Holy buckets, it may be a Friday, but there is all kinds of policy talk going on today. First, President Trump doubles down on his steel and aluminum tariff declarations yesterday, tweeting out Friday morning that trade wars are "good and easy to win" which has Mike offering a slightly different opinion; plus, Canadian growers on the prairie have been dealing with railroads who have failed to uphold their obligations for several months.To learn more about what's going on up north, we spoke today with Daryl Fransoo, Western Canadian Wheat Growers Assoc Director and Sask. farmer about the severity of the rail problem and what is being done about it. Lots to chew on over the weekend, but there is also a very big (and hopefully very fun) announcement at the end of the episode, so tune in now!

Nutrient management and reduction strategy's are a hot issue right now in ag! Tune in to today's episode to learn about a new Iowa program, the 4R Plus, and see how that could impact producers across the country!President Trump announced recently that tariffs will be imposed on steel and aluminum, Secretary Sonny Perdue gives support to the RFS, and unemployment benefits drop to their lowest level in 48 years!

Today's podcast is definitely not one for being PC. We are joined by fellow podcaster and farmer Brent Carlson of the Dryline Farmer podcast to discuss his operation, experience podcasting, and some interesting topics. In the news Mike and Delaney are continuing to watch South American weather, Farm Bill/D.C. discussions, and agronomic activities.

Actual big news today! Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey has officially been named to his new Undersecretary post at USDA after Sen. Ted Cruz lifted his hold on that nomination. Sen. Cruz lifted the hold just before heading in to a meeting with corn state senators and President Trump to discuss the RINs market, so the USDA is getting closer to fully staffed. Also, DowDuPontPioneer's agriculture sciences spinoff company unveiled it's new name, and the CME has announced some changes to the Live Cattle physical delivery points.Plus, since it's Tuesday, it's time for a tech discussion and we turned to HTS Ag, a multi-faceted precision ag supplier in Iowa and the midwest, to talk drones and the software that allows them to provide value to growers. Adam Gittins, drone guy and General Manager with HTS Ag takes us through their capabilities in 2018

The markets, in particular wheat and soybeans, have been on a nice little tear lately, prompting Mike and Delaney to get in touch with our lovable resident bear, Darin Newsom, to bring ourselves back down to earth. He's getting ready to head to Anaheim, CA for the Commodity Classic where he'll be giving a grains outlook talk Wednesday at noon, with The Eagles hit "Hotel California" as the anchor.He brings us back down a little bit today, but we also have a bunch of news coming out of the world of agriculture. Mike's road will be closed tomorrow! Egypt will be crushing more beans! And Canadian producers are fighting for the railroads attention.  All of this today on the Ag News Daily podcast.

It's a Friday! Delaney is hosting Market to Market on Public Television for the first time this weekend, so be sure to tune in if you can! We're also talking about all of the news in agriculture, from rising interest rates over the next year to changes in the MPP support program for dairy producers.But one of the biggest topics of conversation at coffee shops and farm meetings continues to be that of trade. One of our listeners who works in the steel industry chimes in with his thoughts on tariffs, and we chat with Angela Hofmann, the Deputy Director of Farmers for Free Trade; an advocacy group working to ensure that the voice of farmers is heard in trade negotiations currently, and raising awareness about the importance of global trade for agriculture in general. It's an in depth talk, perfect for weekend listening!

News from Mexico that their Brazilian corn exports are up nearly 1000% in 2017; driving headlines but still importing most of their grain from the US; Argentine growers have agreed to pay royalties for saving seed and growing GMOs, which could lead to greater yields in that country, and Don Lee Farms will be selling an organic Plant-Based Burger at Costco later this year.

All of this news from the world of agriculture, plus a conversation with Nancy Caywood from Caywood Farms in Casa Grande, AZ. Caywood Farms grows cotton and alfalfa, but as their water allotment has dwindled, they've also branched in to agri-education by providing farm tours and getting active in politics.

Having another beef focused discussion today with Chase DeCoite, NCBA's Beef Quality Assurance Director. NCBA has added another certification track to their program, so tune in to find out what the transportation certification will mean for producers. In the news today is continued support to "Free" Bill Northey, Senator Ted Cruz heads to Philadelphia to rally refinery and oil industry supporters, and a bull sells in North Dakota for a record amount!

Switching things up today to bring a Canadian market update with Economist and author of the Grain Perspectives newsletter, Matthew Pot. On today's news docket, chemical lawsuits fly rampant, tariffs for steel and aluminum continue to make headlines, and food recalls are discussed in length on today's episode!

Delaney kicks off today's podcast with a BIG announcement - listen in to find out what! And we run through the usual barrage of agricultural news; some from D.C., some from Wall Street, and a little from John Deere. We also have a conversation about insurance; but it's more exciting than it sounds! Eric Conklin of global insurance firm XL Catlin has had requests to insure just about everything, and he takes us through some of the more common and uncommon examples of insuring livestock on farms and ranches across the country.