00:00 Introduction to CropWatch Podcast 2026

Keywords

CropWatch Podcast, Nebraska agriculture, weather updates, climate change, drought conditions, rainfall impact, soybean disease, grain storage, nitrogen reduction, weather forecast

In this conversation, Eric Hunt speaks with Hannah Birgé and Jacob Fritton from the Nature Conservancy about the intersection of agriculture and conservation. They discuss their backgrounds, the changes in farming practices over generations, and the economic challenges farmers face. The conversation dives into the Nature Conservancy's approach to working with farmers, the concept of regenerative agriculture, and the importance of soil health. They also touch on technological advancements in farming, the utilization of data, and the idea of stackable enterprises for income diversification. The discussion concludes with reflections on the hope and concerns surrounding modern agriculture and the importance of collaboration and listening in extension work.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Nature Conservancy Team

In this conversation, Eric Hunt discusses recent weather patterns, precipitation deficits, and the implications of La Niña on future weather conditions. He provides insights into drought conditions, snowpack levels, and seasonal weather predictions for the upcoming months, emphasizing the importance of these factors for agricultural planning and crop management.

In this episode, Dr. Ernie Goss (professor of Economics at Creighton) joins to talk about the state of the rural and regional economy, the impact of tariffs, why land is a good investment, why trade is still crucial, and China can play hardball with us more than our neighbors. Ernie ends by discussing the recent closure of the Tyson plant and the unintended consequences of recent political decisions. Ernie also reveals he is the grandson of a Georgia sharecropper and found his way to economics through love of Geography. 

In this episode, Karen Braun of Zaner comes on to talk about weather related challenges with the season's corn and soybean crops, what the USDA report showed today on yield and stock numbers, and what China is or more importantly isn't buying in terms of soybean and how that will affect acreage numbers next year.