The Business of Agriculture Podcast

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.

By now you've heard about and most likely seen the Bud Light Super Bowl commercial. The spot proudly proclaims Bud Light doesn't contain corn syrup whereas the brand's two biggest competitors do. Many of our co-horts in the Business of Agriculture - particularly corn growers- are up in arms. While I'm a pro-corn guy from a corn state, I'm gonna tell you in this episode why the commercial was probably good marketing on Bud Light's part. I'll also look a little deeper and explain why this commercial ties nicely with Anheuser Busch's other two commercials, one for Budweiser and the other for Mich Ultra Pure Gold. The theme is socially conscious marketing. One spot touts environmentalism, one sells nature and organic compliance, and the "corn-troversial" one distances itself from a common villain: high fructose corn syrup. While we in Ag may not like it (and we may even feel singled out as corn producers) these are the realities of the marketplace.

J.R. Simplot started as an eighth grade dropout and hit his first entrepreneurial home run with hogs in the 1920s. Mr. Simplot went on to build an empire, mostly with potatoes (If you've eaten a McDonald's French fry, you've had their spuds!). Today Simplot employs 12,000 people worldwide, and is still family owned. The company's Agribusiness division has 93 Ag retail facilities, cattle feeding operations, fertilizer production, a turf business, and potatoes, of course. While speaking at the company's leadership forum, I pulled aside a V.P. and Director for their perspective on all things Ag. Where are the opportunities, where are there threats? How do you avoid stagnation as a successful company and continue innovating? This episode has some great ideas that anyone in the Business of Agriculture can benefit from. Be sure to listen to the end for closing nuggets and entrepreneurial advice to "fail fast!"

If you're in the business of Agriculture you are probably familiar with country grain elevators. You may even think the grain elevator is dying. But it's not. It's just evolving, like everything else in Ag. In this episode I sit down with two grain elevator owners - an Iowan and an Ontarian - and a representative with White Commercial Corporation, a grain brokerage. We talk about the past, present, and future of grain elevators and the role they play in the Ag industry. You'll love this conversation between the four of us — pull a chair up to the table!

Friend of show, Rob Saik, joins me to discuss his latest initiative. Rob is the founder of Agri-Trend, a company he sold to Trimble, and is the new C.E.O of DOT - a Canadian based autonomous machinery manufacturer. We discuss autonomous machinery's application and future in farming. When and why will we see this new technology? What are the benefits (and downside) of autonomous farm implements? And why time and technology march on in the Business of Agriculture.

We in Agriculture are constantly reminded of the need to "tell our story." While I agree with the need for communicating with our non-Ag brethren, oftentimes the story we tell doesn't stick. Why? Because it's about us. And while suburban North Americans might like some behind the scenes peaks into our lives and how we earn our living while producing their food, the message that sells must be All About Them. In this episode I lay out the realities of communicating to our consumers and provide three messages that resonate with Main Street.

At new years time each year I sit down and get reflective about business and the year that was. What things did I accomplish, what did I not accomplish, and how can I improve upon those things for the new year. In this episode I give you an outline for goal setting that'll help you achieve a life and business by choice. More importantly, I discuss the "ah has" one finds when critically looking back at the year that was. If you're looking to eliminate distractions and boost productivity, give this a listen!

Like it or not, the Business of Agriculture is controlled, in large part, by the federal government. This has been the case for at least a century and became more pronounced with the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933. Since then the Farm Bill has been a package of ever-expanding legislation, adjusted and released about every 5 years. John Newton, Chief Economist with American Farm Bureau Federation joins me to discuss this Farm Bill. Listen to discover what's new in the bill, what changes were made and why, and what's it mean for you and the Business of Ag.

Montie Soules, CEO of the American Shorthorn Association, has been a cattle guy his entire career. Although, he was raised on a Michigan turkey farm, he's all about the beef. Montie joins me to discuss the history of beef, genetics, cattle breeds, why breeds won't matter as much in a decade, what the beef industry does right (and wrong!), and where the industry is headed. Be sure to stay tuned til the end for a valuable lesson for everyone in the biz of Ag about increasing profits through promotion.

Tim Hammerich is a friend of the show who joined me way back in Episode 8. He returns to discuss career opportunities, career mistakes, and the reality of Ag mergers and consolidations as it relates to employees. Hint: where one door closes, another often opens! Turns out there are plenty of openings for people who know the industry of Food and Ag - especially if they're willing to adapt and MOVE. That's right, the Ag economy isn't presenting a challenge for employers seeking talent, it's candidates unwillingness to move that's causing problems. Listen and you'll learn how to be the prospect employers want. Hint number 2: when you say "I'll go wherever God takes me," that can't be limited to Oklahoma!

The Business of Agriculture is capital intensive, cyclical, seasonal, and generally reliant on outside cash for expansion. For decades we've relied on Ag lenders to finance our industry, but is that all changing? Austin Maness, Chief Operating Officer of Harvest Returns is my guest. His company connects Ag entities in need of capital with outside investors seeking diversification. Agriculture has always had outside money (think of farm land owned by heirs who've never seen it!) but this is different. Through the concept of crowd funding, Harvest Returns brings outside capital to Ag for as little as a $5,000 initial investment. Stay tuned to the end for our discussion on Qualified Opportunity Zone legislation — a potential boom for rural economic development.

Last week I delivered a session to a packed room of Ag women in Nebraska. The subject: How to better speak and communicate about the Business of Agriculture. It was so well received I wanted to share some of the program with you. Why do you need to be an effective communicator? Because we in Ag are completely outnumbered and much of what we do is misunderstood. Because everyone of us is a spokesperson for our company, our farms, and our industry. Because more than ever Ag's consumers want to hear the story of their food. Let's help ourselves and our industry by effectively telling a story that resonates with our customers while positively portraying the Business of Agriculture.

California voters passed Proposition 12, requiring all eggs sold or grown in California to be from cage free hens by 2022. The law also dictates space requirements for veal and pork grown or sold in California. Humane Society of the United States was the major pusher of this legislation. Interestingly, HSUS's cohort and occasional rival in animal rights wackiness — PETA— disapproves of the measure, stating it doesn't go far enough! In this episode I tell you what this legislation means for the business of agriculture ("cage free" is the way of the future). Why we must stop using price as our argument against regulation (consumers don't care). And how Ag can fight better and take a lesson from Boy Scouts of America (there's no appeasing whackos, so stop trying!).

Darren Padget is an Oregon farmer, a friend, and the secretary / treasurer of U.S. Wheat Associates. He's also an Oregon Wheat commissioner. We sat down to discuss wheat production, his operation, and the world of wheat. Who's eating wheat? Is the gluten-free craze impacting business? What's the difference between hard red and soft white wheat? And, most importantly, does sending a 6 foot 10 inch wheat farmer to Asia increase trade or scare the customer? You'll learn a few things and you'll enjoy the discussion, recorded in Moro, OR.

Casey Seymour from the Moving Iron podcast is my guest. The Nebraska equipment guy gives his take on the Ag economy and Ag issues through the eyes of a machinery salesperson. We discuss: what's moving, what's not, and why, and the dollars and cents of machinery purchases. We talk about the global marketplace, selling farm implements in Ukraine, and the future of the Business of Agriculture. Stay tuned 'til the end to hear Mr. Seymour disagree with me on my prediction of two years ago about the likely proliferation of autonomous tractors.

Too many Ag people do the hard work of running their Ag enterprise and accumulating assets, then avoid the easy work of estate planning. We often hear the horror stories in the industry of family Agribusinesses gone awry. Much of this can be alleviated through proactive legal consultation. My guest is Dan Gordon of Gordon and Associates - a law firm specializing in Agricultural estate planning. Dan provides guidance you're likely looking for on how to keep the farm, preserve relationships, and run your business while taking care of the generation in front of you. Most of us are guilty of putting off necessary legal preparations. Dan will tell you all the reasons not to. You can trust him. I do. He's my estate attorney!

Delaney Howell from Ag News Daily joins me to discuss a myriad of issues and news items in the world of Agriculture. Among them: Trump's visit to Iowa to announce higher blend rates of E-15 — good for political posturing, not necessarily gonna move the corn market. African swine fever's impact on soybeans (hint, dead pigs don't eat soybeans). The reality of USDA's pledge to agriculture. The silliness of Non - GMO vodka. And closing thoughts anyone in Ag can use. Join the talk and join the fun.

My guest is Alan Bishop, a rural Wisconsin kid who, after graduating from the Ag school at the University of Wisconsin, ended up in Fresno. His job: To sell this new miracle chemical called Roundup. Alan and I met following my presentation to the Western Plant Health Association in Monterey, CA. We discuss the craziness of environmental compliance in California and repercussions for all of Ag after the recent $289M Roundup verdict. Alan teaches us about cotton, specialty crops, the uniqueness of western Agriculture, and then we contemplate a future without glyphosate.

The media has been all abuzz over tariffs and trade negotiations, especially as it pertains to Agriculture. Well, good for us, seems the media only pays attention to Agriculture when they can paint a doom and gloom scenario. But are we in a doom and gloom scenario? What is the real impact of tariffs and trade wars on the Business of Agriculture? Dennis Haugen, North Dakota farmer and agribusinessman is my guest. We discuss the revised NAFTA, global markets, and separate the reality from the hyperbole. You'll like the discussion, we cover everything from EU protectionism to the Soviet Grain Embargo!

Doug Hubner is a third generation seedsman, farmer, and brand manager for Hubner Seed. In 2002 the company started by his father and grandfather reinvented itself by focusing on the eastern states. The strategy worked. In 2007 Monsanto (now Bayer) bought Hubner Seeds. But Doug and his father retain the farm and processing company. And Doug stayed on as brand lead for the new venture. He and I talk about his multiple roles as a farmer, corporate employee, and owner/operator of a seed processing business. In this episode you'll learn about seed corn production. You'll also get some solid take aways to improve your business.