I’ve been hearing the complaint, “it’s hard / impossible for a young person to start out in farming these days” for decades. Recently, an interviewer went down this road about the struggle of young people to get into farming and blamed the phenomenon on “corporate-ization.” You’ve no doubt heard this complaint yourself, but is it even true? If it is true, why is it? In this episode I provide some historic perspective, numbers, data, outlook, and reality: that commodity production favors scale and size, whether you’re in the business of making corn or manufacturing copper. Sponsored by Pattern Ag pattern.ag, AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com, and Truterra truterraag.com

278 - “Corporate-ization,” Consolidation, and the Reality of Commoditization

Damian travels all over the globe talking to audiences about trends in the business of food, fuel, and fiber. With his clever wit and down-to-earth delivery, he has turned these topics into an interesting (and sometimes controversial) podcast.

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Agriculture has been consolidating for almost a century. There were 6.8 million American farms in 1935, today, less than 2 million. About 160,000 of those two million American farms do the bulk of the heavy lifting, production wise, with more than 90% of farm revenue. Consolidation has been the norm in not only production Agriculture but also on the business side. From farm machinery, to genetics, chemistry, and retail, there are fewer players today than in past decades. As we head into a declining Ag income cycle, consolidations will increase, based on historical precedent. But what are the limitations of consolidation? Landus CEO Matt Carstens joins Damian Mason for a lively Business of Agriculture episode! The Business of Agriculture Podcast with Damian Mason is Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag Redox Bio-Nutrients redoxgrows.com Truterra truterraag.com  

347 - Consolidation’s Limitations — Perspectives from a CEO on Consolidation in Agriculture

Big companies have gotten bigger in Agriculture, generally by acquiring, or merging with, other companies. Consolidation in the Business of Agriculture has been going on for decades and it’s likely to continue. The question is: Who benefits from consolidation in the Agriculture industry? Damian Mason asks Corteva’s Jim Davis that question, amid many other frank inquiries in this very interesting discussion. This is the first release in a two part series digging into consolidation in Agriculture. The Business of Agriculture Podcast with Damian Mason is Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag Redox Bio-Nutrients redoxgrows.com Truterra truterraag.com  

346 - Consolidation in Corporate Agriculture — Who Benefits?

For years Agriculture has prioritized production, transport-ability, appearance, and efficiency in the food we make. But what about nutrients? Did nutrient content of food get relegated to the back seat? Somewhat, and that’s changing, as consumers demand tastier, more nutritious food. University of Florida professor, farmer, and podcast host Kevin Folta joins Damian Mason on the Business of Agriculture for an intelligent discussion about the nutrient content of food. From McDonald’s to Wal-Mart, trends and preferences are evolving. The future of food and nutrition will be impacted by policy, healthcare, and consumer demand. Navigating the change is Ag’s next challenge. The Business of Agriculture Podcast with Damian Mason is Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag Redox Bio-Nutrients redoxgrows.com Truterra truterraag.com  

345 - Nutrient Content of Food — Agriculture’s Next Challenge?

The last twenty years have been very good ones — financially speaking — for American Agriculture. The last three years 2021, ’22, and ’23 are the highest farm income years ever in both nominal and inflation adjusted, real dollars. Now, in 2024, we face a revenue downturn. While commodity prices are OK, input prices remain elevated. This scenario is setting up a financial breakeven for producers. What does this mean for all of us and what can crafty operators do to remain financially viable? John Maman with Nutrien Financial, and Nutrien Chief Economist Jason Newton share data along with financial recommendations in this episode of The Business of Agriculture. The Business of Agriculture Podcast with Damian Mason is Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag Redox Bio-Nutrients redoxgrows.com Truterra truterraag.com  

344 - Financial Outlook for Agriculture — Back to Normal

In production Agriculture we tend to over manage for some pathogens — corn root worm for instance — while under managing for others such as Fusarium. Mike Tweedy with PatternAg cites his company's recent finding in a certain geography where Fusarium — a disease for which we generally under manage — caused an average of 30 lost bushels. As commodity prices squeeze farm profit margins, managing against disease loss is critical. What if you can do so proactively? Mike and Damian discuss predictive agronomics, bio-fertility, nutrient uptake, and the ineffectiveness of most crop scouting (hint: It’s more an autopsy than a doctor visit!). The Business of Agriculture Podcast with Damian Mason is Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag Redox Bio-Nutrients redoxgrows.com Truterra truterraag.com  

278 - “Corporate-ization,” Consolidation, and the Reality of Commoditization

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