conversations About Our Future with Mary Shelman, Carter Williams, Travis Potter and Kevin Van Trump. This is one you don’t want to miss as I speak with Mary Shelman, Founder at the Mary Shelman Group and Advisory Board Member at Village Capital; Carter Williams, CEO at iSelect Fund; and Travis Potter, founder at Tractor Soda.

This is one you don’t want to miss as Jordan and I discuss the current grain markets, what’s happening in Bitcoin, the shift towards a paperless money world, post corona thoughts, Thanksgiving turkey news, AgSwag updates, and current investment ideas.

NEW “Highly Volatile” Zoom Call: Corona, Crop Prices, the Election, and Investments with Tom Willis and Greg Beck. This is one you don’t want to miss as I speak with Tom Willis, CEO at Conestoga Energy; Greg Beck, Senior Vice President of the Grain Division at CGB; and Andy Daniels about some hot topics of debate. Overall, we will be discussing our latest thoughts on the upcoming election, crop prices, how coronavirus is popping up again, and current investment ideas.

This is one you don’t want to miss as it features Andy Daniels, Carter Williams, John Newton, Darwin Melynk and myself. Overall, we discuss hot topics that are having and will have impact on our businesses and lives including the China trade deal, grain markets, our overall economy, the upcoming Presidential election, the growing wealth gap, and much more!

Jim Meyer is an accomplished CEO and CMO in marketing services and technology with more than 30 years of experience in media, advertising, research, and technology. Senior advisor in growth strategy and transformation. Team builder, motivator, change agent. Ad tech pioneer. Experienced board director and compensation committee chair in public and private companies. Jim is currently the Managing Director at Golden Square, which is a company that works with CEOs and their executive leadership teams to design and activate transformational growth initiatives. Before Golden Square, Jim served as the Executive Director as well as CMO at GroupM for three years. At GroupM, Jim helped take to market the [m]PLATFORM technologies and service organization, which helps clients apply deep audience insights throughout their campaigns so they reach their customers and achieve their marketing goals.  Before both of those positions, Meyer was the first North American CMO at Ipsos, a global market research agency, where he built a robust marketing team. Meyer has deep experience in the creative and research sides of advertising, with leadership roles at WPP’s JWT and Kantar TNS, among others. He was also the CEO and co-founder of Mindset Media, a strategic partner to WPP and GroupM prior to its acquisition by Meebo and Google. In addition, he also served on the Boards of ON2 Technologies and TheStreet.com, during crucial commercial development phases. Meyer has also applied his strengths in marketing strategy and brand development leading consulting practices in market segmentation, customer management, and pricing at Novantas and The Cambridge Group.  Meyer also attended Duke University earning a Bachelors Degree in Management Science and a Masters Degree in Organizational Behavior. In addition, Meyer has a strong passion for quail hunting and horse racing. 

Andy Daniels and Kevin Van Trump talk about how they will be trying to position themselves in the markets ahead of the harvest and highly anticipated November U.S. presidential election. Hear thoughts regarding stocks, crude oil, gold, corn, soybeans, rice, etc… There are also some good BBQ tips and talk. For those who might not know, Andy’s BBQ team has had some high competition finishes, so it’s interesting to hear from a seasoned pro as we all kick the grills into high gear this summer.  Look for some exciting guests on the “Highly Volatile” podcast series in the second half of 2020. There are some big names lined up.  Have a great Independence Day!!! 

Joel Ross began his career in Wall St. as an investment banker in 1965, where he handled public offerings, mergers & acquisitions, leveraged buyouts, and other corporate advisory matters for a variety of clients. During the seventies, he was CEO of North American operations for a UK based conglomerate where he acquired and oversaw six companies. He also sat on the parent company board. In 1981, he began his own firm handling leveraged buyouts and investment banking, as well as financing real estate syndications. In 1984 Ross began providing investment banking services and arranging financing for real estate transactions with his own firm, Ross Properties, Inc.In 1993 Ross and a partner, Lexington Mortgage, created the first Wall St hotel CMBS program in conjunction with Nomura. They went on to develop a similar CMBS program for another major Wall St investment bank and for five leading hotel companies. Lexington, in partnership with Mr. Ross established a hotel mortgage bank table funded by an investment bank, and making all CMBS hotel loans on their behalf. These were the first capital markets financing programs for hotels to be created since 1989, and it reopened Wall St to the hotel industry.In 1999 he formed Citadel Realty Advisors as a successor to Ross Properties Corp., which focuses on all types of real estate investment banking. This includes raising equity, mezzanine capital and debt for individual properties as well as entities, and advising individuals on the formation of new entities for which he then raised the equity funding. In addition to the US, Citadel has arranged the financing for numerous office and industrial transactions in the UK and Paris. He has closed over $3.0 billion of financings for office, hotel, retail, land and multifamily projects.Mr. Ross was co-master developer for a 240-acre brownfield mixed use development in Sacramento, CA., while continuing the investment banking practice in New York. He was also a founder of Market Street Investors, a brownfield land development company. Mr. Ross is also involved in the acquisition of notes on defaulted loans and various REO assets in conjunction with several major investors.Mr. Ross has served as an expert witness in eight court cases testifying on debt structures, interest rates, markets, and development. He was an adjunct professor in the graduate program at the NYU Hotel School. He is a member of Urban Land Institute and was a member of the leadership of his ULI council. In 1999, he conceived and co-authored with PricewaterhouseCoopers, the Hotel Mortgage Performance Report, a major study of hotel mortgage default rates.Mr. Ross is a graduate of the Wharton School and served two tours in Vietnam with the US Navy

Michael Lewitt is the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Investment Officer of Third Friday Management, LLC a hedge fund, private equity and merchant banking firm located in South Florida. He is also the Chief Investment Officer of the Platinum Group USA Ltd., a merchant banking firm focused on investments in the Middle East and Asia.Lewitt has over 30 years of investment experience and successfully managed large credit portfolios through the 2001-2002 and 2008 credit crises. In 2016, his firm Third Friday Management, LLC was named Hedge Fund Manager of the Year by Wealth & Finance magazine in the UK and The Third Friday Total Return Fund, L.P. was named “Best US Options Hedge Fund Strategy (Since Inception)” by BarclaysHedge.Mr. Lewitt is widely recognized as one of the few investors and strategists to forecast the credit crisis of 2001-2002 as well as the global financial crisis of 2008. Mr. Lewitt co-founded Harch Capital Management in 1991, where he produced strong risk-adjusted returns managing non-investment grade credit portfolios for clients including Omega Advisers, Inc., Texas Teachers Retirement Plan, Los Angeles County Employee Retirement Associations, Investec Bank (UK) and Goldman Sachs.Prior thereto, Mr. Lewitt was a member of the Corporate Finance Department at Drexel Burnham Lambert in Beverly Hills, CA. Mr. Lewitt began his career as an associate in the tax department at the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett in New York City. Mr. Lewitt is the editor and publisher of The Credit Strategist, a monthly newsletter covering economics, politics and markets read around the world. He is also the author of two highly regarded books, The Death of Capital: How Creative Policy Can Restore Stability (John Wiley & Sons, 2010) and The Committee to Destroy the World: Inside the Plot to Unleash a Super Crash on the Global Economy (John Wiley & Sons, 2016). His writing has also appeared in The New York Times, The New Republic and many other publications.Michael graduated Magna Cum Laude from Brown University with honors in Comparative Literature and History. He also received his JD and LLM in Taxation degrees and from New York University School of Law and was a PhD candidate in Comparative Literature at Yale University. Mr. Lewitt is a member in good standing of the New York State Bar.