Iowa Soybean Association: Iowa Soybean Association is driven to deliver for Iowa's 40,000 soybean farmers. We're proud to provide objective agronomic research, a helping hand with soil and water stewardship and timely industry news powered by the soybean check off. Learn more at iasoybeans.com

Paul Yeager: Welcome into the MtoM podcast. I'm Paul Yeager on assignment in the buddy seat, because what other place to be with your buddy? April, hey buddy. You know, the last time you came in, it was in the quiet of the studio. Is this your? Is this your quiet studio? 

April Hemmes: This is my workplace. And what a beautiful workplace to have. There we go. We're gonna get loud. 

Paul Yeager: I gotta look before we go. Your microphones still there. Okay, okay, we're combining corn. Don't miss a row. Yeah, I am okay. There we go, because I'm distracting you. We're in the middle of corn harvest. And I shouldn't say middle, because you're coming towards the end?

April Hemmes: You know, much better than I thought they would. We had rust everywhere, like everyone did this field we're in now, I had to replant. So there was a huge area around up here that we all had to replant corn. I only had to do this field. It was a population of about 18,000 and decided to rip it up and replant it, which is never fun, but 272, 63 isn't too bad. That's what the monitor is saying. I swear it's saying that.

Paul Yeager: Well, did your rain drop off in August, September?

April Hemmes: Yes, so we had, this is Franklin County, where we're at. We had the second highest rain total ever for the month of July.

Paul Yeager: But July is one thing. It's that August, September. Did you get anything?

April Hemmes: Yeah, well, the beans did, and we got little bits and pieces. But when you have a wet, hot July, the disease triangle wet, you know, the host, the pathogen, and the weather and everything cooperated. So we have rust. I've always had tar spot. You can see it so it was there, but I always use fungicide. It was very varietal difference, but my yields have been far better than expected. Best bean crop I've ever raised. Ever.

Paul Yeager: So does that mean drop the mic? You're done? Yeah, that's it. Isn't that the way? And then it's that chasing. What is it? 

April Hemmes: No, because I would drop the mic if we had better prices. 

Paul Yeager: We'll get into that in a minute. I want to discuss because you've got a unique position on some things. Okay, so crop wise, you feel...

April Hemmes: I feel I've yielded my way out of these bad prices.

Paul Yeager: Well, that gets to cause the problem with the market, with this overabundance of grain that we're having, and we need to send it somewhere.

April Hemmes: Okay, here is what I'm saying, and I've done a lot of interviews on this, is it's everything everywhere, all at once. It's not just tariffs, it's not just it's mostly high inputs, but the value of our crops has not kept up with the inflation of the inputs. And then you throw the tariffs on there. And then, you know, when I was doing interviews this spring, I said, I've already bought all my inputs. It's this fall when we're really gonna see, you know what happens? And now there's still fertilizer. Our, you know, comes from Canada and Morocco and and our parts, a lot of them come from Mexico. The chemicals for next year, a lot of them come from China. And Lord knows what's going to happen there.

Paul Yeager: So, well, your corn doesn't necessarily matter as much to China as your beans do, right?

April Hemmes: They buy over half of what we export.

Paul Yeager: For beans? for soy, for soybeans and we're Mexico. Okay, so we're looking at a co op over here. I'm sure, if I look hard enough, I'll see an ethanol plant somewhere around here, about 10 miles south. So you are in a spot where there is an outlet domestically?

April Hemmes: Yes, I'm very fortunate. Everybody who's heard all this, like my sister called me the other day and goes, Is it true? China really isn't buying soybeans. And I went, Wow, she works, you know, at St Olaf College in Minnesota. And I'm like, yeah. So, you know, it's been out there. But we are so fortunate here in Iowa with, you know, the ethanol plants and the biofuel plants and the crush facilities. I have a Cargil crush facility 10 miles down the road, makes final diesel we you know, when you drove up here, you saw the chicken houses and the hog houses. We feed the most hogs, most laying hns. So in Iowa, we're fortunate. We also have two rivers, the Mississippi and the Missouri. A little bit goes down the Missouri the rest goes out the Mississippi. So, you know, we're it's those poor guys in the Dakotas who are really hurt. You know, I mean the co-ops that you saw there, I think the basis for soybeans is 70 cents, and theirs is double that.

Paul Yeager: So do you get the sense that you. Every, I shouldn't say everyone, because he can't speak for everybody. No, let's talk, let's just talk your neighbors. What are your you and your neighbors? What's the leads discussion  with everybody right now? 

April Hemmes: High input costs. What's causing fertilizer? 

Paul Yeager: Okay, fertilizer. So that's the one input. What other input is high?

April Hemmes: Fertilizer. We know. We know that. Well, yeah, I just my fertilizer guy just texted me what I was gonna have to pay. And I went, and he I screamed when he told me what my nitrogen was gonna be, so that was up 30% and he goes, I wanted to get that over with early April, okay? And so then he was smart and didn't call me, just texted me the P and K price, because that'll go on probably this week. But the thing is, is I don't feel like I can skimp. You know, what if you if we need the big deal, it's how can I scale my fertilizer and caring for the land so I can get the best that I can, so that I'm very fortunate my family or I own everything I farm, but a lot of guys, the, you know, the rents are not coming down, the chemical prices aren't coming down. You know, seed prices will not come down. So it's just that usually, you know, we're high, we're used to high inputs, but then they come down or high I was just watching a podcast, listening to one and and they said it it costs you more bushels of corn to put on your fertilizer than ever, even though the prices might come down. Like I said, the prices of corn. So you know, when you're a farmer and you look at it that way, you go, okay, great. Thank you, sir. Yes, that's about what you do well. And you know, I've been doing this 40 years. This is my 40th crop I'm taking out. And we've been through all of these things, just not all at once. You know, it just seems like everything's hitting at once. So here we are, and I'm I have a very I just keep up with my banker. Keep talking to him. He knows what's going on, but he's also very, very young. Was born in the 80s, and I came home in the 80s.

Paul Yeager: So, and this is land, okay, that's fine. This is land that's been in your family since, I think you said the 30s.

April Hemmes: Yeah, that that piece down there, I think this piece was the early 50s. Oh, yeah. I bought it when my dad came home from the war, Korean conflict, that he was a cook in Germany. So don't feel too sorry for him. He was in it, but different, yeah, exactly.

Paul Yeager: All right, well, let's talk equipment then. Well, hold on, I'm going to make sure we're still here because equipment. We're using some of April's stuff, by the way. All right, so equipment wise, there's always an arms race for some in farming that they have to have the best and greatest. But there's no there's no end to the stories about used equipment or not as much new equipment. Again, I'm going to ask more of your neighborhood not to speak to everything in general. What are you hearing?

April Hemmes: Everybody's putting off equipment purchases. I had a neighbor right over there, and they broke the axle on their grain cart, 1500 bushel grain cart, and it was either fix it in season, wait for the parts, or he find another used one. So, so that's what we're doing. I got a good story on that one, because when I got a brand new banker, and I always have to break them in, trust me. He showed up, and he started laughing. And I go, you wonder how I can do what I do with his old crap? And he goes, Yeah, kind of. You don't see a whole lot of equipment, you know. And I ran it through John Deere, and they said just as good on the dyno as it was new so, you know, so why not just keep using it? Yeah, so

Paul Yeager: That is because we get questions. You know, everybody on the internet has an opinion, and they're all right. They're all right. Well, why don't you just shop around for a different banker, like you would shop for other things. But relationships matter. History matters. As you say, people come and go. You have to break in new things, some things just not as easy. But do you think we're at a time now where we really do have to, in agriculture, look at things dramatically different, things that we didn't use to think about?

April Hemmes: Yes, I think I do something like my chemicals, I can get free interest till the end of the year, through, through not some of my chemicals. And so I do part of it that way. You know, when there's offers like that, I bought a mini excavator. I bought that last year. Never tell your John Deere dealer your deepest, darkest secrets, big mistake, huge and so but I've had more fun with that, and I've got more stuff done, but that was 2% okay, you know it's better, but my banker would argue I would, I'd pay less taxes if I bought. Sure. I go, Yeah, okay, nice try. That's when I bought this combine. That's all my banker then said, and I got a good chuckle out of that. So anyway, yeah, I think it's people. Yes, I'm a farmer, but I'm also a business person, so I have to look at what makes sense on my farm. I don't overuse anything, you know, you just do what makes sense and is economical.

Paul Yeager: Do you when you give rides? We've talked about you giving rides for where I'm seated, seated, and when you say you're doing all these interviews, are any of the interviews asking the same questions?

April Hemmes: Everyone's asking the same questions about especially now, how are the tariffs affecting you? What you know, what's going on? And my favorite, CNN, just emailed me at eight o'clock at night. Wanted to be me, to be on live between one and four Eastern Time sometime for an interview out in the field. And I said, number one, no. Number two, I don't have cell service. I would have to stop everything I'm doing and come in and do the interview and and it was, there was a bunch of other reasons, but, you know, maybe another time I said I can come in. But, you know, I think sometimes the media forgets unless they're sitting where you're at and we're taping. It just doesn't work in rural Iowa.

Paul Yeager: I appreciate you even pausing the minutes to let me get up and do my hair before we get going, because you know how vain I am. But okay, so if CNN, okay. And I kind of but, but, see, here's the thing. I vaguely referenced an interview that I saw that was on CNN, on the show on Friday. Oh, that we did, and it was about a farmer said it was, I think in Indiana, I'm gonna lose two bushels to the acre on beans. The argument then, the experts online came and said, What in the heck is this guy's problem? He doesn't know what he's doing. He's got a terrible operation. Then I look back at the way Shawn Hackett answered the question, and he says, good prices cover people. Bad prices expose us, and we find out who's naked. Is that part of this discussion right now? 

April Hemmes: Horrible way to explain it, I know well, and here's what's hard is to put, when I do interviews, I try to put it in people who don't farms terms, you know, so they understand. And sometimes that's very hard, but yeah, so that's what that's that's what we try to do, is put it in their terms so they can understand it. And it is so hard to do a two minute interview and explain what's going on in agriculture. Yeah, I mean, it just, it just is period. Because, yes, they, and everyone's an expert, they like to tell me how to farm.

Paul Yeager: So they said you left

April Hemmes: a lot more than an ear, let me tell you, okay.

Paul Yeager: but six years ago, I think, is when we started to hear or we're gonna find out, who's the who's who knows cost of production best, who's that doesn't feel like that is going the people who are going to maybe go out of business this year are not the bad operators, but maybe you're caught up in something else. Is that fair?

April Hemmes: Yeah. And every kind of okay, because everyone else, everyone's a lot of people are comparing it to the 80s. I came home in '85 and I don't think it's like the 80s. We had interest in the teens. Not the case here. We had people who did go out of business, and it wasn't their fault, because the banks went after those small guys. They knew they could get their money out of and which is probably a terrible thing to say, but the I always say, we prepare for the worst and hope for the best in farming, and that's why I have crappy equipment. And I buy when, when I know I can and I can pay for it, and you don't, I don't have a brand new Denali pickup or anything like that. I have three nice, crappy pickups, but, you know, every farmer should have at least three pickups. But you know, that's you just when you go, and we've had really good times in the early, you know, 2020s and then now we're hitting this, but you just every year is unexpected, and we never know what's gonna happen.

Paul Yeager: Tell the audience again some of the groups that you have worked with served on boards, oh boy,

April Hemmes: The United Soybean Board. I served nine years on there, the Iowa Soybean Board. I'm now on the Iowa Corn PAC  committee. They asked me to be on that. And I just was asked to be on the Holden Cancer Center, which is really cool. I've been a lot of county boards, the farm credit or farm farm. What am I trying to say for FSA? There we go. FSA, NRCS for over 30 years. And you know, the Wergin good neighbor, a lot of advisory councils.

Paul Yeager: Oh, before we get oh, we're gonna come back to the all the groups in a minute. But okay, we have to talk master farmer. Otherwise I'll be in trouble. 

April Hemmes: Yes. So in 2024 I was honored to be that named as Iowa Master Farmer. And it really meant a lot to me. Anytime you were honored by your peers, you know, there's nothing like it and and in 2026 they're celebrating the 100th anniversary. So it started by Henry Wallace to showcase farmers longevity in the farm. You know what they've done, stewardship of the land. Trust me, I'm not the best farmer, but I try to care for the land. It's been in my family over 125 years and and then families involved family, and what you do for your community and organization. So you know that's what's great, and to showcase that in Iowa. And I know I've been on national boards with other guys around other states that do that too, but Iowa has a fantastic network.

Paul Yeager: So all right, when you talk about farming, you've got cover crop in here. And in some of these fields, it's not weeds and the green, okay, I go back to the national boards, then, yes, you have done, I'm guessing, foreign trade trips. 

April Hemmes: Yes, I've been to over 20 countries. 

Paul Yeager: And do those relationships happen overnight?

April Hemmes: No, they really don't. And when I explained, when I was on The Daily podcast for the New York Times, I was explaining, we worked, we farmers worked in China for over 40 years, and we knew, you know, that those farmers back then had the insight to see that that was going to happen, that was going to be a big market, and let's develop those relationships, and that's what they did. And so I think I've been to far China eight times. And you know, Iowa has a sister city, sister state there, and Des Moines has a sister city. So we have really great relationships. That's what makes it hard to see what's happening now, you know, when you know those people now, people say, What about India? They have the most. Well, India's a whole different you know, they're very protectionist. They want to keep their own so, you know, every country is different, but the thing I find out the most is people love talking to the farmers wherever they're at. They always want to hear about the farm and what's happening and things like that.

Paul Yeager: The governor of Iowa just took a trades mission to India. And that's always seems to be just the I don't know. Is it a tease that? Oh, maybe we'll get something with them. I mean, do you ever think we'll ever get from them? 

April Hemmes: I think we'll get something, but it's not going to be the next China. 

Paul Yeager: So all these trips,

April Hemmes: Wait, you're driving now,

Paul Yeager: I'm driving now? I don't know what I'm doing, we're going to expose everything. This is, this is, see when I, when I last operated a combine, April. There was no such thing as auto steer,

April Hemmes: yeah, well, it's really hard. I mean, a Chinese guy was in here, and he kept wanting to drive and driving over my really good corn. I got a little bit angry with him. Okay, so don't make me angry.

Paul Yeager: Okay, so you're, you're pausing right in the middle of my best question. So before we do it, because what is your reaction for just a moment? Just that's okay. What is your reaction then, when trade relationships seem to be jeopardized and turned upside down, in 140 characters, of all the hard work, I would think me knowing some so many of you that have gone on these trips would be frustrating.

April Hemmes: So it is because of all the hard work. Yeah, and so when you especially hard, when I defend China, and people get very upset with me, and I go, I'm defending them from I want them as a trade partner. I said trade is they want us for a trade partner. We're the biggest consumers, you know, of stuff they make and they want the stuff I make, you know, the soybeans to feed their hogs and their people and everything. So that's what frustrates me, is people can't see beyond their own I mean, they're blinders. They got the blinders on. You have to look at the big picture. Trade is about you have something I want. I have something you want. Let's get together.

Paul Yeager: But what we're hearing is, it's not fair, right?

April Hemmes: Is it? I don't know. Is it? 

Paul Yeager: Don't you think your crop is worth? I think $9 a bushel, four?

April Hemmes: Well, of course, whatever you get, what I'm saying. So I understand. So the the thing with soybeans is, you know, when we developed those, there wasn't a Brazil and South America, and now there is. We're and we're very good at what we do, producing soybeans and corn. So, you know, we, you know, back 40 years ago, we didn't expect Brazil to, you know, keep creating land like they do, and and so. So here we are. There's, I think, is a far lower quality. So that's how we, you know, we represent the all the essential amino acids. It's much better. We don't dry our soybeans. They dry their soybeans, it discolors them. So we have a lot of advantages. But right now, right now, China's digging their heels in.

Paul Yeager: You know, is it because we've made them upset?

April: Yeah, they like to save face. Exactly. They're all about saving face.

Paul Yeager: which is what I think our president is.

April Hemmes: 100% so we have to get past the egos, and I think it will happen eventually, but it takes time. This is the they're in this for the long haul they don't have after the Argentina, after Argentina dropped their export taxes for soybeans, and they came in and bought for their needs. Then that kind of, I kind of did our crop in for what they needed so and this, and the longer this goes on, the closer this Brazilian and Argentina soybean crop will be ready to go,

Paul Yeager: and then you're stuck holding a crop for another very long period of time.

April Hemmes: Very frustrating. And so we farmers have done a lot to develop new markets. You know that we have soy foam, we have asphalt a lot. Iowa State developed an asphalt additive. Anything that oil, but oil is only 20% and renewable diesel and biodiesel, that's only 20% of a bean When you crush it. We need that meal market. Yep. 

Paul Yeager: Alright, fine. I've stalled long enough. What am I doing? I'm stepping out to let you out. I just stand up. Just stand up.

April Hemmes: Boss, Okay, hello, everybody. Oh, that's right there. 

Paul Yeager: We’re doing this switch. Okay, first, we're gonna set the microphone down. Then we're gonna pull this down. Okay, now the first thing I'd always be is I'd have to get the radio station right, but we won't do that today. All right, what's

April Hemmes: Oh, that's not good. That's all right. Oh, way to go. You already messed it up. Paul, so put okay, this is a hydrostat drive. So, yeah,

Paul Yeager: push over. Yeah, that's that I'm familiar with. Okay, I'm gonna reach over okay, we're going over here. Yeah,

April Hemmes: I can tell. Let's hope it's eight rows too.

Paul Yeager: Counting was never my thing.

April Hemmes: Are you a journalist major?

Paul Yeager: I was and because where'd you go to school? I went to Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa, and I wanted to be the voice of the St Louis Cardinals.

April Hemmes: I was in the St Louis, I was on the field once pregame. Okay, okay. Now,

Paul Yeager: so we got, we gotta, we gotta get ramp. I know we got to get up to

April Hemmes: speed, right? Okay, push down and up. This one, nope, the other one, that one's your engages, the whole combo.

Paul Yeager: Okay, down and forward. Hear it? Okay, now get my

April Hemmes: the next one. No, not yet. Down and forward. That's your head. Now, push the little rabbit. See, we run these things so turtle is slow, the White Rabbit, the White Rabbit. Okay. Now you're now

Paul Yeager: my RPM, push two, two, because that's gonna be my auto set of the head.

April Hemmes: That's not quite yet in there looks a little low. No, that's fine. Okay. Now, there we go. Now, push two again. Okay, did you hear the bleep? Yeah, now you're going, Okay. Can I go faster? Let go the steering wheel.

Paul Yeager: Oh, let go of the steering wheel.

April Hemmes: Yeah. Okay, go. Now, push two twice. There I go. Don't touch the steering. Okay, now little you're going to, you can go faster and go faster. Yeah, go like

Paul Yeager: We had, we had Massey Ferguson, yeah, and that's, and I was never 760 we had a seven Yeah. We had a 760

April Hemmes: good at changing the drive belt.

Paul Yeager: I was more at hauling. So faster, we didn't. I'm, yeah, you got things to do today.

April Hemmes: No, that's why we gotta keep it so

Paul Yeager: Do you make everybody drive that comes and sits with you? I do it is, and I would, I love it. And I'm, that is the one thing I miss about the day to day of doing this stuff.

April Hemmes: So he's really is knows what he's doing. So here, so now I'm Paul Yeager. I have a question for you, yeah, why do you say went up four ticks or down four ticks? Because that really bugs me. So where is, what's the origin of the ticks?

Paul Yeager: Well, Oh, you mean, are you when I read the closes, when I say you

April Hemmes: Go, hey. Went up four tick. Yeah, whatever you call it,

Paul Yeager: that is what the bosses, years ago, had always said. It's more of a financial it's just an understanding of, I don't know if it goes back to the two bits, three bits, or ticks and bits. I don't know that's a good one that I should maybe. When I asked you if you should disrupt all the past history of agriculture, if I should upright for ticks.

April Hemmes: So it's no different what is tick.

Paul Yeager: It's no different than saying the dollar is up 120 points. And you know, it's, is it point? Why is it points and not cents when we're talking about the dollar, but it's, that's the way it is. It's the way

April Hemmes: you refer to it. I just figured it was like ticker tape, like the old it could be. It very well could be. Yeah, all right, so how do you what's your Do you have a favorite? I'm not going to ask you a favorite marketing person, because that's not fair.

Paul Yeager: Picking a favorite child. Yes, it is.

April Hemmes: Well, kind of show what's your favorite show? Favorite bit?

Paul Yeager: Yeah, no, not really. I mean, they're all would be so hard. They're all unique. I mean, they are all similar. They're all 27 minutes long, or 26 minutes long. It's the same type of news. It's the same type of discussion. Panels are fun, but, you know, stressful, regular shows where we talk about, you know, some good story, that's fine. I enjoy how each and every week is somebody different, because you've got somebody who does not necessarily talk about charts, but talks about fundamentals, right? Yeah. And so I think that helps someone like you mix it up.  

April Hemmes: You always Yeah. And then you have my own man for the dairy people, yeah, yeah.

Paul Yeager: And so yes, the dairy people, yeah. There's only one or two that can really well. Sean Hank it last week to talk about, yes, he did. He had a couple of dairy questions. Sorry, we're coming to the end here. What am I gonna Am I just raising my head up with the

April Hemmes: one, yeah, and, like, get to the end and pull back on the thing and then push one, yep.

Paul Yeager: Let me go left. You only go right. Doesn't matter. You can go that way. I'm gonna show you that I can turn this.

April Hemmes: See, I came out this morning and did some swats for you

Paul Yeager: to make it easy on me. Okay, two, no, wait, two,

April Hemmes: but then that just puts it down that once you get in there, you got to hit it again. Now, hit two again.

Paul Yeager: Get my speed going. That means don't touch Paul. That means perfect. Okay, do I have a favorite show? There's moments. I mean, I've been on and off television for going on 30 years, and so there's some memories, you know, yeah, that stick with you. I enjoy you. Do the state fair. I do the State Fair. Have to be fun. That is fun. Yeah? I mean, I can't believe they pay me to go around to that thing and talk to people. That's what they pay me to do, is to go to talk to people and how

April Hemmes: and to get emails from April Hemmes and go, Hey, you want to ride my combine?

Paul Yeager : You're happy that it comes because if nobody cares that you're there. That means I'm not, I'm not succeeding, and I know I'm not. I might not be everybody's cup of tea. I've long since put that past me. Of I am what I am. I'm not going I'm Yes, can I can I improve and be better? Sure, but am I gonna do exactly what someone wants because of this or that? No,

April Hemmes: you're telling me that. So are you worried about the funding? Oh, yeah, the lack of funding and things like that. Because I don't, I don't want Market to Market to go away.  I'm really worried about that,

Paul Yeager: Well, so. So the federal government funded Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was the clearing house for National Public Radio and PBS, that money we knew at some point would likely go away when they did the rescission package and took the money that they'd already approved and pulled it back. Yeah, that was the change where it was like, oh, okay, I say. And this is what I told people at the fair I value that I've worked in commercial news and I've worked in public. I enjoy working for all 3 million people of Iowa, not for two car dealers and a realtor. There's nothing wrong with that. I find that I am responsible. I am as someone who gets taxpayer money. I work for all the taxpayers, whether they agree with me or disagree with me, but I think that our show is the most important one on our air, especially in the state of Iowa,

April Hemmes: yeah, well, in almost every other state, I'm very proud that I was soybean, and now I will corn are sponsoring it. And you know, when I was on that board, we said, don't let that go. That's the. Best thing we can do. 

Paul Yeager: And we appreciate that, and but then we also have to, again, that's a larger group. And so if you start being critical, but I don't look at it as a hit piece, it is pointing out, is there a better way to do things right? Should I talk about ticks, or should I talk about

April Hemmes: not reality TV.

Paul Yeager: As I say no, and I'm not here for you to I'm not trying to make some viral moment now, Shawn Hackett knocking over a mug of water

April Hemmes: Sure. Did he just knock the water? 

Paul Yeager: He did. He did that would have to be one of the more memorable things I've had time happen in a lot you film that all the way through? Yeah. So

Paul Yeager: the only reason we didn't stop is because he didn't stop. Okay, I would, I am one of those that, let's go,

April Hemmes: Okay, pull back one, one, shoot.

Paul Yeager: And now I'm gonna, I'm gonna shut off the head, which is the Yep. And then let that, let it all cycle through, yeah? And then I let him go for a little while. I hear him kind of, it's, it's kind of quiet. So, you know, the whole radio thing was kind of funny with dad, because I used to say, Well, what do you listen to? He says, the machine. The machine.

April Hemmes: My dad did do. He never I gotta hear. I gotta hear what's going on. They go, No, that's why you have the buzzers. Yeah. And then I found out they cut the wires to buzzers because they were annoying. Okay, I'm gonna make it easy on okay. Now pull back. Now push that button to put the auger out. Oh,

Paul Yeager: the auger went, Oh, I hadn't looked yet. I hadn't looked yet to see if the auger you were your head was in my shot. Oh, there we go.

April Hemmes: Okay, yeah, go ahead and dump in. 

Paul Yeager: Oh, you're gonna let me. Come on. Let's fill this one okay,

April Hemmes: and idle down. But the turtle,

Paul Yeager: okay, where's my that?

April Hemmes: That button that's just saying your auger's out.

Paul Yeager: Am I a little slow? Should I speed up?

April Hemmes: A little No, because you're gonna have to

Paul Yeager:  move. Am I too far? Yeah, you're putting corn over stop. Am I really Yeah,

April Hemmes: right, yeah, right there. Okay, so back yard just well, there goes my profit for the year.

Paul Yeager: So much for your free labor.

April Hemmes: Free labor is not free. I just had a farmer call me and tell me that. Whoopsie. There we go. His cousin ran into a light pole. 

Paul Yeager: I still don't think I'm

April Hemmes: I don't see you coming over. Yeah, you can. You're fine. Go ahead and let it go ahead. Yep, there you go. You got it pointing away a little bit

Paul Yeager: Trying to, I know you were trying to make it easy on me. So

April Hemmes: I was, I was trying to, I was trying,

Paul Yeager: no, I, you know, farming was always something that is it. I love it, and I just wasn't going to be good at doing some of these things. Can you can you be a labor person? Sure, yeah. Could I have figured out, stop now, drive ahead. Have I figured out? Have I figured out that? Could I figured out marketing? No, no one can figure out marketing.

April Hemmes: I hate people, like they ask questions, and it's like, tell me what the corn is going to do.

Paul Yeager: Who knows? That's my job to ask. So where are we going? We're going higher.

April Hemmes: Yeah, now you can go to the rabbit. Now you can let it rip. There you go. Right? And somebody said, we were in China, actually, and, and the guy said, I'm not going to tell you what the market's going to do. I'm going to tell you what the market's telling me it wants to do. And I thought that's brilliant. I mean, that's a really smart way to say that, because you don't know.

Paul Yeager: No, and I'm not trying to ask anybody exactly what is going to happen, because I know they don't know, but it's like, right? I say, what are some signals I need to be watching for? And could you put alerts on, or chart formations or something like that?

April Hemmes: Sure. And I think this year, more than any, they're just throwing their hands up because the summer, the market did not react like it was supposed to, with all the things happening to it, you know. And then, okay, there you go. Look at you. Now, put the auger back.

Paul Yeager: Oh, that one. I was like, which one is it? You want to keep driving? I'll keep going if you want one more round. Yeah, yeah. Okay,

April: go down here. Yeah, go ahead, and then you can go on there. Are you okay if I drive while it's putting back, or do you need minute?

April Hemmes: Okay, drive while it's putting back.

Paul Yeager: Did I say it right? Yes, yes, you did. That's eastern Iowa. Talk. You Central Iowa? North Central people?

April Hemmes: Yeah, we're up here. We're almost Minnesotans.

Paul Yeager: You know, I might not speak your right language.

April Hemmes: That's. Right, at least you're not pre Missouri syndrome down there,

Paul Yeager: when you have, when you send a son down there.

April Hemmes: That’s right, you're all over.

Paul Yeager: I know that it's kind of fun to hear and to drive and see things. So, okay, yep, right, so it's this one

April: forward, and you're going, Yeah, you're kind of one. I'm a little high. Can I slow it? Yeah, you can. That's okay. I don't want you. I don't want to. Beanhead is more critical, yeah, when you're starting that up, there we go. You got this down? Paul Yeager, combine operator,

Paul Yeager: great. Now I have something to do in the fall. There you go.

April Hemmes: I don't think I'm on the right row here. That's all right, I'm over, right. Yeah, you're fine. No, you're fine. I think I did. Yeah, I won't make you do a row of shame, as we call

Paul Yeager: it, whoops. I hit it again. Well,

April Hemmes: yeah, you did. You touched it twice. There. Don't Okay. Now let's go faster.

Paul Yeager: Yeah, let's go. Let's get going. Okay, now you ask your question, so I get to ask you questions more for me. Oh, many. I'm very you can ask me one more, just one. No, I'm too. You can ask me as much you want. No, go ahead. Okay, because I'm done all right. I think of, I do think of family members that and others that I've seen go on these trade missions, and I just think it would be extremely frustrating. So on the soybean side of things, we know that South America, we taught them all. I see the comments of, well, maybe we shouldn't have taught them how to do it. Or they've taken our lunch. That's just the world is competitive, and that's the way it is in any industry.

April Hemmes: That's exactly right. And I mean, they're capitalist, just like us, you know? I mean, as as the fertilizer has explained to me, my nitrogen, or no, my phosphorus, is made in in Florida. Now they know the other phosphorus will come from Morocco and get a tariff on it. So do you think they're going to leave their price low and not raise it up? Well, they're

Paul Yeager: kind of the only, the only way it's a drop is when people stop using it,

April Hemmes: right, right, right? Because no. So if less people use when they were just talking about this, if people less people plant corn, because it costs so much to plant, yeah, right? Then, yeah, that would make the price drop. But if we get that elusive government payment that does not stay in the farmers pockets and goes to all the inputs, then it'll just keep that price up there. So you know, it's a vicious cycle we're on.

Paul Yeager: So is this still fun? Yes,

April Hemmes: are you kidding me. So here's I love talking about my grandpa who lived to be 101 years old. I think I've told this story on your podcast. Live to be 101. Started farming. Background down there my home place with three horses and live long enough to see auto scare come in. Now that's one lifetime in my life. My 40 years, I doubled the production of soybeans easily, and almost doubled the corn production from when I came home. So I just get so excited about what's to come the drone technology, the autonomous things. How will we be farming, you know, in 20 years, 50 years. So I think there's so much exciting. And the technology coming on, it's still fun to me, but the old body, I have the will to keep farming, but, but as far as I mean, I'm a one woman show, as you can see here, and climbing the bins. And I was balancing on top of a bin, putting belts on that burned up. And I'm like, I don't know how much longer I can do this, so because I don't have anyone here, so which is fine. And I mean, it really bothers my daughter. We have one daughter, and I said, Nope, it's okay, because she goes, Oh, Mom, I should come home. I said, Nope. And every farm goes through that, you know, the transition, and what do they do? So I'm glad she's pursuing what she wants to do. And that's what every parent just wants her child to be happy. You know, at the end of the day, one, one,

Paul Yeager: that's why, like, why is it not going up? So you do have, do you have a transition?

April Hemmes: Um, yeah, yeah, she's gonna manage the farm. And, you know, even though she won't actively be farming, she'll be managing it. The My favorite thing is, is, like, any, oh, sorry, she went to University of Washington, so she was very liberal at the time. She's mellowed a little. I just want to put everything into grass, or, you know, cover grass. And I go, Oh, really, how are you gonna Are you gonna pay the bills there, Ruth, you got a lot of, a lot of taxes you're gonna have to pay. And she. Goes, oh yeah. I said, How are you gonna make money then? Well, I said, and why would you put the most productive land in the world and not producing crops? She goes, Well, Mom, I just want somebody to farm but you farm it. And I go, there's plenty of people. So, you know, all right, it's fun. It's fun teaching this next generation and watching them go through this. I have, you know, lot of lot of young kids that I talk to, and it's just really fun. And I try not to be the oh god in there, yeah, you know, you want them to go through it, because that's how you learn, right? But it's mistakes now we're a little more expensive than when I started. 

Paul Yeager: Well, if an axle breaks and you have to find something in the middle

April Hemmes: of the peak season, yeah, that's tough. That is very tough. That's simple economics, right there. You don't have the ways and meat. Well, another younger farmer I was just talking to had to buy a different corn head. He said, We just kept babying along. We thought we had one more year. Every farmer says, Oh, just one more year. Just one more year. Well, it didn't make it. So they just had to buy a corn 12 row corn head. And I went, ouch, so, and they're in their 30s. So I went, Okay, so I'm kind of glad I'm on that. But you know what, when I was their age, I was selling corn under $2 so,

Paul Yeager: and you hope you don't go out where you're selling it for $2 too, but your, your your yield is ridiculous compared to

April Hemmes: them, too, exactly. So, yes, very much. So, and my expenses. 

Paul Yeager: So we talked about inputs. We've talked about trade. But when you sit here day to day, I know we're about to finish the field and finish your harvest, how have you pushed yourself into the field where you don't think about the moment to moment of what's happening in the world around you? No, have you been trying? Have you been looking at following?

April Hemmes: Yes, and if I don't, I have a sister in law who's a lobbyist in DC, and she sends it to me, look what's going on now. I'm like, Great, okay, no. And, and also, farmers need to pay attention to what's going on. If it rains in Brazil, who you know that's going to make the price of beans go down because the rain of Brazil, you know, it's such a global market now, and how these wars and Ukraine and Russia and Israel, how they have affected the logistics of how things move, you know. And those are things my grandpa and dad never worried about, you know. But those are things we have to look we're almost forced to look at now.

Paul Yeager: So the job is never done, no, but this isn't that great. But this field is we're getting close.

April Hemmes: We got plenty. I still have to do combine karaoke, so I have to leave. I left this part for you. We got a couple more rows to go.

Paul Yeager:  All right, April, thank you so very much. Appreciate your time. You bet it's been a pleasure. That's April Hemmes. This has been the MtoM podcast. Bye. Thanks for watching. Hopefully I didn't break anything. We'll see you next time.