The Big Show

Tuesday's First Hour: Interstate 35 FFA Instructor Denny Meggers joins us to talk about his experience yesterday travelling down to Southern Illinois to view the solar eclipse in the path of totality. Al Kluis from Kluis Commodity Advisors tells us his perspective at the end of the hour driving south from the Twin Cities to escape cloud cover to see it near Cedar Rapids. And in the middle of the first hour today, Don Roose from US Commodities walks us through today's ag market trade.

Monday's Second Hour:State Representative Heather Hora discusses the meat labelling bill that was passed by the State Senate but rejected by the House. David has a special report for us today with USDA NASS Upper Midwest Regional Office Director Greg Thessen on the recent five-year review on NASS Reports. Jamey Kohake from Paragon Investments ends today's show with another update on markets and his projections heading into planting season.

Friday's Second Hour: We continue today's presentation of the Good Farm Neighbor Award to the Eason family in Greene County, sponsored by the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers! Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig praises the significance of the Easons' Heritage Farm, in their family for over 150 years! Alex Frazier from Frazier Nursery talks about the tree that they give GFN Award winners, the Bur Oak. USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie tells us about the requirements for a product to be considered a climate smart commodity and talks about the first product to come to market meeting those qualifications. Don Roose from US Commodities looks at ag markets with us as we wrap up the week.

Friday's First Hour: Bob is near Scranton, Iowa today presenting a Wergin Good Farm Neighbor Award to the Eason Family, sponsored by the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers! How talks throughout the hour today about the cattle operation, a heritage farm, with Bob and Peg Eason, their nephews Brent and Ryan Schroeder, nominator Erica Burris, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, and CSIF's Brian Waddingham and Kody Havens.

Thursday's Second Hour: As planting season approaches, we're talking weed prevention with BASF Technical Marketing Manager Matt Inman. April is Soy Foods Month and we celebrate with Iowa Soybean Association Chief Officer of Brand Management and Engagement Aaron Putze discussing the array of options for soy in foods and the export opportunity it presents. Brugler Marketing & Management President Alan Brugler ends today's show with a look at commodity markets nearing the close.

Thursday's First Hour: Nation Milk Producers Federation economist Stephen Cain details the summary they just put out to USDA on desired changes for the milk industry. Iowa State University economist Chad Hart brings us some insight to where agriculture currently stands for cost of production and what key numbers are fluctuating. Melissa Miller from the Iowa Nitrogen Initiative tells us about their organization and the studies that they are undertaking and how Corn Checkoff dollars contribute.

Wednesday's Second Hour: Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, Vice President of External Affairs at Landus, tells us about how they are communicating with farmers and the issues in agriculture they are looking to facilitate at the statehouse. Landus President and CEO Matt Carstens tells us more about the newly announced Synthesis product to make drone data more easily accessible to farmers. We close the day with US Commodities’ Don Roose looking at markets including a look at how the US Dollar Index is impacting commodity markets today.

Wednesday's First Hour: Bob Quinn is on location today at Landus! Landus President & CEO Matt Carstens tells us about today's announcement of Synthesis, bringing data to the fingertips of farmers. LANDWERX Innovation Hub Director Brooke Blessington takes us through the importance of drones in agriculture and talks about how they work with Landus. Illinois farmer Kevin Kennedy talks about how he puts the data collected to use in his operation. We also chat on this Clean Water Wednesday with Kellie Blair about conservation practices on the farm that earned her the Women Impacting Agriculture award from Iowa State University Extension.

Friday's Second Hour: State Climatologist Justin Glissan talks with us about the drought monitor and the weather outlook at the start of spring. We're chatting grain quality and cargo quality with Alexander Grabois. And we end the week with Ann Johanns diving into the ISU Extension Farm Custom Rate Survey.

Friday's First Hour: Markets are closed for the Easter holiday, but there's plenty to talk about after yesterday's Grain Stocks and Planting Perspectives reports from USDA NASS. Don Roose from US Commodities gives us his biggest takeaways from yesterday. Big Show buddy Duane Murley joins Bob today in the Big Show Garage today helping out around the shop and talking about the culinary highlights along Highway 20 in North Central Iowa. And in today's Iowa Farm Bureau Spotlight, Bob is talking with IFBF Senior Investment Manager Adam Koppes about partnering with entrepreneurs across Iowa and providing educational opportunities through the Renew Rural Iowa program.