North American growers have been stewards of their land for generations, working hard to leave it better than they found it.

But up until recently, that's been a pretty solitary path.

Now though, new allies from within and outside the agriculture industry are stepping up to help drive sustainable success, forging new partnerships and creating new revenue streams to reward growers' stewardship practices.

In this episode, we take a closer look at two of those unique partnerships.

First, we'll talk to Fernando Candia and Justin McAllister from Bunge, the world leader in oilseed processing. They've been working with Nutrien Ag Solutions for several years now to roll out a program for farmers to reward sustainable ag practices.

And then, we'll meet Agriculture Support Director Scott Manley from Ducks Unlimited, where they're championing rice growers' nutrient management efforts in order to support more and better habitat for North American waterfowl.

For farmers who want to make agricultural practice changes, sometimes it can feel like there's just not enough information to work with.

Want to try something new? Give it a go, and in half a year you'll know whether it worked out.

But there's a better way!

For growers who utilize our Agrible data management system, this is the time of year when they start receiving their personalized Nutrien Ag Solutions sustainability reports.

These grower-focused informational resources allow you to compare and contrast yields across different fields and crops, see how various practices affected your performance, and compare your data with other anonymous participants throughout your area.

So in this episode, we're talking to Senior Sustainability Project Manager Eric Moon about how producers can leverage these reports to improve their yields, boost their margins and build upon sustainable successes in their operations.

It’s that time of year when things are slowing down, and we make time to be grateful.

Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners are a great opportunity to remind everyone that every dish we enjoy is there because of someone’s hard work.

So in that spirit, we wanted to use this episode of the FARMSMART Podcast as a “Celebration of Growers” by looking back on some of the conversations we’ve had with farmers who spend every day working to leave the world in better shape than they found it.

Justin Place tells us about finding new ways to improve his operation in Idaho by staying engaged with his local and national commodity groups.

Janette Veazey-Post is putting some cool technology to work on 13,000 acres in New York and Ohio.

And Iowa's Bill Northey went to work for the USDA as undersecretary for farm production and conservation, but recently passed away. We'll look back at his career and his advice for growers.

Each of our guests has a story that you can learn from.

And this season, as always, we’re grateful to them... and everyone else who makes a living with their hands in the dirt.

When you listen to the FARMSMART Podcast, you’re getting more than actionable insights about conservation practices that can foster sustainability and improve your margins.

You’re getting frank discussions about the future of agriculture and perspectives from all different corners of the industry.

And sometimes the folks we have on the show find a way to surprise us.

So in this episode, we’re looking back at two conversations where we really learned something unique from our guests.

We’ll hear from Dave Sender, Regional Sales Manager at Environmental Tillage Systems—the company that manufactures the Soil Warrior line of strip till implements.

And John Maman, Nutrien Financial’s Sales and Marketing Director, will fill us in on how the company is working to make agriculture more financially sustainable.

Doing more with less is nothing new for North American growers.

But the tools and practices that allow us to do it are always evolving.

And Brent Rogers from Double R Farms in Hoxie, Kansas lives on the cutting edge of putting those tools and practices through their paces.

Whether it's advanced nutrient management, soil testing, tissue sampling, autonomous pivot units, no-till, cover crops or even drones, Brent has tried it all on his family's farm.

He's also developed a deep working relationship with his Nutrien Ag Solutions crop consultants, and our staff agree that his operation is the source of the best on-farm research in the Northern High Plains.

That's why Nutrien Ag Solutions named him as part of its class of Sustainable Success Champions.

So in this episode, we learn more about the insights Brent has uncovered, the lessons he's learned, and why he believes that it's mission-critical to stay on the cutting edge of sustainable ag practices.

A years-long drought, followed by an entire year's rainfall in a week.

With these conditions, succeeding as a farmer in North Texas takes more than just luck.

It takes a solid plan, an openness to new ideas, a reliable pool of data and an expert team.

John and Amilia Cato have all these and more. Managing more than 10,000 acres just south of the Red River, they have had to adapt to get ahead.

And by introducing no-till, soil testing and data analytics, they've transformed a generations-old operation into a modern example of using conservation practices to thrive in an uncertain climate.

That's why Nutrien Ag Solutions named them as part of its class of Sustainable Success Champions.

So in this episode, we join John and Amilia Cato in the field during their harvest to hear about how they're overcoming challenges, what's working, and how conservation practices are helping them improve their margins.

When we talk about sustainability, very often we’re talking about how a grower’s actions or practices can help the environment.

But it works both ways!

Sustainable improvements to the environment can help the grower out in the field as well.

When we invest in promoting soil health through practices like cover crops, we're laying the groundwork for better yields, lower input costs and even potential new revenue streams.

So in this episode, we're looking back at two of the best conversations we've had about cover crops and soil health.

Dr. Chuck Rice, a distinguished professor of soil microbiology at Kansas State University, has a great framework for growers that he calls the “Holy Trinity of Soil Health.”

And for growers who don’t feel like they know enough about cover cropping to make an informed decision, we're also speaking with Patrick Reed, the Vice President of Sales at La Crosse Seed.

Sustainability buzzwords won't move the needle... and they sure aren't helping anyone.

Growers need to be front and center in any conversation about the future of agriculture.

Because, without growers, agriculture has no future.

So in this episode, we're looking back at three conversations that really cut through the noise and surfaced some actionable sustainable agriculture insights.

We'll talk with Curt Blades, the Senior Vice President of Industry Sectors and Product Leadership at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, about finding purpose in the industry's pivot toward sustainability.

From Florida, we'll explore how one of North America's most diverse and challenging croplands is making huge strides in nutrient management with David Royal, the Florida Nutrient Stewardship Project Manager at the Nature Conservancy.

And we'll learn how to support variable rate nutrient application through careful soil sampling and data collection from Brian Arnall, precision nutrient management extension specialist at Oklahoma State University.

Managing insects, weeds and disease on crops is an ever-evolving battle.

Spray too late, and you'll have lost your crop.

Spray too soon, you'll have wasted a lot of money and time.

Spray too much, and you'll be increasing pest resistance and causing other problems.

And none of those options is sustainable OR practical.

So in this episode, we're learning about one of agriculture's oldest practices—field scouting—from one of Nutrien Ag Solutions' newest crop consultants, Megan Guy.

From our office in Dansville, New York, she'll explain how she builds trust with growers, how they determine thresholds for application, and how these practices have evolved to be more sustainable.

Plus, we'll be joined by Deirdre Hickey, instructor of plant science at the State University of New York Cobleskill, to discuss how to get more young people like Megan interested in agriculture careers.

Agriculture can mean a lot of different things in the Northeast U.S.

From row crops to specialties, from broccoli to potatoes, from dairy to turf production, every ag operation has unique needs.

And every operation is looking for a competitive edge to boost production and create new revenue streams.

So in this episode, we're visiting the New York Farm Show in Syracuse to pop in on Nutrien Ag Solutions Northeast Division Manager Steve Harrison.

He's going to tell us how his team is tackling the unique mix of agriculture, terrain and climate in the Northeast, and helping growers optimize their sustainability footprints while improving their margins.

Plus, we'll explore how sustainability partnerships with downstream food processors are creating new revenue streams for growers in this part of the world.