The Business of Agriculture Podcast

Calvin Koeller's Illinois farm operation is about to lose a couple miles worth of farm land to an electrical grid expansion. This new electric line project was defeated a few years ago but, with support from the Inflation Reduction Act — and some Illinois politics — the Grainbelt Express Electric project is back on track. As currently designed, it's going to cause significant disruption for farmers like the Koellers. Calvin is joined by fellow Illinois farmer John Carroll to discuss infrastructure, eminent domain, and green policy winners and losers in and out of Agriculture. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Currently, pork profitability (or lack thereof) has certain observers comparing the industry to the late '90s when pork was in turmoil. It was that era, in fact, that set the stage for today's (mostly) vertically integrated hog production model using contact grower farmers. Adam Krause, a contract grower, joins Glenn Muller, Executive Director of South Dakota Pork Producers Council in an extensive conversation with Damian about all things pork. The topics: Exports, flavorless pigs, grandma's cooking, African Swine Fever, manure's value, contractual production critics, Proposition 12, Mexican growth, and pig rectums. Tune in!! Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

If you're in business, at some level, you're in sales. So, how exactly would you rate your sales game? Do you ask the right questions? Is your product knowledge keeping up? Do you understand the needs and problems of the customers you seek to serve? St. John ("Sinjin") Craner, a sales and marketing trainer specializing in Agriculture explains how selling has evolved and why the methods of yesterday won't work in today's Ag. Find St. John Craner at www.ruralsalessuccess.com Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

The Mississippi River is low and that's causing shipping problems for Agriculture. Mark Milam with Independent Commodity Intelligence Services joins Damian to discuss issues of transportation, supply, and distribution of fertilizer for crop year 2024. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

The chasm between beef and dairy is being bridged as the two industries fuse in a trend that could be good for beef, dairy, consumers, the marketplace, and maybe the environment. The advent of sex-specific semen made a whole lot of dairy cow uteruses available. Meanwhile the beef industry needed calves. The result: beef bulls being bred to dairy calves creating calves intended specifically for the beef trade. This trend is upending the marketplace. Ian Wheal of meat supply chain consultancy Breedr joins Nebraska cattleman and founder of HerdDogg — a cattle biometrics company — Andrew Uden for an explanatory dialogue about Beef-on-Dairy. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

As it turns out, we've not always been good to our soil. Fortunately we're starting to better understand the living organism beneath our feet. However, we're still mistreating this valuable asset that's selling for $15,000 to $20,000 per acre in some areas. David Kleinschmidt of Progressive Agronomy and Illinois farmer Mike Imhoff discuss cover cropping, soil biology, advanced soil testing, and programs to help reverse sins against your soil.

Using a $40 million federal grant paid over five years via USDA's climate initiative, DeLong company created the "Grown Climate Smart" program. A 38 branch Ag retailer and grain elevator, DeLong has roughly 250,000 customer acres enrolled in the program that incentivizes wind breaks, cover cropping, tillage reduction, and nutrient management. Now the question is: Will consumers or downstream Ag customers pay a premium or be able to justify a premium associated with "climate smart" designation? DeLong's Dylan Vaca and Wisconsin farmer Randy Hughes join Damian Mason to discuss the challenge of fetching a premium for environmentally conscious commodities. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Farmland prices have been on fire the last couple years. But are those prices peaking? Beyond the huge sale numbers seen on social media, Ag property has been selling well but…there are signs of a cooling off. What can we expect moving forward? Will the institutional investors remain in Ag land? And what are the drivers of farm ground pricing and sales? Howard Halderman of Halderman Real Estate & Farm Management joins Damian in a webinar format. We thought it was so insightful and timely, we're bringing it to you as a Business of Agriculture podcast. Enjoy!

Businesses are encouraged to conduct assessments of their Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats. In short: What are you good at, what do you suck at, where will tomorrow's money be made, and what things could put you out of business? The most critical element of an effective SWOT Analysis is the ability to be critical. That's why I brought in Ryan Moe, member of The Business of Ag Success Group, Regional Director with StoneX, and unapologetic truth teller. It's a long episode but among my all-time favorites and an awesome, insightful conversation! Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Used machinery markets are heating up earlier than normal. Is this because farmers in need of equipment recall getting shut out during the supply chain disruptions of Covid or is there a used equipment shortage? What are interest rates — more than double what they were just a year or so ago— doing to the farm implement market? Does a farmer need the newest and shiniest machinery in an era of evolving and transportable technology? Is there a place for smaller scale farm equipment in tomorrow's Ag? Is farm machinery a barometer for the greater Ag economy. A predictor of the future? Those questions and more are addressed in this insightful discussion between Damian and Moving Iron's Casey Seymour. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com