Federal farm programs are changing, and Kansas wheat producers need to know what those changes could mean at the county office, in the crop insurance conversation and on the farm.

In this episode, Aaron Harries talks with Richard Fordyce, USDA Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, and David Schemm, Kansas FSA State Executive Director, about USDA reorganization, FSA modernization and the push to make farm program delivery faster and less paper-heavy. They discuss One Farmer, One File, modernized acreage reporting, coordination between FSA, NRCS and RMA, trade opportunities, input costs and the current mood across farm country.

Key takeaways:

Timestamped rundown

00:00–01:54 — Opening clips introduce the themes of USDA reorganization, reducing bottlenecks and improving service from the federal level down to county offices.
01:54–05:18 — Richard Fordyce shares his background as a Missouri farmer, former Missouri Director of Agriculture and former FSA Administrator, including how his family farm continues operating while he serves in a Senate-confirmed role.
05:18–10:21 — Fordyce explains how farm experience shapes government leadership, especially when balancing congressional intent, USDA leadership, stakeholder input and farmer-first decision making. David Schemm adds that Fordyce brings the “heart of a farmer” to the role.
10:21–11:32 — The discussion turns to why farm background matters when explaining programs to producers and making discretionary decisions.
11:32–13:20 — Schemm discusses the workload and producer impact tied to new farm program changes, including base acre allocation and implementation work by FSA staff.
13:20–15:15 — Fordyce addresses USDA reorganization and restructuring, saying the goal is to reduce bottlenecks, improve response time and keep service closer to farmers.
15:15–16:40 — Schemm introduces technology modernization by comparing old and new tractors, arguing that FSA needs 21st-century tools to serve 21st-century producers.
16:40–22:10 — Fordyce gives a detailed explanation of One Farmer, One File, including form consolidation, IT modernization, shared data access, data security, interactive mapping and future precision ag integration.
22:10–23:03 — Schemm says FSA is finally getting “auto steer on our tractor,” emphasizing the excitement among employees and the importance of county-office-level understanding.
23:03–25:57 — Fordyce explains how better coordination between FSA, NRCS and RMA could help serve farmers more efficiently, while also highlighting RMA’s work on crop insurance products.
25:57–27:38 — Schemm discusses the current mood in farm country: tough economics, high inputs and market pressure, but also optimism tied to trade and better times ahead.
27:38–29:46 — Fordyce closes with thoughts on farm budgets, domestic nitrogen production, trade deals and keeping agriculture on the table in international negotiations.
29:46–30:28 — Aaron closes by directing listeners to Farmers.gov and thanking Fordyce and Schemm for joining the show.

Kansas Wheat
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