The Millennial Ag Podcast

It’s that time of year……Katharine’s favorite national holiday, the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis! This week, we’re joined by some girls who are more than familiar with your host’s favorite topic….milk. The Colorado Milk Quality Contest champs are headed to their national competition next week, and crash the show to tell us all about it. They tell us their most and least favorite parts of the competition, we talk about how much (it’s huuuuuuuuuuuge) very specific knowledge they have accumulated and will put to work, and make sure to tell us the one most important thing they’ve learned in nine months of preparation (hint: it won’t surprise you but it will make you laugh). These are some rock star kids who will restore your faith in humanity, and in the future of agriculture. Join us in wishing them the best of luck as they take on the nation’s best. As always, like, subscribe, share and [email protected]: @millennialagFacebook: Millennial AgTwitter: @millennialagMake sure to spell Millennial correctly ;)*Don't forget to review us! It really does help our ratings, and we really appreciate your feedback.Love, Katharine and Val

Why would a plant-based beverage brand (no, it is NOT milk, ask Katharine the legal definition of milk and she'll give you an earful) turn up at the dairy industry's premier annual event, the World Dairy Expo? Last week, Oregon dairy farmer and industry advocate Derrick Josi tweeted a request he received personally from Oatly. They asked him to be their guide to all things dairy. Derrick, immediately suspicious of their motives, given their history of lying about the dairy industry's footprint and their perceived superior nutrition to real dairy products, declined to participate. He also made sure to raise the alarm with his more than one million followers, exhorting them to be polite and respectful, but to give Oatly no reason to malign dairymen more. This conversation runs the gamut...it's a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with one of the industry's best known advocates. Tune in!Talk to [email protected]: @millennialagFacebook: Millennial AgTwitter: @millennialagMake sure to spell Millennial correctly ;)*Don't forget to review us! It really does help our ratings, and we really appreciate your feedback.Love, Katharine and Val

Aaaaand we're back! We start hot out of the gate for our first episode in the third season of Millennial Ag. We welcome back guest Damian Mason, who introduces us to the concept of the "Uberization of Ag". Does it still make sense in this era of production agriculture to own capital that only works two weeks out of the year like combines and sprayers? What are the risks and benefits of this type of strategy? Will it help more young people enter into the industry? Does it make sense in the production livestock sector? Tune in, listen in, and settle in for this fascinating conversation with an always dynamic guest. As always, let us know what you think! Like us, review us, share us and watch for more great content coming your way this fall.Talk to [email protected]: @millennialagFacebook: Millennial AgTwitter: @millennialagMake sure to spell Millennial correctly ;)*Don't forget to review us! It really does help our ratings, and we really appreciate your feedback.Love, Katharine and Val

Hi listeners! We know it's been a few weeks. In this episode, we share where we've been, and what our plans for summer and fall are, both in our personal lives and what we've got planned for the podcast. Thanks so much for being loyal listeners....we've got great content coming your way! Love, Val and Katharine

In our last episode with Dr. Nora Feldpausch, we brought up the idea of Mental Health Moments. It's been awhile since we've checked in in that department, so this week's episode is about taking a moment and checking in with ourselves. We share some of the ways we each take stock of our own moods and frames of mind, and some things that help us get back on track when we notice we're slipping. Maybe there's something in here that will speak to your heart and help you ask some questions of yourself if you feel like you're drifting. Thanks for listening!

This week, Valene gives an overview of what she's been hearing from producers in the countryside. She talks about how some producers are looking to expand, but can't get the necessary feed delivered. It's not an issue of supply or demand, but rather labor. We're heading into a droughty crop season and there's lot of speculation on whether there's going to be enough water to get farmers through the year. At the end, we remind each other how important it is to have a support system, and the value of taking a step back, a deep breath, and maybe a cocktail on the back porch to let perspective gain a little ground.

This week, we're joined by Angie Setzer, or, as she goes by on Twitter, @GoddessofGrain. She gives us the rundown of what in the world is going in with global grain markets. She discusses the Ukraine/Russia situation, talks about how grain marketers now have to be geopolitical watchers as well as marketers, drought in the US and South America, and what producers can do to somewhat insulate themselves from the crazy ups and downs. She also discusses how Black Swan events have upended grain trading as it was long known. Jump into this episode for a bird's eye view of today's grain markets.

This week, Katharine and Val are back in the same space, recording together. We take a look at how we are and aren't involved in our agricultural organizations, and discuss how they may be struggling to speak to our generation. We walk carefully, because these organizations are institutional and have served vital purposes over the years, but also ask the question of how can they be more? How can we be more through them? As noted several times in the episode, we don't have answers, and so come to you, our audience, for your perspective and thoughts on this topic. Get in touch with us! You can find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and directly at [email protected]. Thanks as always for listening, and we look forward to the conversation this episode will start.

This week, we're joined by Brittany and Bonnie, who together form Peters Family Farms. These ladies started out with a U-Pick strawberry venture which has morphed into a fully fledged diversified vegetable and cut flower operation. They talk about how they got started, challenges they've overcome in four seasons, and what's next for them. They share how their families are an integral part of their operation, and how it's important to do things even if you're scared. Great conversation with some awesome guests! Tune in this week.

This week, we're joined by a guest with a deep background in global ag. Dr. Kelly Wilson is the Assistant Director of the University of Missouri Center for Regenerative Agriculture, and brings us what she calls the definition-defying nature of regenerative ag. She doesn't give us a specific definition, because she believes that regenerative can mean different things in different places to different people, but does give us an overview of what her research covers and what the Center does. She also regales us with tales of her agriculture experiences in sub-Saharan Africa, where she worked with subsistence farmers and saw a very different mode of agricultural production that was focused mainly on feeding the people who farmed the land. This is an excellent interview with a great guest in our series on regenerative agriculture. Don't miss it! This episode was brought to you by FMC. The Center for Regenerative Agriculture can be found at:https://cra.missouri.edu/about/