What does the future of agriculture look like in Ohio?

In this episode of AgWire, I sit down with Brian Baldridge, Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, for a wide-ranging conversation about his journey into one of the most important positions in Ohio agriculture - and where he believes the industry is headed next.

Brian shares his story of how he went from his background in farming and public service to leading a department responsible for an incredibly broad range of issues affecting Ohio farmers, businesses, consumers, and rural communities. We talk about whether he ever imagined himself becoming the Director of Agriculture and what it's like to have farmers across the state looking to him for answers.

We also tackle the issues farmers are talking about right now. If 100 Ohio farmers walked into Brian's office and could ask him anything, what would they want to know? We discuss their biggest concerns and what the state can - and can't - do to help.

Brian also explains his vision for revamping Ohio Proud, positioning Ohio as one of the strongest agricultural states in the country, and preparing Ohio agriculture for a future that could look dramatically different with autonomy, robotics, and new technology becoming more common on the farm.

And we finish with some of the more personal side of the job: what's the most fun part of being Director of Agriculture - and what's the hardest?

In this episode:

• Brian Baldridge's journey to becoming Director of Agriculture
• Did he ever see himself leading the ODA?
• What it's like leading such a wide-ranging state department
• The biggest concerns Ohio farmers are bringing to him
• What 100 farmers might ask the Director of Agriculture
• The future of the Ohio Proud program
• Positioning Ohio as a national agricultural leader
• Autonomy, robotics, and the future of farming
• Land use planning - solar farms and data centers
• The biggest opportunities facing Ohio agriculture
• The hardest- and most rewarding- parts of his job

This is a conversation about Ohio agriculture today, the challenges farmers are facing, and the vision for where Ohio agriculture could be 10, 20, or even 50 years from now.

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What happens when you build a business around people instead of profit?

In this episode of AgWire, I sit down with Chris and Todd Jeffries of Seed Genetics Direct - a father and son team with decades of experience in the seed business.

Chris started Seed Consultants Inc. and later founded Seed Genetics Direct. Throughout the conversation, Chris and Todd explain the philosophy that has guided their business for years: take care of the customer, take care of your people, and don't make profit the primary goal.

We talk about their backgrounds, the lessons they've learned building businesses in agriculture, and what they believe separates a great company from an average one.

Chris also opens up about his health journey and how this difficult season unexpectedly created an opportunity for Todd to step into a greater leadership role. We discuss what it was like for Chris to hand over more responsibility, how Todd grew as a leader, and what they've learned about working together as father and son.

This conversation goes far beyond the seed business. It's about leadership, family, adversity, building a lasting company, and understanding that the people inside and around a business are ultimately its greatest asset.

In this episode:

• Chris Jeffries' journey from starting Seed Consultants to Seed Genetics Direct
• The Jeffries' customer-first business philosophy
• Why they don't believe profit should be the primary focus
• Lessons from decades of building an agricultural business
• Advice for other business owners and entrepreneurs
• Chris's cancer journey and its impact on the business
• How Todd grew into a stronger leader
• Father-son leadership and succession
• Why people are the most important part of a business
• Building a company that lasts beyond one generation

This may be one of the most important lessons in business: take care of your people, and let the rest follow.

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In this episode of AgWire, I sit down with Mike Vallery of Vallery & Dorn Insurance. Mike wears a few different hats in agriculture - he's a farmer first, crop insurance agent, and a crop scout on the Pro Farmer Crop Tour.

We start with his biggest takeaways from this year's Crop Tour, what he saw in the fields, and what the tour can - and can't - tell us about the crop ahead.

Mike also shares the story of his own farm and how he got into the crop insurance business. We break down the programs available to farmers, how crop insurance actually works, and some of the things producers should understand when making their coverage decisions.

Then we look toward the future of farming. Mike talks about some of the new technology he's experimenting with on his own operation, including Solinftec autonomous sprayers, and what autonomous equipment could eventually mean for the way farmers operate.

In this episode:

• Mike's biggest takeaways from the Pro Farmer Crop Tour
• What he saw across the Corn Belt
• Mike's own farming operation
• How he got into selling crop insurance
• How crop insurance programs work
• Important crop insurance considerations for farmers
• New technology he's testing on his farm
• Autonomous spraying and the future of farm equipment
• Where agriculture is headed next

This is a conversation about what the crop looks like today, how farmers can protect themselves from risk, and what the farm of the future could look like.

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In this episode of AgWire, I sit down with Luke Arthur, a farm appraiser with Farm Credit who lives in Kentucky and raises cattle of his own.

We sit down to talk about his background, his cattle operation, and how he found his way into the world of agricultural appraisal.

Luke explains what it actually takes to determine the value of a piece of farmland. We get into the science behind an appraisal, the factors that can make one farm worth dramatically more than another, and what is driving farmland values to levels we've never seen before.

We also talk about why farmland prices have skyrocketed, whether today's values can continue, how young farmers can get started in the industry, and what Luke believes the future holds for agriculture and rural America.

In this episode:

• Luke's background and how we know each other
• Raising cattle in Kentucky
• How to get started in agricultural appraisal
• How appraisers determine what farmland is worth
• The science and data behind farmland values
• Why farmland prices have skyrocketed
• What could happen to land values in the future
• Opportunities for the next generation of farmers
• The future of agriculture and rural America

If you ever wondered how someone puts a dollar value on a farm - or why farmland is selling for what it is today - this conversation will give you a behind the scenes look at one of the most important markets in agriculture.

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In this episode of AgWire, I sit down with Dale Mayer, the third generation of Mayer Farm Equipment in Jeffersonville, Ohio, for one of the most fascinating conversations I've had about family, agriculture, and rural business.

Dale shares the story of his family's farm equipment business - including the devasting event that nearly destroyed it all: arson at the dealership.

We talk about how Mayer's grew through multiple generations, the evolution of selling both new and used equipment, and what it takes to keep a family business alive in an industry that continues to change.

Dale also takes us inside the family's incredible antique tractor collection and shares why preserving agricultural history matters.

But perhaps most importantly, we talk about community - why rural businesses matter beyond selling a product, what Dale believes the next generation of agriculture needs, and where he sees farming and rural America heading in the future.

In this episode:

• The story behind the Mayer Farm Equipment fire
• How the family rebuilt after arson
• Three generations in the farm equipment business
• Exporting tractors internationally
• New vs used farm equipment
• The family's antique tractor collection
• The importance of community organizations
• The future of agriculture and farm equipment

This is more than a conversation about tractors. It's a story about losing something, rebuilding it, and carrying a family legacy into the future generations.

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In this episode of AgWire, I sit down with Jennifer Harbage, owner of Fat Hen Farmhouse, for a conversation about farming, food, and the journey that brought her from being a flight attendant to becoming a farm wife and farm business owner.

Jennifer shares the history of her family's farm and what it was like transitioning into farm life. We also talk about the growing interest in local food, how food from a small farm compares with what you find at the grocery story, and the differences between small-scale and commercial agriculture.

We get into meat quality, where our food comes from, how it is produced, and whether consumers can actually tell a difference. Jennifer also gives her perspective on why connecting consumers directly with farmers matters.

In this episode:

• Jennifer's journey from flight attendant to farmer
• The history of Fat Hen Farmhouse
• Small farms vs commercial agriculture
• Local food vs grocery store food
• Meat quality and how production methods matter
• Connecting consumers with their farmers
• The challenges and opportunities facing small farms

If you've ever wondered where your food really comes from - and whether buying directly from a farmer makes a difference - this conversation is for you.

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In this episode of AgWire, I sit down with Eric Tipton, president of the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association and owner of Progressive Edge Ag Service, for a conversation about the future of agriculture and what it takes to build a successful farming operation.

We discuss one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today - farm transition and succession planning - and why preparing the next generation is about much more than passing down land. Eric shares lessons from his own experience, along with practical advice for farm families navigating difficult conversations.

We also dive into the growth of precision agriculture and what it's like balancing a precision ag business and farming while serving as president of the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association. Along the way, we cover leadership, innovation, and the opportunities ahead for Ohio farmers.

Whether you're a farmer, involved in agriculture, or interested in the future of rural America, this episode is packed with valuable insights from one of Ohio's agricultural leaders.

Topics covered:

• Farm transition and succession planning
• Building Progressive Edge Ag Service
• Leadership in the Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association
• Challenges and opportunities facing farmers

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In this episode of AgWire, I sit down with Evan Schaefer, co-owner of EZ Custom Ag, for a wide-ranging conversation about agriculture, food, and business.

We discuss Evan's farming background, what it's like running an independent ag retail business, how crop production has changed over the years, and where he sees the future of agriculture heading. We also dive into the U.S. food industry, the growing MAHA movement, consumer perceptions of farming, and why it's more important than ever for farmers to tell their own story.

Whether you're a farmer, work in agriculture, or simply want a better understanding of where your food comes from, this episode offers an honest conversation about the challenges and opportunities facing American agriculture today.

Topics covered:

• Evan's farm and family history
• Building and operating EZ Custom Ag
• The realities of ag retail
• The U.S. food system
• MAHA and food policy
• Public perception of farming
• The future of American agriculture

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