The Spokesman Speaks: Ag Insights for Your Farm and Family

Welcome to Episode 88 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Dr. Wendong Zhang (an Iowa State University economics professor) shares the factors driving rising farmland practices in Iowa, Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Hill reflects on Farm Bureau's work (as Hill wraps up his final term as president), and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig introduces a new grant program for farmers who are looking to diversify the ag products they grow and how they sell those products.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• ISU Center for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) - ISU Land Value Survey will be released on December 14
• https://bit.ly/landvalue2021 - for farm managers, ag lenders, appraisers, brokers, and others who are knowledgeable about local land markets to participate in ISU's land value survey
• Choose Iowa Marketing and Promotion Grant Program - December 15 application deadline

Welcome to Episode 87 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This episode digs into agriculture's current supply chain disruptions, with Iowa State economist Dr. Bobby Martens (an expert in supply chain management). The episode also features an interview with Ed Kordick (Iowa Farm Bureau's Farmer Education Program Manager) about a new series of webinars to help farmers elevate their grain marketing abilities.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Register for Iowa Farm Bureau's "Third Thursday: 2021-22 Crop Marketing Series"
• Register for Iowa Farm Bureau's Annual Meeting

Welcome to Episode 86 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This episode features tips for managing your farm's income taxes in 2021, from Kristine Tidgren (Director of the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University). It also includes a conversation with Dustin Petty of BASE, about a service that helps farmers manage their health care expenses in a way that helps them save on their taxes.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Register for Iowa Farm Bureau's free Farm Income Tax Webinar (on November 4): https://www.iowafarmbureau.com/Article/2021-Iowa-Farm-Income-Tax-Webinar
• Learn more through the Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation at Iowa State University: https://www.calt.iastate.edu/
• Learn more about BASE and its services for Iowa Farm Bureau members: https://www.baseonline.com/landing/iafarmbureau.asp

Welcome to Episode 85 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. This episode features a peek inside Iowa State University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences with Dr. Daniel Robison (dean of the college).

Resource mentioned in this episode:

• Register for Iowa Farm Bureau's 2021 Iowa Farm Income Tax Webinar

Welcome to Episode 84 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast.

This episode includes some advice for a safe harvest and a discussion with 2021 America Needs Farmers Wall of Honor inductee Marshal Yanda (a former Iowa Hawkeye star, NFL All-Pro and Super Bowl champion) about his upbringing on an Anamosa, Iowa dairy farm.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• ANF Game Day details
• The National Education Center for Agricultural Safety

Welcome to Episode 83 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, Greg Hanes (CEO of the Cattlemen's Beef Board) talks about the history of the Beef Checkoff (which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year) and what's around the corner. And the newly-elected chair of Iowa Farm Bureau's Young Farmer Advisory Committee (Randy Francois) shares the challenges and opportunities he sees for Iowa's up-and-coming farmers.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Iowa Farm Bureau's Young Farmer Program
• ANF Game Day On-Field Experience contest

Welcome to Episode 82 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast.

In this episode, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture Kip Tom and U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action CEO Erin Fitzgerald discuss how they're sharing U.S. agriculture's story internationally (particularly the importance ag technology and livestock). Specifically, Tom and Fitzgerald talk about their work leading up to the inaugural UN Food Systems Summit (which will be held virtually, in late September 2021).

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Learn more about the UN Food Systems Summit
• Learn more about the work of U.S. Farmers and Ranchers in Action
• Watch USFRA's "30 Harvests" video
• See the results of the Iowa Farm Bureau Food and Farm Index®

Welcome to Episode 81 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall shares updates on some of the most important national policy issues facing farmers right now: possible environmental regulations, possible estate tax changes, and efforts to improve cattle market transparency. (President Duvall's interview took place on August 18, 2021.)

We also talk with Iowa Farm Bureau President Craig Hill about a new series of videos that's designed to improve consumers' understanding of farming's sustainability and animal care.

Resource mentioned in this episode:

• New Real Farmers. Real Food. Real Meat. video series

Welcome to Episode 80 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode, we reflect on Iowa's derecho recovery (including a unique program to help livestock farmers who were impacted by the storm) with Brian Waddingham of the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers. We also chat with the newly-announced winners of Iowa's Conservation Farmer of the Year award; Ken Fawcett and his nephew Kent Stuart, who farm near West Branch.

Welcome to Episode 79 of The Spokesman Speaks podcast. In this episode Iowa Farm Bureau Conservation and Natural Resources Policy Advisor Rick Robinson discusses the water quality progress that you might not be seeing or hearing in recent news coverage. And Shane Wulf (Edge of Field Coordinator for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship) shares the assistance that's available to help farmers implement edge-of-field conservation practices (like bioreactors and saturated buffers) on their farms.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• CleanWaterIowa.org
• Webinar | Utility-Scale Solar Energy Contracts: What You Need to Know
• Webinar | 2021 Transportation Rules for Farmers