MtoM Podcast
PodcastEpisode814
Automation is already in agriculture - but the full transition to driverless cabs is under study. The University of Missouri is now testing and researching on a autonomous and electric tractor. Dr. Jianfeng Zhou gives us a tour of the machine and discusses some of the topics surrounding this evolution.
PodcastEpisode813
The renewable energy industry has roots in agriculture. Chevron is known for its start in the petroleum side of energy. Kevin Lucke is the president of the newly formed Chevron Renewable Energy Group. We have a conversation with Lucke at the Iowa State Fair about the mixing of renewable sources with one of the old guards of energy.
PodcastEpisode812
Just like a good marketing plan or building your house, a good floor goes a long way to profitability and peace of mind. Tony Jesina of Farmers Credit Services of America says crop insurance is the same thing. A big deadline is approaching for farmers and we look at the evolution of the industry in just a short time.
PodcastEpisode811
During his birthday week, Mason Shalla of Riverside, Iowa exhibited a steer that won Grand Champion of the 4-H Market Steer Show at the Iowa State Fair. We sit down with Mason to hear how he won, the effort of family and friends to earn the top prize and what made his animal stand out.
PodcastEpisode810
At the core of a state fair is agriculture. Mike Naig is in his second term as Iowa's Secretary of Agriculture and also serves on the board of the Iowa State Fair. We give him a ride around the grounds to discuss telling agriculture's story to urban residents, biofuels legal movements and land ownership debates.
PodcastEpisode809
University of Illinois agricultural economist Scott Irwin grew up in the corn and soybean fields of Iowa, but now works the fields of economics. He's a frequent speaker on the commodities and took to putting much of his life work into a book inspired conversations and research. We discuss his new work and how he engages with his social media audience.
PodcastEpisode808
A recent snapshot confirmed anecdotal thoughts on land values - they are rising, but what happens next - de-escalating or even falling will spill over into much of the farm economy. Paul Schadegg is a Senior VP at Farmers National Company and we ask him to discuss the current situation from the perspective of the 1980s, when he was just getting started in his career.
PodcastEpisode807
There are fewer monarch butterflies in North America. The numbers are dropping in their treks from Mexico to the United States and beyond. Sondra Cabell is a naturalist for Buchanan County, Iowa. She personally has tagged thousands of the orange and black creations in work all over the U.S. and now is telling us the ways to assist in the effort to keep populations up in the monarch.
PodcastEpisode806
The aviation industry is looking at sustainable sources of their jet fuel. Warren Brower is the Executive Vice President of Business Development for Haffner Energy. This discussion centers on industries using biomass in place of fossil fuels and what that means for three big industries of aviation, trucking and maritime transport.
PodcastEpisode805
Solar power is expanding its footprint in the U.S., but it may be efficiency and enhancements that may help the technology shine brightest. Scott Graybeal, CEO at Caelux helps us better understand some of the advancements and playing field in this form of energy.
PodcastEpisode804
Our second installment of the 2023 crop tour with Chad Bell in Viola, Illinois and Mike Schulte in Oklahoma revolves around rain. For one, it was just in time and other is creating a new set of options for producers not normally found this time of year.
PodcastEpisode803
The last three years of the livestock industry included working through COVID-19, the Holcomb plant fire and high demand. What's next? How does one navigate the future? Ross Baldwin lends insight on the markets.
PodcastEpisode802
Wendong Zhang discusses his work on the land ownership survey.
PodcastEpisode801
Tom Sell is technically called a lobbyist. His past as a congressional staffer has positioned him to be in tune with the policy workings to help clients with widespread interests all throughout agriculture. We discuss his view from Texas and the workings of Washington, D.C. this cycle.
PodcastEpisode464
Scott Hays is a fifth-generation hog producer from Monroe City, Missouri. He's spending the year as president of the National Pork Producers Council.
PodcastEpisode463
Gus Barker started his banking career in the farm crisis. That has given him sensitivity to situations for young and experienced farmers. Barker recently testified in the Senate Agriculture committee on behalf of the Independent Bankers of America. We chat about the exchange in Congress from his bank in Newell, Iowa.
PodcastEpisode462
Field days are a part of agriculture and for Lee Tesdell, he was part of one on clean water initiatives he's done on his farm in Iowa. We catch up with this past guest and learn more on the strategy on management of his farm at a time when clean water and the government oversight of it has become news for several cycles.
PodcastEpisode461
Crop insurance has become a mainstay in agriculture the last couple of decades. The case for crop insurance is the producer has skin in the game.
PodcastEpisode460
The Black Sea shipping issue goes beyond the impact of Russia and Ukraine. Andrey Sizov has spent much of his career studying commodity movements in the region and comes back to update trade talks there and the impact of Turkey, China and India are having on the global story.
PodcastEpisode459
The term agrovoltaics refers to the joint development of the same land for both agriculture and solar photovoltaic. Dr. Richard Lu has spent much of career in energy and now is CEO of Toronto-based Solarbank. We discuss the places panels work best along side fields of corn, soybeans and wheat.
PodcastEpisode458
Illinois producers are dealing with dramatically different crop situations. We find out about the early start to the season and the late arriving rain with Chad Bell in Viola, Illinois and Mike Schulte in Oklahoma. We begin our 2023 Crop Progress Reports from the field.
PodcastEpisode457
Ginger Claussen was destined to be a pharmacist and keep the Benson, Minnesota family business going. But life allowed a change in course from her job as a pharmacist to mother and now founder of MiniSota Agriculture Children's Museum.
PodcastEpisode456
La Nina was forecast to be gone by now and in an El Nino cycle. James Roemer of BestWeather Inc., says not so fast. Look at ocean temps off the western U.S. and the impact it is having on Corn Belt producers right now.
PodcastEpisode455
To better understand the success of a plant - it is better to know the stressors and factors that make that corn plant grow in various times of water supply. Dr. Brian Hornbuckle of Iowa State University is working with NASA to find when corn does best in the field.
PodcastEpisode454
Kristi Van Ahn-Kjeseth loved numbers and commodities growing up and now the two come together in her role of continuing the family business. We discuss her Minnesota, North Dakota and Iowa background plus get her insight on the next few months in the grains and livestock.
PodcastEpisode453
Doug Winterfeld leads his family cattle operation in northwest Iowa. He also led his team (Sioux Center) to a state championship in girls basketball. We discuss how he balances the two and how is love of the sport goes back decades to when the race was on to get work done to play hoops in the barn.
PodcastEpisode452
Brandon Schwab has been back on the farm for 15 years while also serving as a varsity basketball coach. His 2023 campaign at Algona Bishop Garrigan ended in a state championship. We talk about how the mind can wander while combing corn to basketball and the upcoming season.
PodcastEpisode451
A Super Bowl commercial is an expensive buy for advertisers and a chance to be in front of the biggest television audience of the year. Viola, Illinois farmer Chad Bell was featured this year as part of the Illinois Farm Families project. We discuss his role in production of the commercial and his fields.
PodcastEpisode450
Trish Cook grew up on the farm, but as things go, one turn to another ends up with her now serving as president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association. She’ll be leading policy discussions along with promoting Iowa pork here and abroad. Her background in finance and agriculture have coalesced almost perfectly for her leadership role in the hog industry.
PodcastEpisode449
During her decade in Congress, Cheri Bustos spent a lot of time working on her assignment on the Agricultural Committee. Now that she has departed Washington, her time is spent still on the Farm Bill being worked on right now. We discuss issues past and present in the world of farming and what's next for her.
PodcastEpisode448
The 2022 crop season was like most - challenging. But for Kansas producer Cameron Peirce -he’s going to use the word disappointing to sum up the season. What started well ended in just 15 minutes. We check back in with Peirce for a wrap on the year of wheat, sunflowers, canola and a new crop he’s trying again in 2023.
PodcastEpisode447
Weather patterns were both boom and bust for North Dakota farmer Paul Thomas. We check in for a third time to see how the year finished for him on his crops. We also find out how his other job - a legislator and the bills under consideration in the committee he chairs - House Agriculture.
PodcastEpisode446
The large production story of 2022 has left cattle in the field at the lowest level since 1962. What that means for producers, consumers and the economy is a big story coming according to Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University.
PodcastEpisode445
We call upon Colleen Krantz for a lot of stories across the country. She updates us on bug drones, no-till farming and her most recent report on ducks.
PodcastEpisode444
We revisit with the college student turned chicken farmer to see how things are going on the farm in Nebraska.
PodcastEpisode443
Feeding the world protein is something farmers and ranchers take seriously. Protein comes in many forms and according to Christine Lewington, the CEO of PIP International there's room for more sources to assist in this challenge.
PodcastEpisode442
We've seen a flurry of activity around the wind and solar expansion in 2022. The new year brings new opportunities for renewable energy.
PodcastEpisode441
The survey of Iowa land values has history that dates back to the 1940's. Farmland followed the trend of nearly everything else in agriculture by going higher in 2022. We go into the why and what's next for factors in values.
PodcastEpisode440
Precision agriculture keeps getting sharper as drone technology improves. We look at plans for the new year from those in the field.
PodcastEpisode439
A Pennsylvania Christmas tree grower and his family again were grand champions earning the right to bring a tree to the White House.
PodcastEpisode438
Sean O'Leary is in the family business of working in commodities. We hear about the path he took and how education is at the core of his efforts.
PodcastEpisode437
Regenerative agriculture is becoming more mainstream for producers looking to improve soil health and helping their bottom line.
PodcastEpisode436
The cattle market is riding some high times right now, but the undercurrent is out there with drought and the consumer's buying power.
PodcastEpisode435
Each commodity market analyst carves out ways to help their customers. It may be by understanding large economic events impacting each row or corn or soybeans. For Jeremey Frost, he tries to help farmers know when is the time to ask and not just take what's given them for prices.
PodcastEpisode434
Life in Ukraine changed dramatically in February of 2022. Kees Huizinga has challenges like his American counterparts do with higher inputs, energy and equipment costs, but the big hurdle has been exports. Bombs have damaged ports and other infrastructure and forced adaptations
PodcastEpisode433
The three are different for wheat in 2023 than in this year. Major stories are building and Nicole Berg walks us through the big opportunities for the industry moving forward.
PodcastEpisode432
Jonathan Coppess struggled to plant his rows straight in his younger days on the farm. He found agricultural policy to be his calling and has worked on a farm bill as a staffer in Congress and now leads a class at the University of Illinois on the subject of that legislation. We look at what is at stake in the upcoming election - specifically in policy decisions in how we feed and fuel the world.
PodcastEpisode431
The story of energy is global with the last 30 months serving as real-time exercise in supply, demand and exploration.
PodcastEpisode430
Dry land has absorbed much of the rainfall like a sponge and leaving little to head downstream to vital shipping areas along the Mississippi River.
PodcastEpisode429
The fertilizer market has gained watchers as prices spike with global events.
PodcastEpisode428
Nearly every acre of Oklahoma is locked in drought. Liquidations and prices at the packer door are weighing the industry's future.
ClipEpisode427
The ups and downs of selling land has many points to consider. A discussion with Randy Dickhut
PodcastEpisode426
Chris Tang serves Faculty Director, Center for Global Management at UCLA. The port challenges are in his backyard but solutions could be found domestically - including a major advantage that comes from farmland.
PodcastEpisode425
Outgoing chair of the Iowa Corn Promotion board discusses the state of the corn industry.
PodcastEpisode424
This goes beyond spreadsheets on a computer to using the data to better keep farmers profitable and relevant.
PodcastEpisode423
The meteorologist takes a lot of grief when it rains, pours or misses complete. Ed Wilson puts himself out at the Iowa State Fair for the celebrations and criticisms.
PodcastEpisode422
Ernie Barnes has been making sure the Swine Barn at the Iowa State Fair runs smoothly for more than two decades. The mission of the pork industry and the fair align in a few key intersections.
PodcastEpisode421
Sarah Pratt answers some submitted questions about this year's creation of the annual Iowa State Fair Butter Cow. Pratt is enlisting a lot of family in our interview and how Broadway inspired this year's display.
PodcastEpisode420
We dive into the behind-the-scenes look at some of Colleen Krantz's latest reporting trips and collaborations. This includes reasons for expanded shipping options in the Great Lakes, an effort to feeds thousands and a revisit a crop now in high demand.
PodcastEpisode419
Jason Haglund was farming on the side while working on helping clients through issues of mental health, addiction and wellness. Since the pandemic started, he's now combing the two to in assisting others.
PodcastEpisode418
Ramona Schindelheim is WorkingNation's Editor-in-Chief and the organization recently published a report on the number of green jobs in the economy now and in years to come.
PodcastEpisode417
James Roemer is back to talk weather, commodities and the world patterns.
PodcastEpisode416
Like agriculture, the oil and gas business is full of generational operations. Jay Young is a 4th generation member of the industry. High gas prices make oil experts out of consumers but the complicated nature of the industry is on display right now.
PodcastEpisode415
We introduced you to two producers this spring as they faced planting questions and weather challenges. We check in to see how things look and their level of optimism.
PodcastEpisode414
Some government hearings are more memorable than others. Shawn Tiffany was recently a witness on a hearing impacting independent cattle feeders like him.
PodcastEpisode413
Neil Hamilton spent years in the classroom preparing lawyers for the world of agriculture. He also has strong roots in the land that tie together in a new book that gives farmers on the land, owners away from the farm and those who eat something to think about.
PodcastEpisode412
The drought story is causing many hardships and forcing tough decisions that could alter the landscape forever in the state of California. Joe Del Bosque has lived through many droughts, but this one has some new factors.
PodcastEpisode411
Efforts to help reform the food system comes in many shapes and sizes. Policy is one way, non-profits like Farm Action are another. This MtoM centers on a policy advocate for the group who also is a farmer herself in upstate New York.
PodcastEpisode410
Massive drought in New Mexico has no signs of relenting impacting nearly every part of life in the state.
About the Show
For more than four decades, Market to Market has covered the issues affecting the more than $1 trillion business of agriculture. Whether it’s global trade conflicts, environmental controversies, changing technologies or emerging enterprises, our reporters make it their business to explain the issues faced by the nearly 60 million people who live and work in rural America. And Market to Market’s team of experienced analysts has a long history of providing expert analysis of the major commodity markets and delivering insight into trends and strategies that help producers and processors cope with changing times.
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