The Business of Agriculture Podcast

Six months into the economic and marketplace response to coronavirus, Damian takes a look at seven things revealed about Ag and our consumers. This is a fun episode that looks back over the last few months, and takes a look at what this means for the future of the Business of Agriculture. Sponsored by Harvest Profit harvestprofit.com

The Business of Agriculture podcast has never been a forum for grain price charts…and it's still not. But with USDA's August report release coming just after Iowa got hit with 100 mph winds that damaged crops and smashed grain bins like beer cans, it's time to look ahead at grain. Matt Bennett of AgMarket.net joins me to explain fundamentals, why the USDA report of record harvest didn't tank grain markets, and what the future may hold for consumers as well as us closer to the farm. Sponsored by Harvest Profit harvestprofit.com

After reading several articles about the huge investments by Silicon Valley type investors into indoor Agriculture, I thought it was time to put it on the podcast. My guest is Darynn Keiller, CEO of Autogrow – a New Zealand-based indoor Agriculture climate control technology company. He explains the value proposition of indoor farming, the different types of indoor farming, and what's going on in the business of indoor Ag. Sponsored by Harvest Profit harvestprofit.com

The farming part of farming can be fun and it's what most people in Ag like about the industry. The business side can be unenjoyable, however. There's the management, the family aspect, the political changes impacting your operation, and the money, of course. Ryan Moe, a financial guy from an Ag background joins me to discuss the big picture of Ag and the business side of farming. Ryan is with StoneX Financial Group - an Ag advisory company. My favorite line from the podcast: "You should be chasing margins versus chasing markets." Sponsored by Harvest Profit harvestprofit.com

Trade is a hot topic these days in American Agriculture. Truth is, it always has been - at least over the last century as our productivity skyrocketed beyond what our nation required for its own sustenance. North American Agriculture requires international trade to thrive. Particularly for Canada and the U.S., which produce multiple times the amount of food their populations require. Michelle Klieger, author of The Demise of Free Trade joins me to discuss China's trade tactics, the future of Ag trade, and trade deals like USMCA and TPP. This is a lively conversation about an issue that won't go away in our lifetimes: trade disputes. Sponsored by Harvest Profit harvestprofit.com

On July 1, 2020, USMCA went into effect. The USMCA is the updated North American Free Trade Agreement between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. John Newton, Chief Economist of the American Farm Bureau Federation joins me to discuss what this means for American Ag. Farm Bureau says the agreement is good for an additional $2 billion of Ag sales. From a "volatile world" standpoint, a free trade deal with our two nearest neighbors is good business for other reasons. But what countries are next for Ag-positive trade arrangements? When we talk about currency manipulation, what's the deal with Brazil? And is the European Union going to open up to more American farm products? Listen as we hit those topics and more! Sponsored by Harvest Profit harvestprofit.com

Hoosier Ag Today's Gary Truitt asked me to be a guest on his syndicated radio show. We decided the interview would make a good Business of Agriculture podcast too, so here it is! Gary and I discuss the response to Burger King's (bizarre & ridiculous) cow fart commercial and the potential effect — positive and negative — on meat consumption. Production is always an issue for us in Ag but we sometimes forget, consumers care about themselves and their feelings. Gary and I discuss what the fast food chain's "lemongrass fed, reduced methane burger" might mean for the future of food production and marketing. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

The Business of Agriculture is constantly creating and employing new technology to improve how we produce food. The pace of innovation has quickened immensely over the last couple decades, and it's not slowing down. Enter robots and drones, with us for the past few years, but becoming more and more a reality. Clint Brauer, a Kansas-based entrepreneur joins me to discuss his nascent company, Greenfield Robotics. Greenfield aims to deploy a fleet of lightweight robots to manage weeds without the use of chemistry. You'll enjoy this forward-looking discussion. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

Everyone is a little uncertain at the moment about the economic outlook in a coronavirus world. One thing we know for sure is that humans are going to continue to eat. But what does Main Street's economic reality mean for us in Ag moving forward? Chris Kuehl of Armada Corporate Intelligence joins me to discuss wages, inflation, food shifts, globalization, and much more. The best part: he (and I) stay out of the weeds of economic equations and simply provide scenarios and realities for all of us in the Business of Agriculture. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

Bayer announced on June 24th the company would settle 95,000 lawsuits over its Roundup product for $10.9 billion. The company also stated it would spend $1.25 billion on resolving future claims. What does this mean for Agriculture and the future of crop protection? Darren Coppock, CEO of the Agricultural Retailers Association joins me to discuss an industry that relies on science but is dictated by lawsuits. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

We in Agriculture are fairly isolated from the current protests raging across the nation, but we would do well to watch and learn. Because the tactics being employed by activist organizations to create chaos in our cities are the exact same tactics employed by anti-Ag groups. We discuss the very profitable, yet "non-profit" conflict industry, and the methods these organizations use to attain their real objective: money and power. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

Groceries — particularly meat — have been in the news a lot lately. From meat plant closures to produce being destroyed to food bank demand spikes, food is a hot topic in the coronavirus era. But it's about to "get real" because the consumer is seeing the biggest jump in food prices since 1974. Food prices jump 5.8% just from March 1 to May 30. Most of that increase was in meat. So what does this mean? I provide a few outcomes and economic prognostications that are likely in a recessionary economy now dealing with higher grocery bills. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

Did you know that over 120 million American cropland acres are treated aerially each year? In addition to treating nearly one third of our crop acres, aerial applicators also fight forest fires, treat timberland, enhance pasture and rangeland, and spray for bugs harmful to human health (think mosquitoes). Aerial application of crop inputs is an important part of Agricultural production that most people don't think much about. That's why I brought on Andrew Moore, CEO of the National Agricultural Aviation Association. Interesting stuff in this episode. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

On my cross country drive back to the farm last week I heard multiple references on the radio to Ag people "Telling Their Story." We've been encouraged for several years now as Ag people to "tell our story." And we should. However, there are a couple issues when it comes to us telling our story. In this episode we discuss how to make our story relevant to and more about the customer, not just ourselves. We also discuss how to stop preaching to the choir and start communicating with non-Ag people. Agriculture is a business and businesses are customer driven…one way to keep those customers happy is by telling our story in a way that makes it their story.

Karlanea Brown intended to be a fashion designer. That's what she studied in college and had dreamed of doing since age 12. Then she married a hog farmer and everything changed. Karlanea worked off the farm for years then joined the farm enterprise after her husband, Darryl's, father passed away. The Browns had already departed the hog business and were looking for a replacement when they decided on shrimp. Today, RDM Aquaculture complements their grain farming and greenhouse business. Karlanea shares shrimp lessons learned and describes their thriving direct-to-consumer / restaurant seafood business. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

Agriculture IS a business. That's a point I make in my book, Food Fear, and a point I make repeatedly in discussions with consumers and in presentations to Ag industry folks. Ag is a business. Which means production Agriculture is supposed to be profitable and should be run like a business. Mary Jo Irmen, author of Farming Without the Bank joins me to discuss financial strategy, mistakes, and opportunities for today's Ag professional. We cover a lot of ground in this episode on the subject too many producers avoid properly handling: money.

Lyle Benjamin farmed for 17 years with his business partner wife in Montana's Golden Triangle region. He's from there. He returned there after stints away from the farm so he could be a farmer. This winter — on the heels of several bad years — he made the decision to quit farming. Lyle joins me to discuss the difficult decision when the emotional and tradition-laden side of the family farming operation meets the business realities of production Agriculture. Lyle has no regrets. He made a business decision to preserve capital and provide for his family. Lyle offers plenty of lessons and support for farmers — or any business owner for that matter — staring down the difficult decision of closing one's business. Please share this episode with someone you know who is struggling with or stressing over a big decision. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

Nearly half the nation's ethanol facilities are closed at the moment. No, it's not directly due to coronavirus, it's due to the oil glut created by Saudi Arabia and what that's done to ethanol prices. These closures, like every action, have a reaction. For the Business of Agriculture, the ripple effect is oftentimes misunderstood by the non farming consumer. Take meat plant closures as an example and what that's created at the grocery store. Sadly, we're seeing or about to see the downstream impact of ethanol closures. Corn prices are the first reaction (over one third of America's corn production goes to ethanol), but there are other reactions too. Geoff Cooper, CEO of the Renewable Fuels Association joins me to discuss what ethanol plant closures mean for Ag and consumers. You may just want to stock up on carbonated beverages!

With the world economy now in turmoil due to coronavirus, changes are coming fast to the global marketplace. Will the U.S. and China experience a "de-coupling?" Todd Thurman of Swinetex Consulting Services joins me to discuss the realities and complexities of US - China relations. Todd's business took him to China for 130 days last year. He provides perspective from his time and involvement in the pork industry. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

Meat plants are being shut down due to concern over employee coronavirus infections. At first, the average consumer might see this as a good thing, but what's the effect at the grocery store? Potentially very bad. Rob Brenneman and his wife Char are the founders of Brenneman Pork, a large Iowa hog farming operation. Mr. Brenneman joins me to explain the entire pork industry, from breeding the sow (female pig) to the resulting pork chop on a consumer's plate. That process, incidentally, takes roughly 10 months. Which is why a disruption at any juncture — this time at the meat processing facility — has a negative long term impact on our food supply. Please share this very informative and timely episode with your non-Agricultural friends! Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

Rob Saik joins me to discuss technology that will allow farmers and Ag professionals to seek and share information. Rob is the founder of AgVisorPro, an app bringing together those who need answers with those possessing expertise. Knowledgeable experts load up their profile and make themselves available for consultation. Those seeking a solution from an experienced person find said person online. The best part: the expert gets compensation, and the person seeking an answer saved time (most problems can be resolved in 10 minutes). If this sounds like a foreign concept that will never achieve lift off, remember: riding in a stranger's car that you hailed with your iPhone seemed crazy once too. And that's the gist of AgVisorPro. Sponsored by Harvest Profit HarvestProfit.com

The media sells advertising by perpetuating fear. One fear story that's resonating in the coronavirus era is that there may be food shortages — particularly in the produce aisle, due to labor shortages. Steve Scaroni with Fresh Harvest, Inc. joins me to give the straight scoop about produce and labor shortages. His company is the nation's largest H2A labor user. He explains to us the unique challenges of farming, harvesting, and transporting perishable products. (Sadly, produce is being plowed under or left to rot — not because of labor issues, but because of decreased demand.) Steve explains the history of migrant labor law, the current reality of farm labor, and why we need immigration reform. Put simply, Americans won't pick their own lettuce.

Agriculture is the basis of our prosperous nation but to have a thriving Agriculture you need inputs. Amid the global pandemic and disruption to the world economy and trade, will we have adequate supplies to keep on producing? Joanie Grimes with Premium Agricultural Commodities, Inc. (PACI) joins me to discuss supply issues and the future of Ag. PACI is an Ohio-based buying cooperative that acts as Ag retailer. Its 34 farmer members operate 175,000 acres of corn, soybeans, and wheat.

The federal government just passed a $2 trillion relief package in response to the coronavirus pandemic. 23.5 billion of those dollars are specifically oriented to production Agriculture with another $359 billion devoted to small business loans. What does this mean for you and the business of Ag? Jim Wiesemeyer, Washington DC policy analyst for Pro Farmer joins me to share insights and information about the programs. This episode is a bit long, but the information is timely and important. As rural America suffers economic setback there is an opportunity to utilize SBA backed loans to boost our economy and - if used for certain applications - the loans become grants. Hope you find value in this podcast!

Amidst all the runs on groceries and panic buying of food there is a lesson for society: American Agriculture produces abundant food and it's among the safest food supply on Earth. The American livestock production and processing system faces disease threats every day and does an amazing job of fending off those threats. That's why the coronavirus crisis isn't made worse by an accompanying shortage of meat, milk, or eggs. Michelle Ganci, Animal Science Professor at California State University Fresno joins me to explain what society can learn from Agriculture. The lesson is summed up with: Practices, Reaction, Information, Collaboration, Productivity despite problems. You're going to like this episode and PLEASE share it with your non-Agricultural friends to provide some perspective.

As consumers hoard toilet paper and hand sanitizer in response to coronavirus, it appears there is more panic than pandemic. Luckily for American shoppers, the grocery shelves are still stocked even as consumers load up on copious amounts of canned goods. While the Covid19 virus presents many challenges for the global economy, it also presents an opportunity for Agriculture — we're not taking time off and you needn't panic over food shortages. Eric Bream is a California citrus farmer and politically active Agriculturalist. Eric joins me to discuss the Business of Agriculture and how we can use the current crisis to illustrate Ag's value and the peril of over regulation.

Damian Mason responds to plant-based meat's claims of: "better for you" eating, "better for the environment," and livestock production and meat eating as "a prehistoric industry."

What do SARS, H1N1, the Influenza epidemic of 1917-18, and Coronavirus have in common? If you guessed, "They're all viruses that originated in China," you'd be right. But that's not all. China also has given the world the latest outbreak of African Swine Fever — which threatens the global hog herd and pork supply — and the Emerald Ash Borer, which by some estimates has had an economic impact in excess of 100 billion dollars. At the same time China is upending global economies, the communist country is also on a $1.3 trillion mission of global dominance. In this episode we discuss the problem(s) with China, and why Damian believes the Business of Agriculture would do well to stop viewing China as a trading partner to be coddled, and instead view the country as an adversary.

Delaney Howell is an Ag broadcaster and communicator. She joins us to discuss Agricultural communication and how we can do it better. We also talk about the reality of "us versus them" mentality in our industry, and the reality of infighting between and within commodity groups. Delaney and I admit we sometimes point out what Ag gets wrong as an industry, so we take time to highlight a few of the amazing things this industry gets right. This is a fun talk — pull up a chair!

Video surfaced recently showing presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg making statements that created a firestorm among the people of Agriculture. Like everyone in the world's most important industry, I found Bloomberg's statements to be Agriculturally ignorant. But unlike some in Ag, I didn't respond emotionally. Rather, I thought we should take this as a moment to demonstrate the role Agriculture has had as a foundation to America's dominant economic achievement. Friend of show Katharine Lotspeich joins me to discuss politics, farming, and the realities of being governed by Ag illiterate elected officials. Join the conversation — there's plenty of gray matter here!

I push the need to constantly ReInvent to remain relevant in a constantly evolving marketplace. Ag retail is just such a marketplace. With consolidation at the manufacturing and retail level combined with a decreasing farmer base, retailing Agricultural products is a real challenge. It's a challenge Cody Hostler is up for. He worked for Sioux Nation — a South Dakota independent Ag retailer — for 8 years before purchasing the business. He's owned the business for five years, and has gone from seven employees to 17 in that timeframe. Cody and his employee Paul Raymond join me to talk about the interesting things their company does to not only survive, but thrive.

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.