The Big Show

Kyle Hansen from Hertz Farm Management is our featured guest this hour discussing the results of the REALTORS® Land Institute Iowa Chapter March 2023 Land Trends and Values Survey. The survey shows a .8% average increase in farmland value statewide over the past 6 months with some sections of the state increasing and some decreasing. Those survey results are posted at the Big Show page of www.WHORadio.com and on our Facebook, @BigShowFarm. Hansen also talks about the things that drive land value including commodity prices and interest rates plus he talks about where he expects trends to go in the near future. We also have today's Three Big Things You Need To Know and a look back at how markets closed heading into the holiday weekend. We also have the info on how you can submit nominations for this year's Way We Live Awards at the great Iowa State Fair. Nominations are due May 15th!

Bob Quinn talks with DeKalb/Asgrow Agronomist Andrew Penney updates us on field conditions with soil temps and moisture as planting season rapidly approaches! Iowa Corn Growers President Denny Friest gives his perspective on field conditions preparing for Plant23 and the split between corn and soybean planting expectations.

To start the show, Bob Quinn reviews the results of the REALTORS® Land Institute Iowa Chapter's Land Trends and Values Survey showing a slight increase in values of tillable land across Iowa. Iowa State University Extension Agronomist Leah TenNapel in Northwest Iowa gives an update on soil moisture in that area, with some official measurements coming next week. She also recommends talking with seed dealers about tar spot even if it hasn't been an issue in the past. Al Kluis from Kluis Commodities up in the Twin Cities gives us a look at the markets heading into the three-day holiday weekend with grains mostly lower but livestock in the green.

Iowa State Extension Agronomist Meaghan Anderson details the field conditions in Central Iowa including soil temps and moisture and talks about when she expects to see less overnight frost. Spencer Chase from Agri-Pulse runs down all of the big ag issues being discussed in Washington D.C. including progress the farm bill and the relationship between the USDA and the EPA. --------Garrett Toay from Ag Trader Talk--------------

Chad Husman with Stalcup Ag Service in Storm Lake gives us an update on pre-plant conditions in Northwest Iowa including drought, frost, and what he expects to see planted for corn and soybeans. Garrett Toay is our market analyst today and says he doesn't think here will actually be as many acres of corn planted as the USDA predicts. We also have a special report featuring Eric Sarff, president of Murray Wise and Associates, which says that the U.S. lost 2 million acres of farmland in 2022

Like Bob Quinn, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig was also recently out of the country. He traveled to Vietnam and The Philippines promoting the trade of Iowa ag products including pork and soybeans. Ross Dean, SVP of Sales for Versova, calls in to tell us about their program to donate 108,000 eggs to the Food Bank of Iowa. Joe Kerns with Partners for Production Agriculture and Iowa Cattlemen's Heritage Beef Company brings us the information on the new Legacy Beef Co-op and how to attend a meeting to learn about the new operation.

Bob Quinn is back from his Holiday Vacations trip to Central America! He tells all about his adventure to Costa Rica and Panama throughout the hour. Brian Hoops from Midwest Market Solutions is our market analyst today with grains all in the red.

Max Schaeffer is with us one more day! He is joined to start the hour by Iowa Pork Producers Association Consumer Information Director Joyce Hoppes helping us get ready for the summer talking all things pork including Bacon Buddies, Pork in the Pantry, and Pulled Pork Madness! We also revisit Bob's chat with Iowa State Water Quality Program Manager Catherine DeLong about keeping ponds heathy year-round, prevention of duckweed, and what to do about cloudy water. Jamey Kohake wraps up today's show for us with an update of markets!

Max Schaeffer is with us once again today. We take a listen to Bob Quinn's conversation with ISU Professor of plant pathology and microbiology, Alison Robertson, on treating tar spot and how to be prepared for it in 2023 as well as what new diseases she is watching for. Jamey Kohake from Paragon Investments dives into markets with us following the big report day last Friday. And Tim Meyer from the Steffes Group fills us in on their recent and upcoming land and equipment auctions and gives his tips for when the best times to buy and sell are.

Max Schaeffer and IAWA's Rebekah Jones are joined by Polk County Water Resources Supervisor John Swanson talks about some of the progress they have made in conservation practices including the Edge of Field Batch and Build Project, a new project dubbed the Wetland Wave, Saturated Buffer Batch and Build Expansion, and Urban Soil Health Batch and Build. As we wrap up The Big Show for the week we talk with Don Roose about what he saw in today’s Grain Stocks and Planting Perspectives reports from the USDA. And we’re watching the weather as we head into the afternoon with severe potential in the Eastern half of Iowa.