Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is the most destructive pathogen of soybeans in the United States with annual yield losses due to SCN estimated at more than $1 billion. Yield losses caused by SCN are often underestimated because the nematode can be present in fields without causing any noticeable aboveground symptoms. In an effort to increase soybean farmers’ awareness of soybean cyst nematode, the SCN Coalition is naming October 6, 2025, National Nematode Day.

Recently members of the SCN Coalition met in Columbus, Ohio to discuss the latest research and updates on their current initiatives. On this episode of the Ohio Field Leader Podcast Greg Tylka, Professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology at Iowa State University; Geroge Bird, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University; and Albert Tenuta, Extension Plant Pathologist at the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness at the University of Guelph all joined the Ohio Field Leader to discuss the origins of the SCN Coalition and share their vision for the future.

In a time of low commodity prices, late season soybean disease management is important as growers make decisions to help reduce plant stress and potentially increase or simply preserve soybean yield potential. Equally important is knowing when a treatment is no longer necessary and when it may actually be a waste of money and time. Diseases such as septoria brown spot, downy mildew, white mold, and many other foliar diseases such as frog eye leaf spot can often be observed as the long hot summer days fade into cooler fall weather. Dr. Horacio-Lopez Nicora, OSU Extension Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist visits with Dusty to discuss the current growing conditions in Ohio's soybean fields, and factors that growers should consider before making a late season fungicide application to their crop. They also discuss the great resources available to farmers at the Crop Protection Network.

Red Crown Rot has officially been confirmed in Ohio. Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora joins Dusty on this special episode to discuss the finding and what it means to Ohio soybean growers going forward. They discuss what is known about the disease, basic management strategies moving forward, and how Ohio farmers can submit soybean plant samples for free testing and identification thanks to the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Check-off.

When life gives you lemons, it has been said that the best thing you can do is to make lemonade. That is exactly what Sheldon and Samantha Miller of Ottawa County have done on their farm after a Tornado in 2023 destroyed their home and buildings, and they continue to do as they navigate the many challenges and opportunities in production agriculture. Dusty visits with Sheldon and Samantha on this episode of the Ohio Field Leader Podcast at the latest stop of the Ohio Field Leader Roadshow. The Ohio Field Leader is a product of the Ohio Soybean Council and Soybean Check-off.

On Episode 58 of the Ohio Field Leader Podcast, Dusty visits with Jon, Joe, Tim and Tyler Everett of Everett Farms in Shelby County. The brothers and their sons have been farming many of the same acres for generations, and the unique thing is that the absentee landlords are also multi-generational as the land has been handed down over the years. Establishing and continuing to develop their landlord relationships and stewarding the ground has been a key to their success. They also discuss the unique aspects of having two families and multiple generations farming together and what it takes to make it all work.

In this podcast episode the Ohio Field Leader Roadshow made a stop in Morrow County at the farm of Ray Van Horn. Dusty and Ray discuss the current planting season, and unique aspects of farming some of the gently rolling clay soils around Mt. Gilead. They also discuss the important role of agricultural commodity organizations and the value of building relationships to foster trade around the world from a combine seat in Ohio.

There is more than the topography that is “rolling” at Rolling Fields Company in Perry County.  When Keith Dennis and his wife Jane purchased the farm in 1976, this rolling farm ground had water rolling any time it had a heavy rain, cutting deep gullies. Erosion was a huge concern.  Since 2011 Keith has planted cover crops and began utilizing the Haney Soil Health test.  Now the rolling fields are green and covered with a mixture of cover crops. Today the main things rolling are the numbers and data on spreadsheets from over a decade of soil health test results. Dusty and Keith discuss the farm's transition to high productivity on this episode of the podcast and look ahead to the future. 

For over a quarter century Matt Reese of Ohio's Country Journal has been covering the story of Agriculture and its' people. In those years Reese has seen a number of major changes in the soybean industry in Ohio. From No-till planting, to Round-up Ready, to Soybean Aphids and Soybean Rust, to White Mold and Specialty IP beans, Reese has covered many of the stories that have impacted soybean farmers all across the Buckeye state. In the episode, Dusty visits with Matt about his time at OCJ and all the changes he has observed, as well as some lessons learned along the way.

In this episode, Dusty visits with a farmer, podcaster, boilermaker, professor, meteorologist, grain marketer, and canoe livery owner, all rolled into one - Ryan Martin. For decades, Ryan has been forecasting agricultural weather and reporting for numerous organizations. He has also been analyzing grain markets and trade patterns, regularly sharing his valuable insights with farmers and college students alike. As a farmer, Ryan has a unique perspective on the agriculture industry and the opportunities and challenges that the future holds.

It is known as the invisible yield robber. Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) is a leading cause of lower yields in soybean fields across the country with no noticeable symptoms above ground on the plant. In a recent news release from the SCN Coalition, SCN has been identified in over 30 additional counties across the country. That is in addition to the counties that it had previously been detected in. That new number includes two new counties in Ohio.

Dr. Horacio Lopez-Nicora is an OSU Extension Soybean Pathologist and Nematologist. Dr. Lopez-Nicora has been working aggressively to help farmers identify fields with SCN populations and develop strategies to manage their presence of the pest and lower those populations. Dusty visits with Horacio on this episode to discuss the recent survey results and management strategies that farmers can employ to deal wtih the spread of SCN.