The Business of Agriculture Podcast

Per the Indiana Department of Agriculture, hardwoods are my home state's largest agricultural industry in terms of economic impact. That's why I thought it was time to give timber it's due credit. Ray Moistner, Executive Director of the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen's Association and Brett Franklin of Tri-State Timber sit down with me to talk wood. You'll learn some things you didn't know about the lumber business. Like for instance, there are more acres of forest east of the Mississippi than there were a century ago. And, the forestry business is responsible for $10 billion of industry just in Indiana. Also like every other aspect of Agriculture, you'll hear about the PR battles the forestry industry faces from activists.

Jay Hill wasn't a farm kid but at age 16 he decided he wanted to be a farmer. He went about pursuing his professional vision by joining forces with his father — who wanted Jay to attend college — by producing onions on the ten acres his father owned. Jay also worked for a produce company for 14 years, all the while learning the ins and outs of Agribusiness. Today, Jay operates or is partnered on a few different ventures. He's mostly a grower and marketer of produce but he's also into packaged alfalfa with his latest endeavor, Chaffhaye. You'll enjoy this discussion with an entrepreneur in the Business of Agriculture.

Starbucks made an announcement pledging to do its part to save the world. The coffee chain, with 31,000 stores worldwide, will "encourage" customers to opt for dairy alternatives rather than cow's milk to accent their over-priced beverages. I explain why Starbucks chose milk as its sacrificial cow (because the industry won't fight back), and the coffee company's real motivation (hint, it's money). We also discuss the reality that this move will be replicated by other large companies as they see how well the environmental smoke screen worked for Starbucks. Grab a coffee and enjoy this talk!

Chris Mittelstaedt isn't from a farming background but he became an Agricultural entrepreneur at an early age — he sold vegetables from his mom's garden around his suburban Philadelphia neighborhood out of a radio flyer wagon. Today, Mr. Mittelstaedt owns and runs The FruitGuys, a fruit business specializing in delivery to corporate offices. Chris started The FruitGuys in 1998. The company now delivers throughout the United States. The FruitGuys makes a concerted effort to source product from local and smaller producers. Chris joins me to discuss how his business operates and where he sees opportunity in Ag's future. You'll like his perspective and you'll enjoy the conversation. Bonus: if you have a great idea in need of funding for your own farming operation, you might even want to apply for a grant through the The FruitGuys Community Fund. I'll let Chris explain...

On January 6th, 2020, Borden Dairy filed for bankruptcy protection. The 163 year old milk processor's announcement comes just 2 months after Dean Foods - the nation's largest milk processor - filed for bankruptcy. Within minutes of the Borden news breaking, social media warriors were blaming Walmart for the company's demise. Friend of show and dairy woman, Katharine Lotspeich joins me to sort out the reality of milk, the marketplace and why we in agriculture can't keep blaming Walmart for a changing landscape. Consumer tastes are changing while large scale companies seem content to sit on their commodity business model. What does this mean for the future of food production and processing? Listen and find out!

This week's Golden Globe Awards is the first (of way too many) Hollywood awards shows for the year. It's also the first award show to distinguish itself by serving an all-vegan menu. This, along with increasing media hit pieces on the meat industry's safety and environmental impact, have me convinced 2020 will be a flash point in the argument against livestock farming and meat consumption. In this episode we'll discuss Hollywood hypocrisy, Time Magazine's person of the year Greta Thunberg, political food police, the U.N., and how all those forces are out to dictate food choice.

Rich Bradbury is an Oregon rancher with an eye on the future. Along with other cattlemen, he started a cooperative to process and market their brands of beef. Country Natural is their conventional beef product but he's most excited about their other brand, Desert Mountain Grass Fed Beef. And that's where the growth has been. Rich talks to us about ranching in the desolate drylands, the potential for selling carbon offsets, and the business of producing and marketing grass fed protein. You may prefer your beef grain-fed, but the current trends point to a future of more grass finished bovine.

I'm so excited to announce the release of my new book, Food Fear — How Fear is Ruining Your Dinner and Why You Should Celebrate Eating. It's straight talk about food, foodies, farming, food fights, food police, food myths, and the future of food and food production. Nicole Hahn joins me in this episode to discuss the memorable and intriguing content in Food Fear. She should know, she was the book's "first read." You'll like the conversation as we discuss the very real issues the Business of Agriculture faces from a consumer who is too often fearful of their food.

I first heard of Regenerative Agriculture this spring via congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez's televised town hall meeting. Given Ms. Cortez's stance and multiple comments on the evils of cheeseburger consumption and cow farts, I assumed this thing she was talking about was as outlandish as her other views. Then I was introduced to Gabe Brown's book, Dirt to Soil — One Family's Journey Into Regenerative Agriculture. Mr. Brown is a Regenerative Ag pioneer and promoter. He came to this style of food production out of economic necessity 20 years ago. The results have been quite positive. Gabe joins me to explain his business practices and tell his story.

Friend of show, Rob Saik, joins me to discuss his new book, Food 5.0 and the future of food production. He explains the 5 iterations of Agricultural advancement then tells us what will change moving forward. We share our predictions (some of which you may agree with and some of which you won't!). What if the world's most used herbicide is pulled from the marketplace? What sort of technology will enable us to be productive in rural North America even as the population declines? What changes are coming to Ag based on the demands of affluent consumers? This is a fun conversation about the future of food and food production! Discussion

Greg Peterson began his business of reporting on used farm equipment sales prices in 1989. After a decade of hand written figures and entering data into desktop computers, then sending out floppy discs, his business flourished. Today his company, "Machinery Pete," compiles sales information from around North America on the value of Ag equipment. His business is a resource as well as a selling forum. "Pete" joins me to discuss history, present, and future of farm equipment. Pull up a chair, or better yet, go sit in your old tractor for this one!

Friend of Show, Andy Ambriole joins me to discuss the positives and negatives of both conventional and organic farming practices. He is the owner of BioSteward Farms and he's been an Ag entrepreneur since age 9. He got into organic production for business reasons — he's not a zealot like those folks at the Non-GMO Verified Project! Andy and I discuss the attributes of both cropping systems and why they'll eventually merge, at least somewhat. The benefit of cover crops, the reality of farm rental economics, and the future of chemistry are also covered. You'll like this lively dialogue recorded in my Granary Beef Office.

If you work in the Business of Agriculture, you understand the reality of what's happening in rural America. Many small towns that once supported a grain elevator, a farm store, an implement dealership, and several other businesses have been shuttered. With consolidation came a degradation of life in many parts of rural America. Some rural communities haven't suffered from consolidation — they never even experienced a boom. Tom Womack is Deputy Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. He sits down with me to discuss what his state is doing to revive rural Tennessee. Through the Ag Enhancement Program, money is being invested to create jobs in economically distressed areas. On the list of action items are broadband and technology for "flyover country." If you live out here, you get it. We all benefit by a thriving rural economy, which means we're all rooting for more rural initiative.

Past client and host of the Moving Iron podcast, Casey Seymour, joins me for my first ever "Swap Cast." In this episode we discuss the future of farming, who's going to farm, what equipment they'll use, and where the opportunities lie. Consolidation will continue — as they always have in the Business of Agriculture — but beyond the commodity line lies plenty of fertile ground. We discuss all this and more, with plenty of attention paid to the machinery industry. Will there be autonomous machinery (yes), will it be smaller (yes, in time), and what happens to all those pieces of used equipment? Join in the discussion and leave your own comments on the future!

A recent study found 95% of baby food contains toxic metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. As an Ag & Food person, I naturally assumed the business of food production would be maligned. So far, farming isn't being blamed (too much) for the issue. In this episode we discuss food fear, the politicization of food, and how things like the baby food study will affect Ag moving forward.

Did you know hay and forage are the third largest use of Ag land in the U.S.? We've never talked about hay on the Business of Agriculture podcast but that changed after I was hired to speak for the National Hay Association. Jeff Plourd from California and Bob McDowell from Michigan are two hay professionals. Jeff's company exports hay to Asia and the Middle East. Bob's company produces and brokers hay from Michigan and sells it (mostly) to horse owners in Florida and the southeast. They join me to talk about the hay business and take a look to the future of Ag.

105 years ago the Smith-Lever Act created the Cooperative Extension Service. The county Agent's role was to extend information and education from each of his or her state's land-grant university. If you grew up in Agriculture, you probably are familiar with the concept of the county Ag agent. But a lot has changed in the Business of Agriculture in the last century. How will the county agent remain relevant? Three county agents join me to discuss just that. Henry Dorough with Auburn University, Paula Burke with University of Georgia, and Stan Moore with Michigan State. Pull up a chair, you'll learn a lot about the history of the U.S. and the history of Agriculture.

Joe Harris is the CEO and President of Southwest Meat Association. His membership is mostly in Texas but spans a total of 34 states. He joins me to discuss industry trends and challenges facing the animal protein business. His role is sometimes political so we discuss the real need for an immigrant worker plan (you'll be intrigued by his example of the billboard outside a member's meat packing plant) and the Meatless Monday policy in New York City. Joe also delves into the story of food safety and why he objects to plant -based protein being able to call itself "burger." Sit down and listen to this episode with a steak — just when we thought we were done, Mr. Harris brought up a few more topics!

Over the years I've spoken to a lot of Agricultural audiences in the Canadian province of Alberta. For this episode I thought it would be fun to bring in a past client to explain farming, food, and Ag in central Alberta. Steve Cowan and I discuss the history of canola, the changing dynamic of prairie crop production, how trade disputes between China and the U.S. ultimately impact Canada, and dozens of other things you may or may not have known about Alberta's role in the Business of Agriculture.

Agriculture is a consumer business that's impacted by consumer trends. (By the way, so are ALL businesses!) Jim Dudlicek, Editorial Director for Progressive Grocer joins me to talk about food trends. What changes are going on in food and beverage consumption? We discuss the continual decline of sweetened beverages — although not if they're sweetened with cane sugar — that's a growth category now. Jim tells us about other hot new beverage entrants — everything from "Smoo-bucha" to vinegar based drinks (yuck!). Then we talk meat trends. What drives people to eat plant based protein? Some of Jim's findings will surprise you. Turns out, vegans aren't who's buying Beyond burgers!

David Hasenauer is the founder of Greenpoint Research, a Florida based hemp company. This young Ag entrepreneur is looking to do some big things with an old crop. He explains the history of hemp, why it went away for several decades, and why it has such potential now. If you've been hearing about the potential of hemp and wondering how the business works, you've got to listen to this episode. I see more acres of hemp in U.S. fields soon — remember, we didn't grow soybeans en masse until the 1950s!

Troy Bockelmann is an analyst with CattleFax. He joins me to discuss beef, of course, along with a whole bunch of other stuff. We talk consumption numbers and trends in beef, pork and poultry, and what a cattle cycle is. Did you know 40% of beef produced goes to burger? Or that pork consumption faces resistance when we get over 52 pounds per person? What's the marketing angle for beef, and will it go away due to plant based meat, or will it expand with grass fed offerings? You'll like this discussion!

Whether you're a Farmer, Agribusiness person, or an Ag Banker, this episode is for you! John Blanchfield is a former Ag lender who then worked with the American Bankers Association Ag division. He now runs Agricultural Banking Advisory Services. He joins me to discuss: why 2019 will shape up better financially than we feared, and how we can all thrive (or at least survive) financially. John provides insights on how to see your Ag lender from their perspective. He then tells us what lenders see when they look at us and our Ag operations. John give us simple actions to take to always be a creditworthy loan recipient, and he shares mistakes we all commonly make and how to avoid them. Too many of my Ag friends avoid talking about money. Don't be one of those people! Listen to this for straight talk about improving your banking relationship.

Friend of show and chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation, John Newton joins me to break down this week's USDA crop report. The immediate result of the report: markets tanked on better production forecasts than the trade anticipated. But are the numbers for real? Mr. Newton and I think not — at least not for the anticipated yields of corn and soybeans. We discuss the report and what it means for the Business of Agriculture.

We've heard a LOT about crop insurance this year — especially in the Midwest and Plains states. But do you truly understand crop insurance and how it works? For an explanation I brought on Ruth, Ashley and Liz from the Auburn Agency of Auburn, Nebraska. These ladies have seen (and helped mitigate) the devastation of flooding and relentless precipitation first hand. In this episode we discuss the crucial role Crop Insurance has, why the federal government is involved with it, and how it works. *** This is an excellent episode to share with your non-Ag friends who've asked about the role of crop insurance in the Business of Agriculture.

We in the Business of Agriculture are amazing at producing grain. But the world of food — especially in developed countries like ours — continues to demand better or more specialized crops. Grain with more or less of a certain characteristic is desired by certain end users in the supply chain. That's where Farm Strategy comes in. Chad Sager with Farm Strategy joins me to discuss the unique needs of some millers and processors and how he helps them locate the right supply. Farm Strategy helps farmers and even seed companies find a market for their specialized crop. In a few years Chad sees growth outside of wheat (their current focus) into a myriad of things. I'll let him tell you about it.

Ed Ebert is the Senior Director of Grain Production and Utilization with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and the Indiana Soybean Alliance. He joins me to explain how the corn and soybean check off program works and what the organizations do to promote our crops. We discuss the challenges and opportunities facing corn and soybean farmers and the industry in general. Ed tells us why seven dollar corn was bad for American farmers and why the trade dispute with China created new relationships for the U.S. We cover lots of topics you'll enjoy — biofuels, plant-based meat, corn and soy based plastic packaging, and the threat posed by countries like Brazil and Ukraine.

Randy Suess is a recently retired Washington wheat farmer and former chairman of U.S. Wheat Associates. Randy is still involved in Agriculture through farm ownership and lobbying on behalf of the wheat industry. He joins me to discuss trade – which is vitally important to Washington state's Ag sector. We also talk about the new world order of wheat and the impact on Ag from political movements masking as environmentalism. They used to say, "What happens on the coasts eventually comes to middle America." If that's the case, we in the Business of Agriculture should be very concerned about environmental agendas that make voters "feel good" while harming Agriculture. Remember, as I always say, it's never about the facts, it's always about the feelings. Listen to this!

For most of the 10,000 years since humans invented Agriculture, scarcity has been the norm. Food was difficult to produce, store, transport, and in many cases, financially challenging for many humans to buy. That's not really the case anymore, at least not in the developed world. Affluent countries such as the U.S. in the last half century have figured out food production. Scarcity no longer determines food choice for most Americans (or Canadians or Europeans or Australians), trends do. Food fads are real. Think Greek yogurt today where as it was frozen yogurt in the late 80's. Gluten free and low carb today will give way to the next trend in food consumption. So how do you successfully navigate food trends? Can your product or industry market or innovate it's way to prosperity if the trend is against you? We explore that subject in this episode. From milk to eggs, avocados to beef, food trends are the reality of the marketplace. We'll discuss how to navigate those trends.

Tim Young chucked his corporate job to become an entrepreneur in his mid 30s. What he built was a marketing company that grew to employ 450 people. Then he sold it to pursue life as a small farmer. He bought an old dairy farm in rural Georgia and went about the process of making it into a business. His operation raised pasture pork and poultry. He decided the only way to make money as a small dairy operator was through adding value, so he became a cheese maker. Today Tim teaches other aspiring small farmers and wannabe niche Agriculturists how to turn their dream into reality. He shares lessons on establishing your own defensible competitive advantage, farm branding, and the 8 simple questions to thrive running your Agribusiness.

Pork is the world's most consumed meat. It's also increasingly a news item due to global trade tensions and a nasty virus that's currently eradicating China's hog herd. Before 2018, China produced five times the number of pigs as the United States. Before 2018, China had half the world's pig supply. Today, some estimates show China's hog herd will be cut in half by end of year due to African Swine Fever. Bill Even, CEO of National Pork Board, joins me to discuss hog production in the United States and how it's shaping or being shaped by world affairs. We expand on: the trade war between the U.S. and China, the reality of supply and demand, and whether or not China would like African Swine Fever to come to U.S. shores. If you're looking for insight on pork as it pertains to today's news, this is it.

You've likely not heard of Urner Barry but the company does a lot of behind the scenes work in the Business of Agriculture. Specifically, they report data and analytics on global protein production, consumption, and pricing. They've been doing this for 160 years, when Mr. Urner began a poultry pricing report on America's docks. In this episode, I talk to two Urner Barry specialists about the world of meat, eggs, fish, and other protein. What does the wet farm belt mean for meat? How did the rainy Spring impact steak sales? And – the biggie – what does China's African Swine Fever epidemic mean for global meat prices and consumption? Listen and you'll find out all that and more. If you want to know about the "prognostication" part of this episode, China's pork problems are going to be impacting food for a while!

By now you've likely seen the video and heard about the animal mistreatment at Fair Oaks Farms. Sadly, for the Business of Agriculture, this isn't going away any time soon. In fact, I see animal activists increasing their attacks on livestock production and processing based on the response to the Fair Oaks video. Katharine Lotspeich is a partner in her family's large scale Utah dairy operation and an Ag professional. She joins me to discuss Ag's poor handling of this incident, the real agenda of animal activists, and the reality for Agriculture moving forward. Make no mistake, this incident hurts Agriculture, strains relating with our customers, and strengthens the radical animal rights cause groups who paint this as the norm. Our industry needs to do a better job of addressing this — we'll tell you how.

Farm folks, as I always joke, are obsessed with the weather. This Spring they have good reason to be, with the vast swath of Agriculturally productive area impacted by storms, floods, and incessant rains. At the time of this recording (May 31, 2019), record levels of unplanted corn and soybean acres sit idle. Combined with the weather issues are trade disputes with China, and now Mexico, the US's second biggest Ag customer. On top of weather and trade disputes, farmers have crop insurance dictates to work around, and a USDA "trade aid" program that was announced—but completely void of details. What does all this mean for the Business of Agriculture? John Newton, chief economist for the American Farm Bureau Federation joins me to discuss Ag's perfect storm. Will we see $6 corn, trade deals finalized, higher food prices, and how many acres will remain idle? Join the conversation for our take.

Andy Ambriole, proprietor of BioSteward Farms, rejoins me on the Business of Agriculture podcast. Andy was a guest way back in episode 6! Andy is a business-minded 30 year old who always wanted to farm. He had his first Ag enterprise at age 9 with a pumpkin patch. As a teenager, he operated his own tomato business and greenhouse. Today he farms 1,300 acres of certified organic wheat, oats, barley, corn, and soybeans. Andy didn't opt for organic farming because he's an organic food zealot. He took the organic route as it was his best business option as an aspiring farmer with limited resources. If you follow me, you know I bristle at fear-based organic marketing. You'll hear none of that in this episode — just a frank discussion about the Business of Agriculture from an organic perspective.

Katherine Lotspeich is a 27 year old dairy farm girl from Utah (via Connecticut). She's now an Ag professional married to a Vo-Ag school teacher in Colorado. She's also a blogger with plenty to say. Which is why she joins me to discuss a whole host of Ag topics such as: the problem with "Thank a Farmer," why Ag groups should stop "going along to get along," and the damage caused by infighting among Agriculture. She and I both agree on the power of professionalism in our industry, then we discuss what Ag does right and why she's excited about the future. This is a fun discussion. Pull up a chair!

Things aren't good at Bayer, and that's just how the activist groups dead set on destroying the chemical company like it. At this week's shareholder meeting, 55% of Bayer shareholders refused to endorse the management. Chiefly, the shareholders were reacting to Bayer's acquisition of Monsanto, a deal that closed in June 2018. Since the Monsanto purchase, Bayer's stock value has dropped 38%. The reason, of course, is litigation against Roundup herbicide. With 13,400 lawsuits filed (at this point in time), and Bayer going 0 for 2 in their first two lawsuits, things are a little dicey. The activist groups are winning. In this episode I'll explain why they're winning, and what the future might hold. Hint: It'll be more lawsuits with a different target.

You're gonna like this guy, although I'll warn you ahead of time, at times he's tough to keep up with. Jason Mauck is an Indiana farmer who thinks - and works - differently. Jason came back to his family's 3,100 acre crop and hog operation after his father was diagnosed with cancer. Jason's years away from the farm taught him about business and landscaping methods (he owned a landscaping company). He began experimenting with ideas he'd gleaned as a landscaper to improve the business of the farm. Listen to this high energy discussion, and you'll hear about manure usage, intercropping, relay cropping, how to harvest wheat that's interspersed with soybeans, and why sunlight is more valuable than seeding population. This was a fun interview (and this guy makes me look calm!).

I've been telling my Ag audiences for several years that "Feed The World" is outdated, much as we in Ag might love the mantra. We love it, because it's what we've always been told: that global populations are increasing rapidly and Ag needs to pump out massive amounts of food. We also love it because the slogan plays to our strength: commodity production in mass quantity. Only problem is, the population is about to start declining. As economics and education improve in the developing world, those countries are producing fewer babies. Two dozen countries are already losing population, and more countries are joining in the baby bust. What does this mean for the Business of Agriculture? Dr. Darrell Bricker joins me to explain.

Colorado Agriculture is either a crucible to predict what's coming for the rest of us, or an anomaly we'll all just witness from afar. The state has water issues, lots of suburban anti-Agriculture sentiment, and a burgeoning hemp industry. (Remember, Colorado was fast out of the chute on marijuana legalization.) I sat down with Justin Lewton of Lewton Farms, and Joe Rasnic of Agroplasma, Inc. to discuss all those issues and more. Justin and Joe are two young Ag professionals enrolled in the Colorado Ag Leadership Program. They explain the Ag Leadership Program, then we talk business. Join the conversation, and you'll learn about large scale farming in Denver's shadow, organic Ag, and the growth of hemp.

You're likely familiar with the various technology platforms being marketed to farmers. The Climate Corporation's Climate FieldView™ digital ag platform is one of them. The platform offers many options for farmers to collect, store, and view current and historical field data to uncover valuable field insights. What sort of data are we talking about, and how does it impact agronomic decisions for improved crop performance? Climate's Eastern Regional Sales Manager, Ken Harris and Product Marketing Director, Rick Myroup joined me to answer these questions. They explained how the platform works, and how digital agriculture can be beneficial for a farmer's bottom line.

Nick Horob started Harvest Profit in 2015. As an Ag consultant with a finance background, he saw a need for better farm business management through technology. Harvest Profit now has 440 customers in 28 states and 4 Canadian provinces. Nick joins me to discuss what he sees from his perspective in Ag. What are farmers doing right and wrong, how can we improve our businesses and minimize risk, and what does the future of the Business of Agriculture look like? You'll enjoy this conversation and you'll pick up a few nuggets you can use!

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the new shining star of the Democratic party. In February she rolled out her proposal for a Green New Deal. In two interviews since then, she's expanded on her vision for a changed Agriculture to combat climate change as she sees it. When socialists talk about "doing something about factory farms," what exactly do they mean? More importantly, who defines what constitutes a "factory farm?" She's called for diet changes, particularly as it pertains to meat consumption. She gets applause using terms like "cow grain" and "regenerative agriculture" - even though lifelong farm guys like me can't define either. There's plenty to be concerned about when political media stars target your industry. In this episode, we'll discuss a few things you should be concerned about that you may not have even considered.

Catastrophic weather events in Nebraska and Iowa, as well as Missouri, South Dakota, Kansas, and Minnesota are in the news. Our hearts go out to those affected by the floodwaters. But what's the "downstream" impact of these floods? Dennis Haugen, North Dakota farmer, owner of General Grain grain salvage, and friend of the show joins me to discuss that. Railroads are unable to operate as track lies compromised from floodwaters. Trucks can't roll, and barges can't navigate. All this puts grain processors and end users using JIT production models in a pickle. Then there are the farmers and farmsteads — will they be ready to roll this spring? And what about their infrastructure and equipment — will insurance get them back to whole? When catastrophic events happen in that geographical area, the entire Business of Agriculture is affected. Tune in for an interesting discussion.

On March 19th, 2019 a San Francisco jury ruled that Roundup herbicide causes cancer. This is the second court ruling against Bayer (Monsanto). In this episode we look at the similarity between firearm lawsuits and chemical litigation. Ag chemicals and firearms have a lot in common: They're both legal products, they both evoke tremendous emotion, and they're both increasingly targeted by cause groups who use lawsuits to destroy their enemy. The strategy executed by anti - gun and anti- chemical organizations is remarkably similar. Yet we in the business of Agriculture still go to court arguing with facts. And that's why we lose. Our opposition uses propaganda, willing media partners, emotion, and trial lawyers appeal to greed.

The host of Ag Uncensored and western Oklahoma farmer / rancher joins me to dig a little deeper on the subject of beef. Are those within the cattle industry dysfunctional, unable to get along, or is that just your perception? Is the checkoff program being funded fairly? Who's making money off beef? And, my favorite back and forth to date on Lab Meat. If you're looking for an episode with some "red meat," you just found it. Be sure to stay tuned to hear Jerod's closing advice.

As farmers head to the field to plant corn this spring, it's time to discuss something North American Agriculture doesn't want to hear: The world is going to require less corn someday. And that someday might be sooner than you think. At the risk of being run out of Indiana - the fifth most corn producing state - I share in this episode the fundamentals working against corn. Ethanol, processed food, and livestock feed are big users of corn. Each of those categories faces headwinds, such as: electric cars, consumer tastes, environmentally pushed political agendas, plant-based protein, and the reality of economics. Telling Agriculture we need less corn is akin to standing up at Sunday School and proclaiming there is no God, I realize. But you don't tune into this podcast to hear the same nonsense you get on Ag radio. Because we discuss issues shaping the evolution of the Business of Agriculture.

Real estate is the foundation of everything we do in Agriculture. Sometimes that real estate requires outside management or a professional to determine its value. Seth Baker and Ryan Aupperle are two guys who do just that. They are professional farm managers and appraisers in Illinois. They sit down with me to discuss what they do, what they see, and what things will be impacting Ag real estate and the Business of Agriculture. Why would a land owner need a professional farm manager? How do appraisers formulate real estate values? They'll tell you why. Along with some pretty good insights and a story or two about blow ups over the family farm! We even discuss interest rates, the direction in land values, and whether farm land will be "Zillow-ized."

If you earn your living in the Business of Agriculture you likely are familiar with crop inputs. That's all the stuff we use to produce an actual crop, like fertilizer, chemistry, seed, and so on. In the old days there was a model: you had a facility, you brought in stuff from the manufacturer, and you retailed said inputs to a farmer. But technology, consolidation, and the online marketplace is changing this model. Quickly! How do you stay ahead and avoid commoditization? I sit down in this episode with four bright employees of Helena Agri-Enterprises to discuss just that. We discuss soil, innovation, marketplace realities, challenges, and their view on the future of Ag.

Jerod McDaniel is a farmer, rancher, and podcaster from Texhoma, Oklahoma. He joins me to discuss his operation, the challenges of rural western Oklahoma, and the business of agriculture from his perspective. We devote a good amount of time to the topic of cattle but you'll also like Jerod's take on the need for Ag to work with what you're given in any given year and the need for being adaptive to a constantly changing marketplace.