“Policies built for emergencies rarely stay temporary.” 

In this solo episode of Farming on Purpose, I continue the conversation about resource allocation in agriculture — but this time through the lens of policy, infrastructure, and the decisions that quietly shaped modern farming. 

Most farmers today operate within a system that was built long before they ever planted their first crop. Grain elevators, crop insurance programs, futures markets, rail systems, and federal farm programs all grew out of a moment of crisis during the Great Depression. What started as an emergency response to collapsing farm prices eventually became the framework that now guides much of modern agricultural production. 

In this episode, I walk through how government involvement in agriculture began in the 1930s, how the Agricultural Adjustment Act reshaped production decisions, and how the infrastructure that followed reinforced those choices for generations. 

This conversation isn’t about criticizing the system — the policies created during that era helped stabilize agriculture and protect the country’s food supply. But it is worth asking how those policies continue influencing the crops we grow, the risks farmers take, and the structure of rural communities today. 

If you’ve ever wondered why corn and soybeans dominate so much of the agricultural landscape — or why switching crops isn’t nearly as simple as people often assume — this episode helps explain the deeper story behind it. 

Key Topics 

Reflection Questions from This Episode 

This episode closes with questions designed to help producers think more deeply about the systems they operate within: 

Links Referenced in This Episode 

FRASER wholesale price data 

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org/files/docs/publications/SCB/pages/1935-1939/2755_1935-1939.pdf 

CBO crop insurance subsidy 

https://www.cbo.gov/budget-options/60893 

GAO crop insurance 

https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-23-106228 

USDA soybean use 

https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/coexistence-soybeans-factsheet.pdf 

MSU soybean use 

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/where_do_all_these_soybeans_go 

MSU trypsin inhibitor 

https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/hidden-variable-in-soybean-meal-trypsin-inhibitors-and-swine-growth 

Journal of Animal Science 

https://academic.oup.com/jas/article/doi/10.1093/jas/skaf253/8234085 

USDA ERS corn overview 

https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/crops/corn-and-other-feed-grains/feed-grains-sector-at-a-glance 

USDA ERS ethanol use 

https://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/pub-details?pubid=105761 

AHA advisory 

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/cir.0000000000000510 

Linoleic acid review 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22889633 

JAMA plant oils study 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2831265 

Johns Hopkins explainer 

https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/the-evidence-behind-seed-oils-health-effects 

Alternative PUFA interpretation 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5437600 

LINKS 

Learn more about Outlaw Ranch Care and the Country Living Academy: 

Listeners of the Farming on Purpose Podcast can also receive a 50% off for the annual membership using the special code FP50. 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy 

Episode #125: Raising More Than Livestock — Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business 

This episode explores what it takes to build a diversified farm business outside of traditional commodity systems. Nola and Mikaela Schultz share the realities of running a multi-generation family farm while developing direct-to-consumer markets, navigating processing challenges, and creating new income streams for the next generation. 

Episode #124: Marriage, Parenthood & Building a Business 

Building a farm or ag-related business affects more than just production decisions—it shapes family life as well. This episode dives into the reality of building a business while raising a family, exploring the leadership, structure, and long-term vision required to create something that supports both your work and your life. 

Episode #123: Year-End Tax Planning and Financial Confidence on the Farm 

Understanding the financial side of farming is critical to managing risk and building resilient operations. In this episode, Kansas Farm Management economist Tressie Mitzner shares practical strategies for improving financial clarity, preparing for taxes, and making better long-term business decisions on the farm. 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“People really want the agricultural life. They want to learn how to do it right—they just need someone willing to show them.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Frank Baggiolini, asset manager and content creator for Outlaw Ranch Care, to talk about a growing shift in rural America: the rise of first-time landowners and the opportunity agriculture has to welcome them. 

Frank grew up surrounded by agriculture in California, raising registered Polled Herefords through youth projects while his family farmed vegetables in the Salinas Valley. Over the years, his career took him across several corners of the industry—from dairy work and orchard removal to managing equipment operations for large pistachio and almond farms. 

Today, that experience has come full circle. 

Through Outlaw Ranch Care and their Country Living Academy, Frank and his partners help new rural landowners learn the practical skills needed to manage their land, care for livestock, operate equipment, and build productive properties. 

We talk about the reality many new landowners face when they purchase rural property with big dreams but little experience. Frank shares how simple knowledge gaps—from backing a trailer to managing pasture weeds—can quickly become overwhelming without guidance. 

We also discuss the bigger picture for agriculture. While the rise of small acreage properties can sometimes create tension within traditional ag communities, Frank believes helping new landowners become responsible stewards of the land ultimately strengthens agriculture as a whole. 

This episode is a great listen for producers, first-time landowners, homesteaders, and anyone thinking about buying rural property and learning how to care for it well. 

Key Topics 

LINKS 

Learn more about Outlaw Ranch Care and the Country Living Academy: 

Listeners of the Farming on Purpose Podcast can also receive a 50% off for the annual membership using the special code FP50. 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy 

Episode #127: Why Farm Succession Planning Can’t Wait 

A conversation about the urgency of farm and ranch succession planning and what happens when the next generation isn’t prepared to take over. This episode explores the scale of land expected to transition in the coming decades and why preparing the next generation of agricultural leaders matters more than ever. 

Episode #125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business 

Episode #73: Income Streams, Marketing Beef, and Taking the Leap with Rancher Jess 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“Farmers markets are great — but they’re a narrow pipe between farmers and consumers.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Dan Brunner, founder of Market Wagon, to talk about one of the biggest challenges in local food systems: distribution. 

Dan comes from a background in software and logistics, but his interest in food systems goes back decades. Long before grocery delivery was common, he believed consumers would eventually buy more of their food online. When he met a farmer who shared a similar vision, they partnered to launch Market Wagon in 2017 — a platform designed to connect local farmers and food producers directly with consumers through an online marketplace and delivery network. 

We talk about the hidden complexity of the modern grocery supply chain, why farmers markets alone can’t scale access to local food, and how Market Wagon is widening the connection between producers and consumers. 

Dan also shares how the company grew from a single city to serving dozens of regional markets, what the COVID grocery shift revealed about consumer behavior, and why transparency around food production is becoming increasingly important. 

This episode is a great listen for producers interested in expanding direct-to-consumer sales, farmers navigating multiple marketing channels, and anyone curious about how local food systems are evolving in the digital age. 

Key Topics: 

LINKS 

Learn more about Market Wagon: 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy: 

Episode #125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business – A conversation with Nola and Mikaela Schultz about building Schultz Country Market and selling farm products directly to customers. This episode dives into pricing, processing challenges, marketing meat, and what it takes to grow a farm business that supports both the family and the land. 

Episode #73: Income Streams, Marketing Beef, and Taking the Leap with Rancher Jess – Jess Perez shares how she returned to agriculture and built a cow-calf operation while selling beef directly to consumers. This episode explores online storytelling, building an audience, and creating multiple income streams in agriculture. 

Episode #74: Capturing Profit from Heifers with Direct-to-Consumer Beef with Amanda of 2383 Farms – Amanda shares how she found her place in a multi-generation cow-calf operation and started selling beef directly to customers. The conversation covers diversification, building new revenue streams, and the real financial considerations behind direct-to-consumer agriculture.  

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“Every generation of farmers has asked the same question: What do we do with what we have?” 

In this solo episode of Farming on Purpose, I take a deep dive into the history of agriculture — not just as a timeline of events, but as a story of resource allocation. 

From subsistence survival to the Homestead expansion, through industrialization, the Green Revolution, the 1980s farm crisis, and into today’s era of transition and generational transfer, one theme remains constant: producers must decide how to allocate what is scarce. 

In earlier eras, it was labor. Then land. Then machinery. Then knowledge. Then capital. Today? It may be energy, leadership, and continuity. 

This episode explores how global events reshaped agriculture in 20-year spans — and why the next 20 years may change more than we realize as 70% of U.S. farmland is expected to change hands. 

If you are thinking about transition, sustainability, leadership, or simply trying to build something that lasts — this episode will challenge how you think about your operation. 

Key Topics: 

Reflection Questions from This Episode: 

This episode closes with practical questions every producer should consider: 

LINKS 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy: 

Farm Succession Planning: Securing Your Family’s Legacy – A practical conversation about transition planning, family communication, and protecting the long-term future of your operation. A strong follow-up to Jace’s insights on decentralized leadership and building a farm that outlasts one generation. 

Marriage, Parenthood & Building a Business – An honest look at building a growing business while raising a family. This episode pairs well with Jace’s discussion on leadership, structure, and creating a business that supports your life instead of consuming it. 

Year-End Tax Planning and Financial Confidence on the Farm – A finance-focused episode covering taxes, recordkeeping, and strategic cash flow planning. Perfect for listeners who want to go deeper after hearing Jace explain why monthly financial clarity matters. 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“You don’t know what you don’t know — and that’s what keeps people up at night.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Jace Young, founder and CEO of Legacy Farmer, to talk about the financial side of agriculture that most producers avoid — until they can’t. 

Jace grew up on a multi-million-dollar Kansas farm that ultimately went bankrupt. Years later, working in ag banking — including at the same banks his family once approached — he gained access to the financial documentation behind the collapse. What he discovered changed the direction of his life. 

We talk about centralized leadership, pride, emotional decision-making, and why updating your numbers once a year isn’t enough. Jace shares what he sees inside banks today, how loan committees actually think, and why producers who understand their balance sheets have leverage most others don’t. 

This episode is a must-listen for producers stepping into leadership roles, families navigating transition, and anyone who wants to build a farm business that outlasts one generation. 

Key Topics: 

LINKS 

Learn more about Legacy Farmer: 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy: 

Farm Succession Planning: Securing Your Family’s Legacy – A practical conversation about transition planning, family communication, and protecting the long-term future of your operation. A strong follow-up to Jace’s insights on decentralized leadership and building a farm that outlasts one generation. 

Marriage, Parenthood & Building a Business – An honest look at building a growing business while raising a family. This episode pairs well with Jace’s discussion on leadership, structure, and creating a business that supports your life instead of consuming it. 

Year-End Tax Planning and Financial Confidence on the Farm – A finance-focused episode covering taxes, recordkeeping, and strategic cash flow planning. Perfect for listeners who want to go deeper after hearing Jace explain why monthly financial clarity matters. 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“You’re going to make mistakes — and then you’re going to learn from those mistakes.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Hayley Darnielle, owner of Crooked Creek Farms in Montana, to talk about building a diversified, direct-to-consumer farm business from the ground up. 

What started as a simple Facebook page and one milk cow has grown into a full-time operation providing raw milk, pork, poultry, eggs, and more to local families. Hayley shares what it’s really like to be a first-generation farmer, how Montana’s Food Freedom Act shaped her business, and why responsibility, transparency, and boundaries matter just as much as growth. 

This conversation explores diversification with intention, navigating customer relationships, using grants to fuel growth, and building a farm that supports both family life and long-term sustainability. 

Key Topics: 

LINKS 

Follow Crooked Creek Farms and learn more about Hayley’s operation: 

Follow Crooked Creek Farms on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok: 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy 

#122: How Agritourism Is Transforming Farming – A look at how opening the farm to the public through agritourism can create new income streams, strengthen community trust, and support long-term farm sustainability. 

#125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business – An honest conversation about diversification, family roles, and building a direct-to-consumer business that supports both the farm and the people behind it. 

#76: Ag Entrepreneurship & Conviction in Fighting for the Family Farm with Amanda Radke – A conversation about purpose, priorities, entrepreneurship, and building income beyond tradition while staying rooted in agriculture. 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“You don’t have to have a perfect farm — you just have to open the gate.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Megan Daluge, a fifth-generation Wisconsin dairy farmer and co-founder of Milk’n Mamas, to talk about what diversification really looks like when you’re committed to keeping the dairy — and the family — at the center. 

Megan shares how she and her sister navigated family transition, industry pressure, and a tough dairy economy by building multiple income streams alongside their 100-cow dairy. From launching farm camps and agritourism to running a women’s boutique and coaching farmers on social media storytelling, this conversation is an honest look at resilience, creativity, and evolving with purpose. 

This episode is a must-listen for farmers, ranchers, and ag entrepreneurs who feel pulled in more than one direction — and want permission to try something new without losing what matters most. 

Key Topics: 

LINKS 

Follow Milk’n Mamas on Instagram: @milknmamas 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy 

#122: How Agritourism Is Transforming Farming – A look at how opening the farm to the public through agritourism can create new income streams, strengthen community trust, and support long-term farm sustainability. 

#125: Raising More Than Livestock: Building a Multi-Generation Direct-to-Consumer Farm Business – An honest conversation about diversification, family roles, and building a direct-to-consumer business that supports both the farm and the people behind it. 

#76: Ag Entrepreneurship & Conviction in Fighting for the Family Farm with Amanda Radke – A conversation about purpose, priorities, entrepreneurship, and building income beyond tradition while staying rooted in agriculture. 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“If you don’t start early enough to make a plan, it never takes care of itself.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Heidi Olson, certified farm succession planner and founder of Pathfinder Legacy Advisor, LLC, to talk about why succession planning is about far more than paperwork—and why waiting too long puts both farm families and farmland at risk. 

Heidi brings decades of experience in banking, wealth management, trusts, and estate planning, along with firsthand experience navigating succession planning within her own family. We talk through how to start difficult conversations, why communication breakdowns are often the biggest obstacle, and what farm families of every size should be thinking about now as millions of acres of farmland prepare to change hands. 

Key Topics: 

You can learn more about Heidi and her work at pathfinderlegacy.com, or reach out directly at [email protected]. Heidi also hosts the Pathfinder Legacy Podcast, which is linked on her website. 

LINKS 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy: 

Episode 87: Farm Succession Planning: Securing Your Family's Legacy 

Episode 8: Shifting Seasons in Motherhood and Ranching with Richelle Barrett 

Episode 19: Homesteading Skills with a Farm Family with 14 Hands Ranch 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“You don’t just clock out of agriculture — it’s a lifestyle.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Olivia Harms — a sixth-generation rancher, country-western artist, and self-employed musician balancing life on the ranch with life on the road. 

From growing up on a family ranch dating back to 1872, to performing on national television and major rodeo stages, Olivia shares what it really takes to carry Western culture forward while building a creative career. We talk about authenticity in music, advocating for agriculture in urban spaces, navigating burnout, and balancing ranch life, marriage, and a demanding touring schedule. 

This episode is a powerful reminder that agriculture and creativity are both lifestyles — not jobs you clock out of — and that staying rooted matters, even when your work takes you far from home. 

Key Topics: 

LINKS 

Follow Olivia Harms and explore her music, tour dates, and merch: 

Follow Olivia on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok: 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy: 

#120: Finding Where You Belong on the Farm or Ranch – A thoughtful conversation about identity, purpose, and discovering your role within agriculture, especially when your path looks different than expected. Farming on Purpose 

#124: Marriage, Parenthood & Building a Business – A real-life look at balancing marriage, family, and entrepreneurship while building a business alongside life in agriculture. Farming on Purpose 

#117: Raising Kids, Cows, and Conversations: Paige Dulaney’s Real-Life Look at Ranching, Transition, and Family – Honest stories about family roles, legacy planning, and mixing business with relationships. Farming on Purpose 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. 

“You can’t raise a cow that only has steaks on it — it doesn’t exist.” 

In this episode of Farming on Purpose, I sit down with Nola and Mikaela Schultz, a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law team behind Schultz Country Market, to talk about what it really takes to build a direct-to-consumer meat business inside a multi-generation farm. 

We cover the realities of processing, pricing, inventory management, and marketing — along with the family conversations, faith, and perseverance required to grow a business that supports both the farm and the people behind it. 

Nola and Mikaela share honest lessons from launching an on-farm market, navigating processor relationships, learning how to price meat sustainably, and using social media to reach customers far beyond their local community. This episode is a must-listen for anyone exploring direct-to-consumer sales, diversification, or family business transitions in agriculture. 

Key Topics: 

LINKS 

Sign up for the Schultz Country Market shipping waitlist: 

Sign up for the 8-Hour Marketing Plan here! 

Marketing Routine class, do so here! 

Join the Farming On Purpose Facebook group and visit the Farming on Purpose merch page. 

Check out our favorite software tool for online sales: Thrivecart 

I may earn affiliate commissions from links on this page. 

Other Episodes You May Enjoy: 

#117: Raising Kids, Cows, and Conversations: Paige Dulaney’s Real-Life Look at Ranching, Transition, and Family – Honest stories about family roles, legacy planning, and mixing business with relationships. Farming on Purpose 

#74: Capturing Profit from Heifers with Direct-to-Consumer Beef with Amanda of 2383 Farms – A deep dive into selling beef direct to consumers, including challenges and pricing decisions. Farming on Purpose 

#76: Ag Entrepreneurship & Conviction in Fighting for the Family Farm with Amanda Radke – An entrepreneurial exploration of finding purpose, priorities, and diversified income on the farm. 

About the Host of Farming On Purpose, Lexi Wright: 

I’m your host, Lexi Wright. I started the Farming on Purpose Podcast from a passion for sharing the future of production agriculture. 

Connect with me on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.