The Grow Down on Soil Health

On today’s episode, we have John Fulton, Ph.D. He’s here to discuss his research findings and how that information can empower farmers when making decisions on their operations.Learn what has come from his three years of research at The Ohio State University on cover crop seeding with drones as well as tips on how to interpret research results.Meet the Guest:John Fulton, Ph.D., is a professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering at The Ohio State University. He grew up on a truck farm, where he would hand-plant and hand-pick hundreds of acres of fruits and vegetables for market. With that experience, Fulton has developed a passion and research focus in agricultural technology, automation, and environmental stewardship.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

This episode features Michael Thompson, a well-known name in conservation agriculture. Michael is here to discuss his family farm’s journey to implementing conservation practices and the resources he used to make that transition possible, such as building strong peer relationships and finding trusted resources.Hear Michael’s perspective on the importance of livestock in today’s farming landscape, as well as his experience improving soil compaction and organic matter.Meet the Guest:Michael Thompson is a farmer, rancher and 2025 Conservation Ag Operator Fellow. He grew up on his family’s farm in Kansas and enjoyed a career as a full-time teacher before returning to the farm. He’s passionate about preserving the health of his soil and sharing his lived experiences with other farmers on a similar conservation path.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

On today’s episode, we have Hans Schmitz here to share his knowledge on the role cover crops play in farming systems affected by a common variable: the weather.You’ll learn more about the role of cover crops in 4R management systems, nutrient stratification in no-till systems, and slug problems. Hans will also share some of the benefits his farmers have seen with cost-share programs. Meet the Guest:Hans Schmitz currently serves as both a technical advisor with Farmers for Soil Health and a technical assistance specialist with Indiana Ag Nutrient Alliance. His educational background is in agricultural meteorology, which focuses on the effects of weather events such as hail, straight winds and rain on soil health and yields. Hans utilizes this information to help Indiana farmers make agronomic decisions and develop management strategies for their operations.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, such as planting cover crops, to improve the environment and increase farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff, National Corn Growers Association and the Soil Health Institute.The Soil Health Institute’s research and outreach empower farmers, advisors, conservation professionals, and scientists to advance the adoption of soil health systems that contribute economic and environmental benefits to agriculture and society. For free resources, advice, and tools tailored to your region, visit SoilHealthInstitute.org/resources/.

In this episode, we have Mark Eastham, sustainable products lead at leading grocery retailer Ahold Delhaize USA. Mark gives us a better understanding of the retailer's perspective on sustainability.Learn why sustainable practices matter to retailers and how that impacts your operation, as well as what these retailer-supplier partnerships mean for the future of agriculture.Editor’s Note: At the time of recording, the pilot referenced at around the 22-minute mark was with Kellanova. Since then, Kellanova has been acquired by Mars Snacking.Meet the Guest:Mark Eastham is sustainable products lead at Ahold Delhaize USA, bringing 10 years of experience in the sustainability space. In this role, he develops and leads strategies to address both the challenges and opportunities related to Ahold Delhaize USA’s sustainable product portfolio. He collaborates closely with business partners and suppliers to implement these strategies and related policies. Over the years, he has seen growing consumer demand for sustainable products and uses fact-based insights to help Ahold Delhaize USA meet that demand effectively.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

Today’s episode features NRCS Minnesota State Conservationist, Troy Daniell, who will help us take a closer look at the present and future impacts of soil health practices, such as cover crops, on the water cycle and agriculture as a whole. Learn how regenerative agricultural practices and technical assistance can help farmers improve profitability, meet market demands, and protect their soil.Meet the Guest:Troy Daniell is the NRCS State Conservationist for Minnesota. His conservation agriculture career spans nearly 30 years and five states. Troy will share how he has seen increased adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, such as cover crops, and the benefits farmers can experience when they take a “whole systems approach” to their operations.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

For today’s episode of “The Grow Down on Soil Health,” we have Lee Briese with us to break down what any farmer should expect when a crop consultant steps onto their field.Learn how regular visits, strong relationships and a problem-first approach can help farmers make steady progress towards their soil health goals, one acre and one issue at a time.Meet the Guest:Lee Briese is a Certified Crop Advisor and a Crop Consultant with Centrol in North Dakota. With nearly 30 years of experience, he helps farmers choose the right tool for the job, resulting in generations of improved soil health. Lee will tell you about his role as a “plant doctor,” where he meets with farmers, hears their land’s ailments and prescribes a treatment.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

On today’s episode of “The Grow Down on Soil Health,” we have Jeff Chandler here to dive into the impact of conservation barriers and how to find the solutions to overcome them.Learn how better technology, support from peers who’ve been through the same challenges, and hands-on help in the field can give farmers the confidence and know-how they need to try conservation practices, like planting cover crops, for the first time.Meet the Guest:Jeff Chandler is both a Research Coordinator for the North Carolina Soybean Producers Association and a technical advisor for the Farmers for Soil Health program. His farming career began on the family farm and expanded into extension work, research, and outreach. Jeff will tell you he’s in the “relationship business,” and his passion for helping farmers improve their farms is evident in all his work.

In this episode of “The Grow Down on Soil Health,” we have Bill Leigh with us to discuss not only how cover crops, soil health and conservation practices are changing the future of farming and driving opportunities with ethanol and low-carbon markets, but also why these practices matter to farmers on the ground.Hear Bill share how farming is not a hobby; it is a living, so farmers have to make a profit out of it. Learn about how cover crops can help farmers with weed control and good soil health indicators, like earthworms. Farmers don’t often have an “aha” moment because they can’t afford to take the risk in the first place, which is why Farmers for Soil Health provides local support for trying something new.Meet the Guest:Bill Leigh currently serves as a board member of the National Corn Growers Association and has been a leading advocate for conservation and soil health practices, namely cover crops. He is a sixth-generation farmer on his family’s 150-year-old farm.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

In this episode of The Grow Down on Soil Health, we are joined by Courtney Yuskis to explore how new technology and farming practices are shaping farmer profitability and adoption decisions. Courtney breaks down why there’s no “one size fits all” approach when it comes to conservation, especially when weighing the cost of adoption versus return on investment.Hear Courtney share how technology and innovative platforms are helping farmers make more informed decisions about when and how to adopt practices like cover crops. She also explains how programs such as Farmers for Soil Health, with its direct-to-farmer payments and emerging sustainability marketplace, can make a real difference in bridging the gap between practice and profit.Meet the Guest:Courtney Yuskis is the Agriculture Commercial Leader for Sustainability at DTN and is based on her family farm in Illinois. With a background that spans a BS in Business Administration, service with the Peace Corps, work with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the Samoan Ministry of Agriculture, Courtney brings both global experience and local understanding to her role.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

In this episode of The Grow Down on Soil Health, we sit down with Jack Cornell, Director of Supply Chain Resilience at the United Soybean Board (USB), to explore how farmer stewardship and sustainable supply chains are at the heart of Farmers for Soil Health. Jack shares how his personal journey, from Ohio to Hawaii and back, shaped his passion for conservation, and even how his tradition of “Hawaiian Shirt Fridays” reflects a bigger story about connection, community, and stewardship.Jack and host Ben West, Executive Director of Farmers for Soil Health, dive into what sets the program apart from other initiatives, how it directly supports farmers across regions, and the resources available to help producers adopt or expand practices like cover crops.Meet the Guest:Jack Cornell is the Director of Supply Chain Resilience at the United Soybean Board, where he leads projects and partnerships that connect farmers with sustainability opportunities while ensuring profitability remains front and center. With a career path that blends agriculture, conservation, and collaboration, Jack has dedicated his work to building programs that empower farmers and strengthen supply chains for the future.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

On today’s episode of “The Grow Down on Soil Health,” we have Aidan Walton here to discuss the interconnected impact that trust, technology and dedicated conservation specialists have on the adoption of conservation practices in his home state of Illinois.Learn about what drives farmer decisions and how neighbors can impact the start of trying something new. Aidan speaks on honesty and big data, highlighting whether more tillage passes are profitable or not and the most profitable nitrogen application range.Meet the Guest:Aidan Walton is both a precision conservation specialist for the Precision Conservation Management (PCM) Program and a technical advisor for the Farmers for Soil Health program.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

In this episode of The Grow Down on Soil Health, we are joined by Greg Goodwin to explore how economics, efficiency, and trust play a critical role in the future of conservation. Greg breaks down how funding conservation transitions, improving farm efficiency, and earning farmer trust are essential to bridging the gap between farmers and supply chains.Hear Greg share about how advisors can build and maintain trust with farmers, why efficiency is as important for profitability as it is for environmental gains, and how shared value can be created between farmers and the supply chain beyond carbon markets. He also discusses how farm data can be repurposed to generate greater returns for farmers while meeting the sustainability demands of end-users.Meet the Guest:Greg Goodwin is the Director of the Precision Conservation Management (PCM) Program. Since taking on the role, he has helped double the program in just three years. With a strong background in agricultural engineering and soil and water resources, Greg has dedicated his career to helping farmers and conservationists understand the environmental impacts of agricultural practices.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

In this episode of The Grow Down on Soil Health, we are joined by Ryan Heiniger to explore how family, wildlife, and conservation come together to shape a farm legacy that benefits both the land and future generations. Ryan reflects on his journey back to Iowa after years away, the role of his children in carrying forward a fifth-generation farm, and how conservation and profitability can be woven into family farming traditions.Hear Ryan share how habitat restoration shaped his approach to farming, why conservation resonates deeply with farmers as both a lifestyle and an economic choice, and how input prices can be repurposed for conservation techniques. He also discusses the launch of CTIC’s Conservation Connector platform and a new family cover crop seeding business that bridges conservation values with real-world farm profitability.Meet the Guest:Ryan Heiniger is a fourth-generation Iowa farmer and the Executive Director of the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC). With more than 25 years of experience in nonprofit conservation, Ryan has built strong partnerships across agriculture and wildlife organizations to advance sustainable farming practices. He holds a degree in Wildlife Biology from Iowa State University and spent much of his career working in habitat restoration before returning to his family farm along the Mississippi River.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

On today’s episode of “The Grown Down on Soil Health,” Olivia Caillouet, Ph.D., and Erin Gundy detail the benefits of cover crops, highlighting why they are a game-changer for sustainability and soil health.Caillouet is the soil health program manager at the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture, a partner of Farmers for Soil Health. She has a background in agricultural education and extension and an extensive understanding of cover crop adoption and sustainable agriculture. Gundy’s academic background is in agronomy. She is currently a soil health educator with the Soil Health Institute and specializes in corn and soybean systems across the Midwest. The Soil Health Institute is yet another valued partner of Farmers for Soil Health. Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

Today on “The Grow Down on Soil Health,” Kristin Poley guides you through a practical and easy-to-follow five-step process for establishing cover crops in your fields. Topics covered include:How to establish both short-term and long-term goals. Identifying a test area. Selecting species that align with your goals and equipment.Developing both an initial and backup termination plan.The importance of patience and thorough note-taking.Poley has a background in entomology with a focus on pest management. She has extensive experience in various commodities, including tree fruit, vegetables and row crops. Poley is the director of research and agronomy for the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan, Michigan’s Corn Checkoff Program. Additionally, she serves as a technical advisor with Farmers for Soil Health.  Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.

In today’s episode of The Grow Down on Soil Health, we explore soil health and sustainable agriculture practices with Stefan Maupin, the executive director of the Tennessee Soybean Promotion Council. Maupin discusses what is needed to enhance cover crops in Southern states, the reasons behind the popularity of certain sustainable practices in different regions, and the role organizations play in bridging the knowledge and accessibility gap between sustainable practices and farmers.Having grown up on his family’s row crop farm in Dyer County, Tennessee, Maupin spent over 20 years with the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, where he ultimately served as the director of public policy. He currently holds the position of executive director of the Tennessee Soybean Council and is part of the leadership team that oversees Tennessee’s technical advisors for Farmers for Soil Health.Farmers for Soil Health is a program created by farmers for farmers. It is committed to enhancing soil health practices, like planting cover crops, to improve the environment and farmers' profitability. Check out FarmersforSoilHealth.com for more information.This podcast is brought to you in partnership with the Soy Checkoff, Pork Checkoff and National Corn Growers Association.