“This is a huge trade deal for the corn industry… we can’t let this thing fall apart,” says Andy Jobman, who is President of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association.“We’re hopeful that cooler heads prevail.” 

We also hear an update on demand around E-15, how DOGE Is affecting corn growers and what we mean when we talk about biologicals. 

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

"There's less water in the air coming off the ocean, and that causes storm systems to be less productive with rain, especially along that 40 degree latitude line," says Wyoming based meteorologist Don Day.  

Although La Nina might mean a drier year, La Nina weather cycles are known for bringing more extreme weather events including droughts and tornadoes, and there's a high chance of tornadoes across the Midwest this spring. Upon publication of this episode, the United States is in a La Nina weather cycle with a more neutral weather pattern coming soon. 

Further reading: 

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/ninonina.html 

https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/impacts-el-nino-southern-oscillation.html 

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The biggest takeaway from this episode according to Kevin Kowalaski -- try to use stabilizers. If you aren't using them, think twice, and do some trials. It's got an upfront cost, but it will pay dividends in yield.  He also urges farmers using dry nitrogen products like urea to make sure those treatments actually get incorporated into the soil, and don't just sit on top of it. 

A special thank you to all our loyal listeners this week! Kick'n Dirt won an award; we got Best Of for 2024 Pioneer podcasts! 

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Troy Deutmeyer, Field Agronomist, and Russell French, Certified Crop Advisor join the conversation alongside hosts Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller and Kevin Kowalaski. 

Find the Pioneer Yield Pyramid discussed during this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/mr39u9wb 
Learn more about the crop protection offerings from Corteva: https://tinyurl.com/wm9b4y3t 

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pioneer Agronomy publishes a research book each year, and the 2025 version is available now! During this episode of Kick'N Dirt, listen in for a conversation about key insights provided by the 2025 edition, which has 21 people with PhD's who contributed to the articles.

Mike Jeschke, agronomy manager for Pioneer, says the book has been published in some form since the 1950's. It showcases the findings of the investment in farm research by Pioneer. "There are so many management tools available, and you're constantly needing to refresh that knowledge to stay ahead of emerging issues," he says. "The studies in the book cover a lot of different growing conditions and issues that are happening on real people's farms." 

Find the 2025 book here: 
https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy-science.html#anchor_1 

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike and the Kevins are Kick' N It this episode with Adam Banks, Pioneer Field Agronomist in Kearney, Nebraska, and talking about finishing strong late in the season. With modern hybrids grain filling later and later, that late component of water appears more important than it was even a decade ago. The group talks about what can be done this late in the game to influence yield and what that might cost in relation to what it will produce. 

Resources

Crop Water Use in Corn: https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/crop_water_use.html

Soybean Water Use: https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/soybean-water-use.html

Considerations for Estimating the Last Irrigation: https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/last-irrigation-mid-south.html

Dectes Stem Borer in Soybeans: https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/stem-borer-dectes.html

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike and the Kevins are Kick' N It this episode, providing a Nebraska August history session, including touching on Midwest football. Dan Uppena, Corteva Area Leader for Biologicals, joins the team to talk about Corteva Agriscience biologicals, including biostimulants and biocontrol.

Dan and the group discuss ways Corteva is always working to bring farmers the latest options for achieving higher yields.

Resources

Corteva Biological Business: https://www.corteva.com/products-and-services/biologicals.html

Corteva Biological Products: https://www.corteva.us/products-and-solutions/biologicals.html

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike and the Kevins are Kick' N It this episode, talking about what they are seeing in corn and soybean fields. Diseases have been pretty minor so far, but insects have been prevalent with lots of adult beetles to keep an eye on. As tassel approaches, it’s time to start thinking about fungicide applications. Leaves may be clean now, but with the humid mornings, those plants may not be healthy as they progress. The group also talks about the hail damage to crops in Nebraska and water usage.

Resources

Maximizing the Value of Foliar Fungicides in Corn - https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/maximizing_foliar_fungicides_corn.html

Gray Leaf Spot of Corn - https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/gray_leaf_spot_cropfocus.html

Novel Corn Rootworm Beetle Control Options - https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/Novel-Corn-Rootworm-Beetle-Control-Options.html

Hail Damage to Corn and Soybeans - https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/hail-damage-corn.html

Micronutrients for Crop Production: https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/micronutrients_crop_production.html

White Mold Management in Soybeans: https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/white_mold.html

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike and the Kevins are Kick' N It with Jason Gibson, Market Development Specialist, Corteva Agriscience. The group discuss white mold and how to scout white mold in your fields and what to do if and when you spot it. White mold is a disease of high yield potential soybeans – the better the establishment and growth of the crop, the greater the risk of white mold. White mold is favored by cool and wet weather and dense soybean canopies that help retain these conditions under the crop canopy.

Resources

Article: White Mold Management in Soybeans - https://www.pioneer.com/us/agronomy/white_mold.html

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mike and the Kevins are Kick' N It with Dan Smydra, Enlist Field Specialist with Corteva Agriscience. The group discuss corn conditions, post-emergence herbicides and taking care of the corn crop early in the season. They also discuss tank mix best practices, controlling weeds this season and future growing seasons and more. 

Resources

Tank-Mix Sequence Procedure: https://www.enlist.com/content/dam/dpagco/enlist/na/us/en/files/fact-sheets/DOC-Enlist-Tank-Mix-Sequence-Procedures-2023-NA-US.pdf

Video - Enlist Best Management Practices: https://youtu.be/WMfFzgQ3fa4?si=o68sGSUX8FUOU6xF

Guide - Enlist BMPs: https://www.enlist.com/content/dam/dpagco/enlist/na/us/en/files/fact-sheets/DOC-Enlist-Application-Guide-2023-NA-US.pdf

2024 Corn Hybrid-Herbicide Management Guide & Ratings: https://www.pioneer.com/content/dam/dpagco/pioneer/na/us/en/files/products/corn/DOC-Corn-Hybrid-Herbicide-Mgmt-Guide-Pioneer-NA_US-V1.pdf

2024 Soybean Herbicides x Variety Guide: https://www.pioneer.com/content/dam/dpagco/pioneer/na/us/en/files/products/soybeans/DOC-Soybean-Variety-Herbicide-Tolerance-Guide-Pioneer-NA_US-V1.pdf

2024 Enlist Weed Control System Product Use Guide: https://www.enlist.com/content/dam/dpagco/enlist/na/us/en/files/fact-sheets/DOC-Enlist-PUG-NA-US.pdf

Kick'N Dirt is a podcast about Agriculture in the U.S. This show hosts industry professionals to talk about corn and soybean production, including growers, agronomists and researchers.

Kick'N Dirt is hosted by Pioneer Agronomists Mike Wardyn, Kevin Keller, and Kevin Kowalaski, who are based in Nebraska.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.