Features Podcast

In a world in which foreign governments and political interests sow anxiety and confusion, Iowa entrepreneur Ian Miller is using a horrifying brand of agriculture-inspired disinformation to help people face their fears. We’ll take you to The Slaughterhouse haunted attraction in Des Moines, where “the people are the pigs.”

We break down claims from President Trump about wind turbines and explain Iowa’s domination in the wind energy sector. An Iowa environmental expert warns of disinformation campaigns from out of state and a small town lawyer describes how he battled a power company in court and won.

Iowa Angus Association President Cody Jensen discusses how the collapse of small farms has contributed to the unraveling of close-knit communities in Iowa. Jensen describes the pressures of mounting financial debt and proposes a strategy to help unite Americans in rural and urban areas.

Melissa Eshelman explains how a growing number of women farmers are taking the reins on family farms and launching their own operations. Eshelman discusses overcoming gender bias in the agriculture industry and helping connect and empower other women through the FarmHer media empire.

Iowa Soybean Association President Lindsay Greiner discusses the need for biodiesel tax credits and what drives China’s huge demand for soybeans. He also takes a stand in the debate over corporate farms and explains how one of the darkest chapters in the history of American agriculture pushed him to prepare for the future.

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig discusses what he calls unprecedented access to decision-makers under the Trump administration and issues that have caused friction with farmers. He also weighs in on how the rise of biofuels have pitted farmers against oil executives, and Iowa’s commitment to combating the “dead zone” in the Gulf of Mexico.

How well are the Democrats connecting with voters in Iowa? We touch down at the Iowa State Fair to track the Democratic presidential candidates as they make their opening pitch to Iowans. We then explore how farmers are often left out of the conversation despite being some of the 2020 election’s most directly affected constituents.